There’s one rivalry within the Caribbean nexus that is big and is only getting bigger – Guyana v Trinidad (or Trinidad v Guyana, depending on your allegiances)

Roger Sawh25-Feb-2013One of the most important aspects of international cricket is the fact that countries, as opposed to franchises, go head to head on such a regular basis. As opposed to the Yankees v Red Sox, Celtics v Lakers or Barcelona v Real Madrid, the national representation structure of cricket (notwithstanding the rapidly expanding world of franchise cricket in T20s) lends regular matches and series the feeling of a quasi-war. While outward animosity isn’t that pronounced, there are some rivalries that are so spirited and historically significant that their manifestation in cricket is quite fierce – India and Pakistan are probably the most passionate, Australia and England might be the oldest, and anyone and England (the colonial masters) might be the most historically entrenched. On a slightly smaller scale, there’s one rivalry within the Caribbean nexus that is big and is only getting bigger – Guyana v Trinidad (or Trinidad v Guyana, depending on your allegiances).This rivalry does not have military connections, but is instead spurred on by a shared history and a similar socio-cultural and economic reality. In a nutshell, it’s like two siblings fighting – they’re similar in so many ways, but their differences invoke vehement clashes. On the face of things, Trinidad and Guyana have much alike when compared with the other members of the West Indies – they’re the only two countries to have large Indo-ancestral roots alongside Afro-ancestral ones, which has led to the creation of cultures that appreciate curries as much as calypso. The noticeable presence of Hinduism and Islam existing alongside Christianity, and the theatre of Shah Rukh Khan being as influential as that of Brad Pitt make Trinidadian and Guyanese societies quite analogous.There are, though, small differences in the cultures that act as springboards for perceived difference – Guyanese say ‘chicken curry’ while Trinis say ‘curry chicken’, Trinis like to ‘fete’ while Guyanese like to ‘sport’ (they both mean ‘party’ for the uninitiated) … and so the long but quite unimportant list goes on. Besides linguistic differences, there are obvious claims over who does things better, who has had more success, or even who is the smarter one – as I said, a real sibling rivalry!On the economic front, Trinidad has done quite well for itself thanks mainly to its oil-based economy, while Guyana is still working on finding its economic footing (though aspirations of oil shine bright as a potential way to progress). This ties in to the politics of the two countries, which have had undeniable racial links at one level or another (and have always served as an ugly backdrop to efforts for national unity). Both countries are working their internal differences out, but as young nations, there are definite growing pains.On the cricketing front, Trinidad has birthed the genius Brian Lara while Guyana may claim to have had more ‘big names’ of the West Indies’ past, like Clive Lloyd, Lance Gibbs, and Rohan Kanhai. In today’s West Indies team, Trinidad has provided some of the brightest stars, while Guyana can claim the stalwarts. In general, Trinidadians and Guyanese have played cricket in similar ways also – spin based bowling attacks (think Sonny Ramadhin, Dinanath Ramnarine and Samuel Badree against Lance Gibbs, Mahendra Nagamootoo and Devendra Bishoo) that complement wristy and stylish batsmen (like Larry Gomes, Daren Ganga and Darren Bravo versus Alvin Kallicharran, Carl Hooper and Ramnaresh Sarwan).To take a small slice of recent history, Guyana and Trinidad have yet another commonality – they are the only two countries to have won the West Indies’ domestic T20 tournament since its inception under Allen Stanford. That reality has provided the latest bit of spice in this bilateral bacchannal, which grew to a fever pitch yet again a few nights ago in the round-robin stage of the 2013 tournament in Port of Spain. Both teams were undefeated going into the game, and Guyanese and Trinidadians alike were confident that their teams would win. They both relied heavily on spin, and there was a shared knowledge that they are each other’s biggest test. While Trinidad emerged easy victors, the anticipation of another possible face-off in the tournament final keeps the flames of competition burning bright.The rivalry will continue far beyond 2013, from the cricket field to the kitchen to the DJ booth, and many other places. While the chasm could be so much wider (there are no fundamental religious, racial or historical differences to fuel any hatred), we simply fight because we’re alike. Claims of superiority will continue to be made, evidence will be cited, teasing will be done, and banter will continue, but despite all of this, Trinis and Guyanese will both be right – like siblings, they are both equally special.

