The MCC World Cricket Committee has recommended the introduction of further limitations to the size of cricket bats within the laws of the game

George Dobell12-Jul-2016The MCC World Cricket Committee has recommended the introduction of further limitations to the size of cricket bats within the laws of the game.The committee, concerned that the balance between bat and ball “has tilted too far in the batsman’s favour”, has proposed that the thickness and depth of bats be limited and added that further discussion is required over the weight of bats.The committee, which has no powers but is respected as an independent voice in world cricket, makes recommendations to the MCC and has included David Richardson, the ICC chief executive, among its number. The committee also welcomed the ICC’s suggestions for greater context in Test cricket, called for cricket to be included in the Olympics and called for a change in Law 42.15, sometimes referred to as the Mankad Law, to ensure clarity over the issue of running out the non-striking batsman who leaves the crease before the point of release. As far as the committee is concerned, such a batsman “is either taking an advantage or acting carelessly and runs the risk of being legitimately run-out”.But it was perhaps the call for an amended law over the size of bats that might have the greatest ramifications for the game. While at pains to make clear that the committee was not trying to reduce the number of boundaries hit in the modern game, Mike Brearley, chairman of the committee, did express concern that mis-hits were carrying for six and that, if current trends went unchecked, the dominance of bat over ball would only become more pronounced.”The time has come to restrict the size of bat edges and the overall width [depth] of bats,” Mike Brearley, chairman of the committee, said. “It was pointed out to us that, in 1905, the width of bats was 16mm and that, by 1980, it had increased to 18mm. It is now an average, in professional cricket, of 35-40mm and sometimes up to 60mm. That shows how fast the change has been.””The one thing we don’t want to see is batsmen unable to hit fours and sixes,” Rod Marsh agreed. “That’s so far from what will happen. We just don’t want to see the bat sizes get bigger. But when you see a guy try to hit the ball through midwicket and it flies for six over cover, you know something is wrong.”While the committee’s view was not unanimous – Ramiz Raja was one who had reservations about a proposed restriction – it proposed that “further consultations will be held with bat manufacturers and scientists to finalise the exact measurements and to investigate the viability and need for a weight limit”. If progress is smooth, it is possible that an amended law could be ratified by the MCC’s main committee as part of a new Code of Laws scheduled to be introduced on October 1, 2017.”The overwhelming (but not unanimous) view of the committee was that it has become too easy for batsmen to clear the boundary in all forms of cricket, even with mis-timed shots,” a statement read. “Furthermore, it was felt that there is a clear safety concern for close fielders, bowlers and umpires, whilst the recreational game is also suffering, as balls are flying into nearby residential properties with increasing frequency, thus threatening the existence of some smaller cricket clubs.”The committee agrees with ICC’s cricket committee that, beyond the limits that have long been in place regarding the width and length of a cricket bat, further limitations to the edge, depth and possibly to the weight should now be introduced. One proposal would be for the maximum thickness of the edge to be between 35mm and 40mm, and the overall depth of the bat to be between 60mm and 65mm (some bats in current use have edges of 55mm and can be up to 80mm deep).”Other recommendations from the committee included:

• An insistence that “cricket must embrace the concept of playing T20 in the Olympic Games by applying to become a participating sport for 2024”. Suggesting that such a development would represent “the single most effective move ICC could make” to realise their ambition of making cricket “the world’s favourite sport”, the committee reasoned that it was an opportunity “to inspire and reinvigorate the sport at the grassroots level and encourage its growth in new markets”.
• A call for promotion and relegation in Test cricket, as well as “a pinnacle event between the top two teams” – effectively a final – to be contested every two years. While the committee welcomed the ICC’s attempt to add context to all formats of the international game, it expressed concern over the future of Test cricket. It accepted that staging a final presented significant practical challenges, but suggested it may present the best way of “captivating an audience”.
• An offer to take “one or two” of the most promising young cricketers from Pakistan into the MCC Young Cricketers programme “in future years” in recognition at the extraordinary challenges faced by Pakistan cricket, not least having to play “home” matches in a neutral country where costs are high and the lack of bilateral series against India.
• A call to change Law 42.15. “The World Cricket Committee’s unanimous view was that there should be a change in the Law to mirror the current ICC playing condition,” the statement reads, “that requires the non-striker to remain inside the crease before the point of release of the ball. A non-striker who is out of his crease before the point of release is either taking an advantage or is acting carelessly, and runs the risk of being legitimately run out.”

