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Sohail Tanvir, the left-arm seamer, has been ruled out of Pakistan’s World Cup campaign after failing to complete a full rehabilitation from surgery for a knee problem

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Feb-2011Sohail Tanvir, the left-arm seamer, has been ruled out of Pakistan’s World Cup campaign after failing to complete a full rehabilitation from surgery for a knee problem that has dogged him for two years. He will be replaced by the promising young left-arm fast bowler Junaid Khan.A PCB medical panel, after looking into a management report, said that though “the recovery from a knee operation was good, during the [New Zealand] tour it was observed that quick movements and pickup with weight particularly on the operated knee is hindering his mobility and requires him to take a few extra steps to balance himself before throwing. The medical team and team management have opined that Sohail Tanvir still requires time to attain 100% fitness before he can compete at international level.”Tanvir returned to international cricket on Pakistan’s recent tour to New Zealand, where he played in five of the six ODIs. Though he bowled some good spells at the death, he looked generally rusty, picking up just 4 wickets and going for over seven runs an over. Pakistan won the series 3-2.His batting, however, seemed to have improved, as evidenced by an audacious, unbeaten 14 off 6 balls to seal the fifth ODI. Until this series, he hadn’t played for Pakistan in an ODI since May 2009 and at one stage, the knee problems threatened to end his career.His misfortune, however, is to the benefit of Khan, who has been close to a national call-up for nearly a year now. The 21-year-old emerged at about the same time as Mohammad Amir, playing alongside him at U-19 level for Pakistan. He has been a consistent wicket-taker at domestic level, in all forms of the game, and given that he plays most of his cricket for one of the traditionally weaker regions, Abbottabad (in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province), it is an impressive record.Former Test spinner and selector Iqbal Qasim, who first picked him for junior level, believes he has immense potential and was impressed initially by his pace as well as stamina. Some observers, at that early stage, felt Khan might make it to the national side before Amir, though he hasn’t, they say, developed as swiftly. But he has been playing for the Pakistan A side regularly now, and is familiar at least with where Pakistan will play their first game of the World Cup: last September he took nine wickets in a ‘Test’ against Sri Lanka A in Hambantota, where Pakistan will take on Kenya on January 23.The PCB said the ICC’s technical committee had approved the request.

England believe plan could solve scheduling needs and player workloads but recognise it is an ’emotive’ issue

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Dec-2019England are “cautiously” backing an ICC proposal to scrap five-day Tests from 2023.The ICC’s cricket committee are expected to formally consider a proposal in 2020 to make four-day Tests mandatory as part of the World Test Championship in a bid to ease pressure in an increasingly crowded international schedule.”We’re definite proponents of the four-day Test concept, but cautiously so, as we understand it’s an emotive topic for players, fans and others who have concerns about challenging the heritage of Test cricket, “an ECB spokesperson said. “We believe it could provide a sustainable solution to the complex scheduling needs and player workloads we face as a global sport.”The world’s cricketers pose the most likely source of opposition to the plan, with many viewing the step up from four-day first-class games to five-day Tests as a critical point of difference at the top end of the long-form game.However, the ICC’s increasing demand for event windows, the proliferation of domestic T20 leagues, the BCCI’s demands for its own sizeable share of bilateral calendar space, and the costs of staging Test series are all factors contributing to the move, which would shave off a significant amount of time from the calendar for the 2023 to 2031 cycle.A reduction in the number of Test matches going to five days has also made administrators open to the idea, with more than 60 percent of matches played since the start of 2018 ending in four days or fewer.”One of our top priorities is to underpin a healthy future for Test cricket while we continue to build accessible ways for new fans to enjoy our sport,” the ECB spokesperson said. “We are strongly behind a thorough and considered consultation where all opinions are explored.”As early as 2015, the ECB and chairmen of the English counties were engaged in discussions about four-day Tests as part of a wide-ranging review into the future of English cricket domestically and internationally.Last week, Cricket Australia chief executive Kevin Roberts said mandatory four-day Tests were “something that we have got to seriously consider”.Since 2017, the ICC has permitted certain Tests to be played over four days, but only those outside the World Test Championship, such as England’s match against Ireland in July, which ended inside three days.Matches played over four days would likely see an increase of the minimum overs in a day from 90 to 98, meaning that over four days only 58 scheduled overs would be lost.Australia captain Tim Paine expressed his opposition to the proposal after his side’s 247-run victory over New Zealand in Melbourne.”We might not have got a result if we’d done that in the Ashes, I think every game went to a fifth day,” Paine said. “That’s the point of difference with Test cricket, it is five days, it’s harder mentally, it’s harder physically, and it tests players more than the four-day first-class fixtures do. I think that’s what it’s designed to do, so I hope it stays that way.”Tony Irish, the head of the international players’ body FICA, expressed concern that “they would simply plug in more cricket into the gaps” reducing the benefits of a lighter international schedule.