Stats highlights from India’s 26-run win against South Africa in their group B league match of the Champions Trophy at Cardiff

Shiva Jayaraman06-Jun-2013South Africa have now lost seven of the 11 ODIs they have played in England since 2007. They have won only two of these games with two games ending without a result. Their win-loss ratio of 0.28 is the worst for visiting teams in England. India’s score of 331 for 7 was their second highest in ODIs against South Africa, their highest being 401 for 3 at Gwalior in 2010, when Sachin Tendulkar scored the first 200 in ODIs. This was also the highest ODI score at Cardiff. The previous highest at this ground was 304 for 6, also by India. This was India’s highest total against South Africa in matches played outside India. Lonwabo Tsotsobe’s 2 for 83 in this match was the third most expensive spell by a South African bowler against India, after Wayne Parnell’s 2 for 95 and Dale Steyn’s 0 for 89 in the same Gwalior match. This was only the tenth time in ODIs that two or more bowlers from the same team went for 80 or more runs in their spells. South Africa have been the bowling team on four of these 10 occasions, none of the other teams have more than one instance. Two of these instances for South Africa have come against India. The 127-run opening partnership between Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma was the first opening century partnership for India outside the sub-continent since Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag put on 201* against New Zealand at Hamilton in March 2009. AB de Villiers scored his fourth consecutive fifty in as many innings, in this match. This was the eighth instance of a South African batsman scoring fifty-plus runs in four or more consecutive innings. Pakistan have 13 instances of batsmen scoring four or more consecutive fifties, the most for any team.This was the 66th instance of both teams scoring 300-plus runs in a match. India have been involved in 30 of these 66 matches.David Miller got out for a duck without facing a ball in South Africa’s innings. There have been 123 such instances in ODIs. Miller was only the fifth South African batsman to get out for a ‘diamond-duck’. South Africa have the lowest number of such ducks among the eight teams in the Champions Trophy.

Plays of the day from the IPL match between Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings in Jaipur

Devashish Fuloria12-May-2013The blunders
Chennai Super Kings’ opening stand of 83 began relatively slowly, as the pair took time to get used to the surface. If that was a cue on how to succeed on this pitch, Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni ignored it completely. Raina drove his second delivery through the line, in the air, despite there being a long-off in place, and holed out. Dhoni’s dismissal was even more baffling. He got a thick outside edge over point off his first delivery, but ignoring the signs, he tried to repeat the shot only to edge it to Shane Watson, who had just been moved to first slip before the delivery.The high high-five

Jason Holder, the tall West Indies fast bowler, had bowled 11 overs in the IPL before the start of this match, but his wickets column showed nothing. The Jaipur pitch, though, assisted him. He made the batsmen uncomfortable with the bounce he extracted. And the wickets duly arrived. First, it was Ajinkya Rahane who mistimed a lofted drive to mid-on, and then it was James Faulkner, who had given himself room to blast a length delivery, but was left to see the off stump knocked out. Holder ran towards Dwayne Bravo and leapt for a ten-foot high-five. Bravo did well enough to get a hand to it.The failed experiment
A few days back, Rahul Dravid had rejigged the batting order and sent Faulkner at No. 3 at Eden Gardens on a slow pitch. The experiment then had lasted just four balls with Faulkner managing a solitary run. Today, on a spicy pitch that was testing for players like Dravid, Royals pushed Faulkner up the order again. The result was no better. Faulkner was bowled second ball.The fielding
At one stage during Royals’ innings, it appeared the batsmen didn’t really have a way out. Super Kings’ bowlers were bowling with fire and their fielders were not letting anything get away. The energy was visible when Watson had just come in and he chopped one towards point where Ravindra Jadeja dived to his left, caught the ball with one-hand, then threw down the stumps at the striker’s end. Unfortunately for him, Watson’s bat was well inside the line. Jadeja was also at the boundary when Stuart Binny hit a six off R Ashwin that opened the floodgates, but he would have wanted to be as tall as Kieron Pollard to get to that.