The committee also expressed delight at the apparent change of character at the ICC since Shashank Manohar was elected chairman.”The committee believes that governance changes brought about by ICC in February 2014 were bad for the game,” their statement says, “and is delighted that, under the leadership of Shashank Manohar and David Richardson, the game’s global governing body has come to the view that many of the decisions taken at that time need to be reversed.”

Centuries from Nic Maddinson and Kutis Patterson set up a thrilling one-run win for Australia A in a run fest against India A at the Ray Mitchell Oval on Tuesday

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Aug-2016
Scorecard0:47

‘Managed my innings well today’ – Nic Maddinson

Centuries from Nic Maddinson and Kurtis Patterson helped set up a thrilling one-run win for Australia A in a run fest in the Quadrangular series match against India A on Tuesday. Australia A defended a total of 322 by one run to climb to the top of the table and set up a clash in the final with India A, who had qualified earlier.India A captain Manish Pandey’s decision to field backfired quickly as Maddinson (118) and Patterson (115), who struck his maiden List A century, powered Australia A. Pandey fought valiantly through a century of his own, but his 110, the highest of his List A career, and half-centuries from Sanju Samson (87) and Mandeep Singh (56) were not enough as India A were kept to 321 for 8 after 50 overs, losing two wickets off the last two balls of the match.India A got an early advantage after putting Australia A in, as Shardul Thakur trapped Marcus Stoinis lbw in the fifth over with just 16 on the board. That advantage was short-lived, however, as Patterson and Maddinson came together, and the fielding side had to wait another 35.1 overs for a breakthrough as they added 230 runs for the second wicket. The two fell within nine deliveries of each other, but by then, they had inflicted considerable damage. Patterson struck 16 fours in his 123-ball 115, while Maddinson’s 118 came at just over a run a ball, helped by nine fours and four sixes.India A did manage to make some late inroads after the duo’s dismissal, but brief contributions from the middle order and Cameron Bancroft’s unbeaten 14-ball 21 were enough to propel Australia A to a dominant position at the mid-innings interval.Of the seven bowlers India A used, the pacers found most success, with Thakur taking 2 for 50 in eight over, while Jaydev Unadkat, Hardik Pandya and Varun Aaron accounted for a batsman each.India A’s chase had to be all about a strong start, and Mandeep and Shreyas Iyer managed to do that. They rebuilt the innings and took the side to 68 for 1 after the early loss of Faiz Fazal for 12. Stoinis then struck with his medium-pace and had Iyer caught for 13 to end a second-wicket stand of 43. Mandeep and Kedar Jadhav, the latter Man of the Match in India A’s previous game, added 44 for the third wicket, but both perished in the space of four overs to Cameron Boyce’s legspin. Jadhav’s wicket left India A with an equation of 179 runs to get off 23 overs.Pandey and Samson then turned the game on its head, adding 157 for the fifth wicket in just 118 balls. Pandey raised his century with a single at the end of the 44th over and India A went into the last five overs, needing 32 from 30 balls. Samson played an equally good supporting role in the partnership, bringing up his own fifty off 40 balls.Towards the end of the innings, however, India A choked. Pandey fell first, edging right-arm pacer Daniel Worrall to the wicketkeeper in the 47th over. He had scored 110 off 91 balls with 10 fours and three sixes. Two balls later, Hardik Pandya was run out for 2. Samson brought the equation down to three off two deliveries but was dismissed off the penultimate ball, caught by Stoinis off Kane Richardson for a 74-ball 87 that was studded with six fours and two sixes. Thereafter, a run-out of Thakur while attempting a second run off the final ball of the innings took a tie out of the equation and gave Australia four points.Australia’s bowlers shared the wickets equally. Worrall and Boyce took two each, although the latter proved to be very expensive, conceding 71 in 10 overs. Richardson and Stoinis took a wicket each.