Mike Hussey’s place in Australia’s World Cup squad is in doubt after it was confirmed he suffered a hamstring tear while batting during the six-wicket win over England on Sunday

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jan-2011Mike Hussey’s place in Australia’s World Cup squad is in doubt after it was confirmed he suffered a hamstring tear while batting during the six-wicket win over England on Sunday.Scans on Hussey’s left hamstring have revealed the left-hander has ripped part of a tendon off the bone near the gluteus muscle on the upper thigh. While the injury will certainly curtail Hussey’s involvement in the seven-match one-day series against England, it also casts doubt over his selection for the World Cup with Australia due to name their 15-man squad for the tournament, which starts on February 19, by Wednesday.Australian team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris confirmed that Hussey had sustained “a significant left hamstring injury”, adding: “The course of management for this injury will be determined in the next 24 hours.””Our main focus is trying to get prepared for that World Cup, that is my main focus as well and I would really like to be part of that,” Hussey had said before scans revealed the extent of his injury. “If that meant missing a couple of games as a precaution then I am sure that is an option we would have to look at.”Reports in the Australian media have suggested that Cricket Australia officials are understood to be seeking clear clarification on selection and replacement regulations before announcing their World Cup squad. It appears that Hussey could be named in Australia’s initial squad and possibly replaced if he does not regain full fitness as the start of the tournament draws near. If he is not named initially, he can only join the squad later if another player is injured and forced to withdraw.

Having taken over as New Zealand coach after their last tour of India, John Wright says the warm-up match against India is a big test for his team before the World Cup

Siddarth Ravindran in Chennai15-Feb-2011Two months ago, New Zealand sank to a nine-wicket defeat at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai that completed a 0-5 one-day series loss to an India team that was without six first-choice players. That result extended a losing sequence to 11 matches, and prompted a shake-up which included John Wright’s installation as coach. New Zealand are now back at the MA Chidambaram for another crack at a near full-strength Indian team.In his pre-match press conference, John Wright was very measured, taking his time to choose the exact words he wanted for his answers. He acknowledged that a good performance against India would be hugely encouraging ahead of the World Cup.”India have played very well against New Zealand. We know that if we are to compete with India we have to play some really good cricket; this is a much bigger game for us [than the first warm-up game], because we were playing against Ireland, so for us this is a huge opportunity,” he said. “If we can perform well, it will be a great boost for our confidence. We’d be delighted to meet them [India] in a non-friendly game later in the tournament.”New Zealand have lost both the Tests and one-dayers in a home series against Pakistan since Wright took over after public clamour for his appointment, and he said the team’s fortunes won’t change overnight. “From a technical point of view, changes at this level take a long time,” he said. “So I’ve just got to help the boys work on their self-belief.”He also thought there were some positives in taking over so close to the World Cup. “Sometimes it’s good to come in when you are new, a fresh face and you get a little bit of a honeymoon period not only with the public, but sometimes with the players.”Wright barely had to reflect on his current team during a 25-minute interaction when he was inundated with questions on his five-year spell as India coach that ended in 2005, whether he would consider becoming India coach sometime in the future, the run to the 2003 final, whether India had the maturity to deal with the oversized public expectations in the World Cup, and so on.He himself “wasn’t reading too much into” his time in India and whether it would assist New Zealand’s preparations. “It’s helpful in some respects; particularly knowing conditions, perhaps, gives me a little bit of a background,” he said. “That’s only a small thing to be honest, I think the main role is helping the players play better cricket.”One of the challenges for New Zealand on Wednesday would be taming the Indian batting, which is filled with potential match-winners. Scott Styris felt the key would be to keep attacking the batsmen, even if the runs were flowing. “The Indian top six is a very good top six,” he said. “You can’t get flustered if they do come after you. As soon as you sit back and allow them to dictate terms you have lost the battle. If you continually put pressure on them, quite often at home, especially with a lot of passionate fans around, that can work in your favour.”India won their previous warm-up match, against Australia thanks to their spinners, and the Chennai track had plenty of assistance for the slow bowlers in the last game here. Ross Taylor, the vice-captain, thought the India game would indicate where New Zealand stand. “Spin is going to be a big part of this World Cup,” Taylor said. “The way we bowl spin, and the way we play spin is going to be a big part of how successful we will be as a team. Playing against India will be a good test of where we are as a team.”