With little context, this tri-series could be looked upon as another blow to Test cricket, but for the teams, it provides a chance to grow, build and streamline their ODI outfits

Abhishek Purohit27-Jun-2013Seen from one perspective, this tri-series could be the latest instance of Testicide – the act by which a scheduled Test match or series is aborted (or rescheduled, to an unspecified date) by cash-strapped boards for the big money that a one-day series, preferably involving India, brings in. The WICB and SLC achieved that by scrapping the two Tests they were scheduled under the FTP to play against each other in May; they also managed to convince India to be the third team in a one-day tri-series that starts in Jamaica five days after the Champions Trophy ended in England.But, as MS Dhoni might have put it in one of his interesting metaphors, if a delivery van has been assigned a particular route, there is little the driver, or anybody else, can achieve by fantasising about how good some other route may have been. And this route has one major attraction: The full-strength squad fielded by each country.Barring a couple of injuries, and in West Indies’ case, the need to cull a couple of players for a smaller home-series squad, all three squads are identical to the ones that participated in the Champions Trophy. These are first-choice squads, not some watered-down versions that may have made up the numbers in numerous forgotten one-day series in the past. The boards are quite serious about this series alright.What about the teams? Host captain Dwayne Bravo has had a heartbreaking start to his limited-overs leadership, with West Indies exiting the Champions Trophy following a rain-hit tied match against South Africa. As Bravo said after the game, West Indies are trying to grow and build a stronger one-day team. New Zealand and Zimbabwe were the last two visitors to the Caribbean. Compared to them, the challenge posed by India and Sri Lanka will aid West Indies’ development as a one-day unit. Admittedly, the hosts have made some strides. Having gone more than four years without winning at home against opposition excluding Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, they drew with Australia in March 2012 and then won 4-1 against New Zealand. What Bravo will also want is to grow into his new leadership role. As of now, he is captain in only one format, and taking on two well-drilled ODI outfits can only make him develop further.The road ahead is tough for Angelo Mathews. Not only does he have to evolve as a captain and a player, he also has to make sure Sri Lanka’s reliance on the seniors goes down progressively as the 2015 World Cup approaches. India have successfully achieved that transition in ODIs, so much so that, the window on seniors such as Virender Sehwag seems to be all but closed. Sri Lanka appear to be nowhere close to achieving that. The absence of the injured Tillakaratne Dilshan in this series is a small opportunity, one which Mathews will hope he and Sri Lanka can use to their benefit.The last time India won a world title, they had Sachin Tendulkar, Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan in the line-up. In just over two years, the nucleus of the one-day side has changed beyond recognition. Who would have thought an opening combination of Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma would win the Champions Trophy? The selectors had indicated their focus on the 2015 World Cup by selecting a young side for the Champions Trophy, and have chosen to continue with the same approach for this series. These four or five games, against reasonably tough opposition, aren’t bad for a young unit to build its confidence further.Coming to overall context, this series has none. Of course, it isn’t the first one-day series, bilateral or tri-nation, devoid of it. Nor will it be the last. Some might argue that a bilateral Test series between West Indies and Sri Lanka, in the absence of a Test Championship, would not have provided any more context. But at least in that case, the game would have been spared the latest instance of Testicide.

Sri Lanka’s selectors must decide whether the burden of captaincy and high expectations are hampering Dinesh Chandimal’s growth as a batsman