Rob Newton and Alex Wakely made centuries for Northamptonshire but Gloucestershire came back smartly after tea to leave the home side 322 for 6 by the close

ECB Reporters Network12-Sep-2016
ScorecardRob Newton’s century powered Northants into the ascendancy•Getty Images

Rob Newton and Alex Wakely made centuries for Northamptonshire but Gloucestershire came back smartly after tea to leave the home side 322 for 6 by the close on the opening day at Wantage Road.Newton, out of contract at the end of the season, was never especially fluent but played a chanceless innings for his third century of the summer. He was productive backward of point and steered his side through the majority of the opening day, raising a hundred in 173 balls with his 14th four – cutting Jack Taylor past extra-cover.His stand of 196 with Northants captain Wakely put the hosts in control of the day shortly before tea. Wakely looked in excellent touch throughout his 179-ball century. In the morning he twice rocked back to pull Matt Taylor through midwicket and after lunch skipped down the wicket in Jack Taylor’s first over of offspin to strike him down the ground for four. Next over he lifted him over mid-on for six and drove another boundary past extra-cover.He clipped Matt Taylor down the ground for his 17th four to bring up his first century of the summer and fifth in first-class cricket. But trying to sweep Jack Taylor, he fell lbw three overs before tea and Northants never regained their commanding position.Having leaked 129 runs in 34 overs between lunch and tea, Gloucestershire fought back through the efforts of Liam Norwell, who had nibbled a ball away from Ben Duckett for the opening wicket in the sixth over of the morning, and returned to have Richard Levi splendidly caught by Gareth Roderick, running to his right and diving full length from mid-on. Two balls later, Newton finally departed for 130, as Norwell moved one off the seam to take an edge to the keeper.Norwell, fair-haired and running in with purpose, and David Payne, who has markedly improved his red-ball bowling this season, were excellent for the visitors throughout the day. Craig Miles recovered from a poor opening spell to provide good support – he picked up the wicket of Rob Keogh after tea and in the penultimate over of the day, a good-length ball squared Adam Rossington up to provide a fourth catch of the day for wicketkeeper Phil Mustard.

India have expressed frustration at what they hinted was a ploy of New Zealand batsmen to slow the game down through comfort breaks

Sidharth Monga in Kanpur23-Sep-2016India have expressed frustration at what they hinted was a ploy of New Zealand batsmen to slow the game down through comfort breaks. They feel that denied their bowlers momentum just as they had begun to build pressure on Kane Williamson and Tom Latham. In a wicketless second session, before rain washed out the rest of the day, India managed to get in 26 overs. Eight of these 26 overs were bowled by the quicks. There were seven to eight unscheduled breaks taken in the session.India’s batting coach Sanjay Bangar was asked about the frustration of the rain break when he spoke about the New Zealand tactics. “It was starting to turn a bit, and the bowlers were getting into good rhythm,” Bangar said. “I think the break of rain and the intermittent breaks in between definitely hampered the bowlers’ rhythm. That is something that we need to be aware of. And if somebody has come out with a ploy we need to negotiate that as well.”There was a period towards the end of the second session when the ball started to do tricks for the spinners. For the last 20 minutes or so of that session, not in this context, you felt the batsmen could do with a break because the bowlers seemed to be building towards something. The last 10 overs of the day brought 25 runs compared to the overall run rate of 3.23.Bangar seemed to suggest it was a deliberate ploy. He did say that all sides, including India, look to gain every inch before evoking the spirit of cricket. “That may have been a strategy, and that is something we have spoken of,” Bangar said. “We need to make sure that we are getting a lot of overs and that is something that the umpires are aware of that no matter how hot and humid the conditions are, you still have to make sure that the continuity of the game is not hampered.”Not to read too much into it, but there are certain areas wherein every individual looks to score and advantage over the opposition. Even we do that at some point of time. That is something we need to be aware of, but ultimately it is the spirit of the game that needs to be kept in tact.”Bangar suggested the umpires might have assured India in this matter. Asked what they plan to do about this “strategy”, Bangar said: “That is something the umpires have been aware of. It is something the on-field umpires and the match referee are aware of. Obviously they will make sure that certain corrective measures will be taken in the days to come.”Towards the end of the session, the umpires did seem to get involved when New Zealand batsmen called for drinks or change of gloves. Latham, who got treatment for what seemed like cramps minutes before the tea break, did so with the umpires standing in close vicinity of the physio administering the treatment.Other than that it worth noting that it has been incredibly humid in Kanpur. On day one Mark Craig was completely soaked as he bowled. Mitchell Santner even said the sweat made it difficult for them to maintain the ball for reverse swing. There were also a number of times a bowler had to be stopped because someone was walking in front or right above the sight screen, but that was the case when India batted too.It is impossible to tell now whether it was a New Zealand strategy, because their press conference was conducted before India’s. However, in a different context, Craig McMillan, New Zealand’s batting coach, was asked if they had decided to not let Ravindra Jadeja rush through his overs. Against South Africa last season, Jadeja was finishing his overs in under two minutes, but he couldn’t do that here.”Well he has one of the shortest run-ups in world cricket, so it is never going to take long for him to get through his overs,” McMillan said. “As a batsman it is important you are not rushed and you take your time so you are ready to face in your own time. That can be difficult when someone has such a short run-up, but I thought the guys did that well.”It doesn’t matter what bowler you face, you have to make sure you’re ready. He’s got one of those short run-ups so he gets through his overs quickly. It’s just about being prepared and making sure you’re ready to face up and you’re not rushed. I thought the guys were fine but it is something to keep an eye on because sometimes those guys with shorter run-ups can be bowling the ball before you’ve even looked up.”