Matt Prior might have been surprised to get a late call-up to England’s World Cup squad, but is now ready to play a new role

Dileep Premachandran in Nagpur21-Feb-2011England’s two previous experiences of the World Cup on the subcontinent couldn’t have been more contrasting. Back in 1987, in what was something of a golden age for English one-day cricket, they went all the way to the Eden Gardens final and could conceivably have won it but for stroke from Mike Gatting. Nine years later, they were a useless shower, the worst of the Test nations, losing to New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa before Sanath Jayasuriya and Sri Lanka gave them a kicking in the quarter-final.Somewhere during that intervening decade, England forgot how to play 50-over cricket. Subsequent World Cups have been no better. Pathetic on home turf in 1999, they failed to progress from the group stages in 2003 as well. As for the last campaign in the Caribbean, there were few headlines for on-field excellence, but plenty for off-field Pedalos and Battles of the Bottle.This, though, is not the same side. The 6-1 thrashing that they suffered in Australia has seen many write them off, but a fully fit side with key performers restored could be a very different proposition. Several of them played a huge part in the winning of the World Twenty20 last year, and Andrew Strauss, the captain, reckons that experience will have a big bearing on this six-week odyssey across the subcontinent.”Paul Collingwood [who captained that Twenty20 side] is going to be a good sounding-board for me as he always is,” he said. “It was a massive hurdle to overcome, winning that Twenty20 World Cup. It stands us in good stead for this tournament as well.”In 1987, England finished second in the group, beating mighty West Indies twice, and then ended Kapil Dev’s hopes of retaining the trophy in a dramatic Mumbai semi-final dominated by Graham Gooch’s precise sweeps. It’s worth noting that both subcontinent World Cups were won by sides that didn’t let up in intensity – Australia lost once in ’87, while Sri Lanka were unbeaten in 1996 – and Strauss said that the forgiving format wouldn’t be an excuse for lax displays.”In the group matches, you can afford a slip-up or two, but I don’t think any side will be approaching it in that manner,” he said. “You want to win as many games as possible. Certainly from where we’ve come, the last month or so, the more wins the better. Once the tournament’s underway, there is a bit of a buzz about things and we want to get off to a good start.”England played both warm-up games on a slow, low pitch at Fatullah, and after a narrow victory against Canada, they were extremely impressive in seeing off Pakistan. “It’s all about confidence,” said Strauss. “We gained quite a lot from that Pakistan game, purely because it was going back to a formula that’s worked quite well for us in the past. It was familiar and it felt right. That was the basis of most of our one-day cricket over the last two years or so. We need to build on that and these group matches are an opportunity to do that.”The last time England played in India, they were blanked 5-0 before the Mumbai terror attacks caused the last two matches to be abandoned. Since Andy Flower took over as coach though, they’ve won 24 and lost 22, figures skewed by two 6-1 post-Ashes thrashings by Australia.They are drawn in the tougher of the two groups, with India and South Africa among the favourites and West Indies and Bangladesh dangerous floaters. Strauss, though, isn’t even looking that far ahead. “There are some strong sides in there,” he said. “Ireland and the Netherlands are two strong Associate nations. They’re certainly capable of a couple of upsets. The first thing is to make sure we get through the group and make the quarter-finals.”The route they take to the last eight will most likely tell us whether this team is capable of emulating the boys of ’87, or whether they’ll go the way of the driftwood from ’96.

James Faulkner demolished South Australia at Bellerive Oval, where they crumbled for 55, which was their third-lowest Sheffield Shield total of all time

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Nov-2010
ScorecardJames Faulkner demolished South Australia at Bellerive Oval, where they crumbled for 55, which was their third-lowest Sheffield Shield total of all time. The Redbacks will struggle to avoid a heavy defeat, despite reaching a slightly more respectable 3 for 91 at stumps on the second day after following, with Callum Ferguson on 21 and Aiden Blizzard on 12.Faulkner, playing his eighth first-class match, finished with a remarkable 5 for 5, while Adam Maher picked up 3 for 10 as the Redbacks failed to handle the seaming conditions. Faulkner had Ferguson trapped lbw for 12 and picked up two wickets in two balls as the innings came to a rapid close, after South Australia began the day on 2 for 10.The opener James Smith was the top scorer with 17, and was one of only three men to reach double figures. Not surprisingly, George Bailey enforced the follow on and when rain forced an early end to the day’s play at tea, the Redbacks still needed another 105 runs with seven wickets in hand to make the Tigers bat again.