Andrew Fidel Fernando08-Aug-2013When Dinesh Chandimal was named Sri Lanka’s Twenty20 captain in February, chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya justified his decision with these words: “We thought that it would be too much for Angelo Mathews, to give him the Twenty20 captaincy as well. We wanted to allow him to concentrate on the Tests and ODIs.” At the time, the irony in his statement eluded many. After Sri Lanka’s 2-1 home loss to South Africa, it has become clearer. In relieving Mathews of the Twenty20 reins, the selectors have overburdened another young talent, whose value to Sri Lanka lies primarily in the other formats.Chandimal has long been spoken of as Sri Lanka’s next great batting hope. An ODI hundred at Lord’s in 2011 announced his potential on the big stage and this was underscored by the two fifties in his Test debut in Durban. He has since made encouraging enough gains in Test cricket to satisfy a steep set of expectations.Yet it is the Twenty20 side he leads. Power has never been integral to his game, nor has finding the boundary at rapid rate. In 16 international T20 innings, he averages 13.18 and has a strike rate below 100. Unlike in ODI cricket, he can hardly claim he does not bat in positions that suit him. Half of his innings have been at no. 3 and a fourth of them at 4. Yet his average does not climb above 15 in either position.Both he and Lahiru Thirimanne have recently spoken of the immense challenges they face in their attempts to establish themselves in the game. They are tasked with producing their best domestic form at a much more demanding level and, in ODIs, have routinely gone to work in high-pressure situations to which they are unaccustomed. Chandimal’s stroke range remains limited, and though his technique is more polished than when he first appeared, the best bowlers will still feel encouraged by its enduring raw aesthetic and they will think they are capable of locating its flaws. Given that Chandimal has not crossed 50 in 15 limited-overs innings, perhaps some bowlers already have.There is a logic to the selectors’ thinking, that is sound, perhaps even commendable. In his brief stints at the helm, Chandimal has proved himself creative and attuned to the game’s heartbeat. His team-mates also seem to relish playing for him, feeding off the boyish enthusiasm with which he approaches all aspects of cricket. The school record for most outright wins in a season still belongs to the Ananda College side that Chandimal led at 18.But the task ahead for him is a monumental one. He averages 58.30 in Tests, and if he is to provide any confidence that Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan will not be missed, he cannot allow that figure to drop significantly. Chandimal was asked to take the gloves in Sri Lanka’s most recent Test series, and might eventually inherit them in ODIs as well, when Sangakkara hangs his up.His fine one-day returns in Australia, England and South Africa marked him out as a special talent early on in his career, but his inability to make big runs in the subcontinent, has yet to be rectified. His technique against spin on turning tracks can hardly have had a more thorough inspection than Sri Lanka’s first-class competition, but in ODIs, slow bowlers have succeeded in denying him early runs, and felling him when he seeks to attack. Chandimal has said he far prefers faster foreign tracks to the slow, dry ones at home, but as he plays most of his cricket in Asia, that is not an outlook he can allow to go unchecked at length.Sri Lanka have also now begun to set sights on the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh next March. Having so far retained the top ranking they have had since the last global event, they will feel they are among the leading contenders to win the trophy, in conditions they should like.But they will not be doing justice to their chances if they do not embark on that campaign with their best XI men. Chandimal, and to some extent Thirimanne, occupy places that befit more natural strikers of the ball. The provincial tournament that is about to begin may provide apt replacements and give an indication of players’ form, but if Sri Lanka are to arrive in Bangladesh with their best possible combination, the selectors must act quickly. Sri Lanka have only three Twenty20 internationals confirmed for the seven months before the tournament.The side’s senior batsmen carried them through the home series against South Africa, as they have done for some years now. All three are yet to taste major tournament glory, and now may only have two more opportunities remaining to them before the years begin to weary their game. The selectors’ quest for regeneration is meritorious, but if they seek to develop young talent only in the formats that suit each individual, for now, both the team and its youngsters stand to reap better benefits.

A look at some of the milestones in Afghanistan’s remarkable journey from being nowhere on the cricket map to securing a place in World Cup 2015

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Oct-2013The triumphant Afghanistan team with the ACC Twenty20 Cup in 2011•Travis Pittman/HKCA/Travis Pittman2001: The Afghanistan Cricket Federation is set up by Afghan expats living in Pakistan, and the country is recognised as an Affiliate Member of the ICC. The team embarks on its first tour, travelling to Pakistan as the US-led war in Afghanistan begins. The side lose three games and draws two matches on the tour.June 2004: Afghanistan participate in the Asian Cricket Council Elite Cup and win a match against Bahrain.November 2007: Afghanistan win their first tournament, the ACC Twenty20 Cup – the final against Oman ends in a tie and the teams share the trophy. They go on to win the title in 2009, 2011 and 2013.May 2008: Afghanistan win Division Five of the World Cricket League, embarking on a campaign to qualify for the 2011 World Cup.January 2009: Afghanistan win WCL Division Three in Buenos Aires on the basis of net run rate to progress to the 2009 World Cup qualifier, the final qualifying tournament for the 2011 World Cup. The side finishes sixth in the qualifier, failing to make it to the World Cup, but the result ensures they are granted ODI status for the first time.February 2010: Afghanistan beat Ireland in the final of the World T20 qualifier to win a place in the World T20 in the West Indies. Expectedly, they fail to progress beyond the league stage of the World T20.December 2010: In 2009, Afghanistan participated in their first Intercontinental Cup, a first-class tournament organised by the ICC. In December 2010, they beat Scotland by seven wickets to win the title.March 2012: Finish runners-up in the World T20 qualifiers, losing to Ireland. They play the World T20 in Sri Lanka in Group A, along with India and England, and have their moments but fail to progress beyond the league stage.June 2013: Afghanistan are recognised as an Associate member of the ICC.October 2013: Afghanistan beat Kenya to finish second in the WCL Championship and qualify for the 2015 World Cup, becoming the 20th team to gain entry into the tournament overall.

A relaxed Sachin Tendulkar spoke about the reasons behind his decision to retire and his final day on the cricket field

Nagraj Gollapudi17-Nov-20130:00

‘I’ll remain involved with cricket’ – Sachin Tendulkar

A day after his retirement, Sachin Tendulkar was relaxed in his appearance and his body language•Hindustan TimesAt 6.50am on Sunday morning Sachin Tendulkar woke up in the Indian team hotel and made a cup of tea for himself. On Saturday morning, too, Tendulkar had woken up at the same time and made a cup of tea. The difference was, on Saturday Tendulkar was getting ready to play his final day in international cricket. “When I woke up, I suddenly realised that I don’t need to have a quick shower and get ready for the match,” a relaxed Tendulkar spoke of his first morning as former India player. “I made myself a cup of tea, and enjoyed a nice breakfast with my wife. It was a relaxed morning.”Even as he spent a lot of time responding to people’s wishes on his phone, cricket continued to be on Tendulkar’s mind. “I don’t know why it has not sunk in that I am not going to play more cricket,” he said. “Somewhere or the other I will go and play.” A bond of 30 years is hard to shake off in 30 hours.Tendulkar had once said it was difficult for him to imagine life without cricket. A day after he was given a ceremonious and emotional farewell after India’s Test series win against West Indies in Mumbai on Saturday, Tendulkar was relaxed in his appearance, in his body language, in his words.According to Tendulkar, the decision to retire came as soon as he realised that going for training was becoming “an effort”. Immediately the “question marks” started appearing, an indication from his body it was time to draw the curtains.”You have to appreciate that there were many injuries during the 24 years,” Tendulkar said. “It wasn’t easy to overcome it. At some point in your life, your body gives you the message, ‘Enough. Enough of this physical load.’ The body requires rest. I thought the body is refusing to take that load consistently. If I have to train, it was becoming an effort. Earlier training sessions used to happen by themselves. Nowadays, sometimes I even felt that I should just sit and watch TV. That’s when question marks arise. So when I tried to look for answers to those questions, I found out this was the perfect time to leave the game.”However, the world, at least some of the media, it appeared, already wanted him to start a new life, one that they felt would be appropriate for him. A reporter wondered if Tendulkar could actually keep himself together without cricket. Another enquired if he had plans to open a cricket academy. Yet another asked him if he would push for cricket to be an Olympic sport now that he had been bestowed with the Bharat Ratna, India’s biggest civilian honour. A middle-aged photographer stood up impromptu, and congratulated Tendulkar on the award and wished he be knighted next so people could address him as Sir Sachin Tendulkar.Tendulkar took in all the questions and wishes and desires of the people with equanimity, without ever once dismissing anything. He even cracked some witty remarks, to elicit laughter and applause in equal measure. “I have played cricket for 24 years, it has been only 24 hours since retirement, and I think I should get at least 24 days to relax before deciding these things,” Tendulkar said with a big smile.On Saturday, a few hours after he left the cricket field, the Indian government had announced the Bharat Ratna. Tendulkar dedicated it to his mother Rajni. According to him, for the numerous sacrifices she had made to make sure her son’s career would prosper, he couldn’t repay her enough. Tendulkar went on to extend that same compliment to the “millions of mothers” who had been equally selfless to see their children have a successful future. An instant applause filled up the room in appreciation of that remark.For Tendulkar the most heartfelt moment arrived when his childhood coach Ramakant Achrekar, himself a Dronacharya Award winner, called him up and wished his student for the time in his life, “Well done.” Tendulkar today explained why his coach had waited for 24 years to give him the compliment.”I have reached this level because of Sir, and he and my brother Ajit have been a team – on and off the field,” Tendulkar said in Marathi, his mother tongue. “Off the field, at home. Sir has been the reason I got this far, Sir and other coaches. When I got the Bharat Ratna, Sir called me, and finally said, “Well done.” That gave me immense joy.””I just thanked cricket for everything I got in my life,” Sachin Tendulkar said. “It was as simple as that. Nothing complicated.”•BCCIThere have been many Tendulkar photographic memories over the last two-and-a-half decades. On Saturday, amid all the outpouring of emotions, the most memorable image was that of Tendulkar, all alone, in his whites, walking towards the Wankhede pitch. As the crowd cried “Sachiiiin, Saachin”, Tendulkar observed the 22 yards from close, bowed down, rubbed the red soil with his palm and applied it to his heart and head as a mark of worship and gratitude. Today he revealed those 22 yards were the “temple” where “his life started”, and the stature he had reached in life and cricket was possible only due the cricket pitch.”I knew that never ever in my life I would get to do that in an international match,” Tendulkar said, choking a little. “That is where it all started. Those 22 yards have given me everything in my life. Whatever I have today is because I spent time within those 22 yards. It’s like a temple for me. I just wanted to say a big thank you to cricket. Every time I go to bat, I touch the wicket and take blessings. That’s what I did yesterday. I didn’t say publicly. I just thanked cricket for everything I got in my life. It was as simple as that. Nothing complicated.”What made the moment emotional for Tendulkar was the realisation that it was all over. He didn’t want the world to notice that emotion. “When I went to the wicket, and I stood there, I realised this is the last time I am standing in front of a packed stadium actually as a part of the Indian team,” Tendulkar said. “This would never happen. That was very emotional. I couldn’t control my tears. Knowing that I would never have a cricket bat in my hand playing for India was very, very emotional. There have been wonderful moments, and I could think of all those things. It happened very fast.”You would have noticed, I didn’t want to be rude, but I could not look up when I was shaking hands, including with West Indies players, because I was in tears, and I didn’t want anyone to see my face that way. It’s hard to express what I felt, but in spite of all these things I knew the decision was correct. I know the decision is right.”During his long career Tendulkar remained on top of his game barring the last phase of his career where his form had become streaky. Tendulkar, though, said that the biggest challenge of his career was not form but dealing with career-threatening and uncommon injuries such as the tennis elbow in the mid-2000s. “After the tennis elbow, it took me four-and-a-half months after the surgery,” Tendulkar recalled. “The doctor had told me it would take that much time, but I tried to start earlier, and couldn’t do it. The challenges were immense. At times it felt it was all over, and I won’t be able to lift a bat again.”After the tennis-elbow surgery, I couldn’t even lift Arjun’s plastic bat. When I went to practise for the first time after that surgery, the kids were fielding my powerful hits at 10-15 yards. I felt then that I won’t be able to play anymore. That pressure is entirely different. It was a difficult phase. I want to thank the people who helped me during that time.”On Saturday paying a vote of thanks to the fans during his evocative speech, Tendulkar had said that their chants of “‘Sachiiiiin, Sachin’ would reverberate in my ears till I stop breathing”. Today, as his management brought to an end the media briefing, everyone in the room screamed “Sachiiiiin, Sachin”, suggesting it would reverberate in the people’s hearts too.

Stats highlights from the first day of the first Test between New Zealand and India in Auckland

Shiva Jayaraman06-Feb-2014

• Kane Williamson’s century was his fifth in Tests. He has hit 474 runs across formats at 79.79 from six innings on this India tour, passing 50 every time. In the 2013-14 season, Williamson has scored 522 Test runs at 74.57, including two centuries and four fifties.
• Williamson’s century is the first by a New Zealand No. 3 in more than nine years. The last No.3 to hit a hundred at home was Hamish Marshall, who scored 160 against Sri Lanka at McLean Park in 2005. Click here for a list of hundreds by New Zealand’s No.3 batsmen in home Tests.
• Brendon McCullum’s hundred was his eighth in Tests and his third against India. It was his second hundred and his highest Test score as New Zealand captain, beating the 113 he scored against West Indies in Dunedin in December last year. During his innings, McCullum went past Nathan Astle to become the fourth-highest run scorer for New Zealand in Tests. He has 4827 runs from 142 innings at 36.29. Astle scored 4702 runs at 37.02 in 137 innings.
• The 221-run partnership between Williamson and McCullum was New Zealand’s fifth highest for the fourth wicket in Tests. Their highest also came against India, when Jesse Ryder and Ross Taylor added 271 at McLean Park in 2009.
• The McCullum-Williamson stand was also New Zealand’s fourth highest against India in Tests. The 271-run partnership between Ryder and Taylor is their highest.
• New Zealand started badly, and were 30 for 3 with a run rate of 1.74. The partnership between Williamson and McCullum shifted gears. They added 221 runs in 51 overs at a run rate of 4.33 – New Zealand’s fourth-fastest 150-plus partnership in the first innings of a Test (where records exist). Four of the top-seven partnerships in this list/a> are against India.
• This is only the fourth time in Tests that New Zealand’s No. 3 and No. 5 have hit centuries in the same innings. The last time was against Sri Lanka in Napier in 2005, when Marshall and Astle hit hundreds in New Zealand’s first innings.
• New Zealand’s openers continue to be a concern for them. Since the stand of 158 against England in Dunedin last year, when Peter Fulton and Hamish Rutherford opened for the first time in Tests, they have added 514 in 17 innings at an average of 30.23. They have four 50-plus stands but no century partnerships. Both openers have failed to make substantial scores during this period: Hamish Rutherford has 393 runs at 24.56, Peter Fulton has scored 286 runs at 22.00.

Azhar Ali suffered a dip in form in 2013 but replacing him with Mohammad Hafeez may not be a solution for Pakistan’s long-term plans

Umar Farooq in Abu Dhabi02-Jan-20140:00

‘Want to end Sri Lanka resurgence’ – Bhatti

Pakistan handed debuts to eight players in 2013, but the batting line-up between No. 3 and No. 6 remained constant, until Azhar Ali was dropped for Mohammad Hafeez in the Abu Dhabi Test. The move raised questions on Pakistan’s long-term planning that aimed to allow youngsters to settle and establish themselves in the Test team in the long run.Azhar made a debut for Pakistan in 2010 and has since been considered an automatic selection. He has brought stability to the top order, scoring 2081 runs at 38.53 and has become integral at the No 3 position in recent years. Though he experienced a dip in form in 2013 – he scored 270 runs in seven matches at an average of 19.28 with two fifties – the performances could be put down to Pakistan’s irregular Test schedule.In Abu Dhabi, Azhar was dropped in favour of Hafeez, who was also axed from the Test team in 2013 for his poor form. In five Tests, before Abu Dhabi, in 2013, Hafeez scored 102 runs at an average of 10.2. After three Tests at the start of the year against South Africa, Hafeez did not play a Test until the Zimbabwe tour in September. He was left out of the Tests against South Africa, and then came back for the match against Sri Lanka in December.Hafeez’s form in limited-overs, though, was much better, as he scored 1301 runs in 33 ODIs at 46.46 with five hundreds and four fifties in the same period. It was this form that sealed his place in the XI for Abu Dhabi, even though his form and technique in the longer format have been under the scanner for a while. On his third comeback to Test cricket, Hafeez scored 11 off 18 balls.Azhar on the other hand, prepared for the Test series with two first-class hundreds. But Hafeez’s selection means that the No. 3 spot in the Pakistan line-up is suddenly uncertain, even as the side tries to find a settled combination for the openers’ slot, which has been in transition since Saeed Anwar and Aamir Sohail retired.A rough patch is an inevitable part of a cricketer’s career. Younis Khan, Pakistan’s former No. 3, also suffered similar losses in form before settling down to become one of Pakistan’s highest run-getters. Similarly, Azhar, who averaged 45 until 2012, also needs to be supported. Among the current crop of Pakistan players, Azhar is also seen as a future captain.”Azhar brought a stability at the No.3 position,” Basit Ali, Azhar’s coach at his domestic team Sui National Gas and Pipelines Ltd, told ESPNcricinfo. “It was really an unfair call to drop him for a batsman who was meant to bat in the opening slot. It’s a very important position, you need to have someone like Azhar – who have been developed to play a role for the specialised position.”I have concerns that he was dropped from a place for which he has been an automatic option. He has become an important player in the last three years and dropping him from the XI doesn’t make sense to me. Playing Hafeez at No. 3 is temporary, but dropping Azhar at this stage might disturb him as he is a future prospect and is here to stay for long.”Before the Test, Hafeez had rued the long gaps between Tests and admitted he had a technique-related issue against swing bowling. “We always have been ruing the lack of Test cricket and the six-month gaps between series are also making it difficult for players to maintain momentum,” Hafeez said. “For me, it was a matter of not scoring runs in the format and, in fact, it’s more than a technique thing for which I have worked so hard. I went on analyzing my videos to found why I have been struggling against swing bowling.”Hafeez’s form may be peaking through the limited-overs run, but his temperament and technique in Tests have been challenged on several occasions. Age is also something he needs to factor in. Hafeez is 33, five years older than Azhar and the latter perhaps has a lot more to offer to Pakistan cricket in the long run.

Just 18 years young, Kagiso Rabada has raised eyebrows for the speed and accuracy of his bowling. If he can realize his potential, South Africa may have yet another pace diamond in their ranks

Kanishkaa Balachandran in Dubai14-Feb-2014At the Under-19 level, one would normally set the bar lower as far as expectations regarding bowling speeds are concerned. Coaches will tell you that fast bowlers start hitting their peak speeds only during their early 20s, once their physique develops. The U-19 World Cup has produced fast bowlers over the years who average in the mid-80s (mph) and higher.The opening game of the U-19 World Cup in the UAE between West Indies and South Africa was highlighted by raw pace from bowlers on both sides, but it was Kagiso Rabada’s thunderbolts, on an average of 85mph, which proved more incisive, leaving West Indies’ top order shell-shocked. But strangely, the South Africa seamer didn’t appear terribly satisfied with the pace he generated in conditions not known for supporting quicks. He warns that batsmen can expect more venom, if he’s bowling back at home.”I don’t think the pace was there today. I think I am much quicker than that,” Rabada said humbly. “But that doesn’t matter. Hitting the right areas matters the most. I can touch 90mph on a different wicket, this pitch was much slower.”Rabada’s matter-of-fact reaction suggested that topping 90 and above is a piece of cake for him. He doesn’t bustle to the crease like Makhaya Ntini used to do. He has a more measured approach, and likes to hit the deck. His short-of-a-length deliveries with the new ball under the afternoon sun had the West Indies batsmen ducking and weaving, with one of them taking a blow on the helmet. Rabada finished with figures of 3 for 14 in eight overs, but his first spell of 6-3-9-3 was what had done the damage. One can imagine how much more threatening he could have been if South Africa had bowled first.Rabada had Shimron Hetmeyer and Jonathan Drakes edging behind the wicket with the fuller deliveries. He then beat Jeremy Solozano for pace when the batsman dragged one onto the stumps. The short stuff was enough to intimidate the batsmen and pile on the pressure, despite the modest target.The Johannesburg-born Rabada is a product of the privileged St Stithians Boys College in Randburg, known for its sporting pedigree. The school has also produced the former Test fast bowler David Terbrugge, and Rabada says it’s now churning out more promising players. However, he admits that cricket wasn’t his first love.”I took to cricket when I was in Grade 3, when I was nine years old,” Rabada says. “I remember I was not so much into cricket and was into rugby. My coach asked me to try it out. The love for the game grew.”For several young players, securing a cricket kit and the required funding to further their aspirations in the game has been an issue, but Rabada says his school helped ease those concerns. Support from his family has also helped him pursue the sport.”The facilities were there, but getting the kit was difficult for me. But, the school did eventually supply the kid for me. Eventually, I started getting sponsors. I should say that it has not been a huge problem for me and I am blessed for that,” Rabada says. “My mom and dad and my entire family are very supportive of me.”Rabada made his national U-19 one-day debut almost a year ago to the day, against the touring England side. He ended the series with a best of 3 for 35 at Stellenbosch and he was later picked for the U-19 Quadrangular Series in Visakhapatnam later in the year. His 3 for 45 helped beat India in a close finish.He wants to follow in Dale Steyn’s footsteps, both for his skills and attitude. “(I admire) Steyn’s away-swing and ability to keep the ball full. He is fiery and aggressive. That is what I want to be.”His U-19 coach, Ray Jennings, says he sees a similar attitude in Rabada and wants the fast bowler to harness it if he wants to stay on the radar longer. Jennings says that Rabada’s other strength is his physique.”He has to love what he does, he has to stay aggressive and he has to be mean,” Jennings says. “Whether he takes the new ball or not and there always has to be that aggression in his bowling. He has to keep his feet on the ground moving forward to higher levels and he’s got to learn from certain people.”The Grade 12 student has another ambition to fulfill – a law degree. “I didn’t want to study this year because I was involved with the Lions (franchise),” he says. “So, it was too much on my plate to study and play. But next year, I will take a few subjects each and every year and complete my degree, no matter how long it takes.”