Bangladesh allrounder Shakib Al Hasan has said that getting used to the workload of a Test match will be his main challenge going into first Test against England at Chittagong on Thursday

Mohammad Isam18-Oct-2016Bangladesh allrounder Shakib Al Hasan has said that getting used to the workload of a Test match will be his main challenge going into first Test against England at Chittagong on Thursday.Although Bangladesh have named four spinners in their 14-man squad, Shakib – with 147 wickets in 42 Tests – is by far and away the most experienced member of a quartet that also includes Taijul Islam, Shuvagata Hom and the uncapped Mehedi Hasan.Taijul did claim the remarkable figures of 8 for 39 to defeat Zimbabwe at Dhaka in 2014, but he managed a solitary scalpin his two most recent Tests against India and South Africa last year. Shuvagata hasn’t convinced in his seven Tests, picking up eight wickets at a bowling average of 59.12; Mehedi is also an offspinner, and has taken 41 first-class wickets at 23.48 but is completely unproven at Test level. Meanwhile, the two-man seam attack has one rookie in Kamrul Islam Rabbi.The thin look puts much pressure on Shakib, who has bowled marathon spells in Tests ever since Mohammad Rafique retired in 2008. He will also be a vital source of runs in Bangladesh’s middle-order.”I think I will find out about my confidence when I get into the Test,” Shakib said. “We are trying to be best prepared for the game. We haven’t played a Test for a long time and I don’t even remember the last time I played a longer-version match. So this is going to be a little difficult for me. To be honest, there isn’t much to prepare for, since a lot of it is the mentality going into a Test match.”Since their last Test in July last year Bangladesh have played 27 international matches but also had to go through a pause of ten months between November 2015 and September this year to play ODIs. Shakib said that it took Bangladesh some time to get used the ODIs as well, despite their success in the format in 2015.”We have also played ODIs after nearly a year and it took us two-three matches to get into the groove. It is different to bat or bowl for a longer period, which in itself is a challenge,” he said.Shakib said that their bowling attack has the ability to bowl out a side twice in a Test match, provided they get some help from the pitch. “A lot will depend on the wicket. We usually try to play on flat surfaces in home conditions so that our batsmen can score runs.”If the conditions favour our spinners and pacers, I think they have the ability to take 20 wickets. But it won’t happen on a flat wicket,” said Shakib.

An independent tribunal that is looking into whether Andre Russell breached a WADA Code by missing three whereabouts filings is expected to give its decision in the matter by 2-3 weeks

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Nov-2016A decision on whether West Indies allrounder Andre Russell breached the World Anti-doping Agency code by being negligent about filing his whereabouts is likely to be announced by an independent anti-doping tribunal in the next two-three weeks.In March this year, the Jamaica Anti-doping Commission (JADCO) alleged that Russell had failed to file his whereabouts on three occasions in 2015, citing the dates of January 1, July 1 and July 25. Under the WADA code if an athlete fails to file their whereabouts three times in a year, it amounts to one failed doping test. If found guilty Russell could face a maximum ban of up to two years.”They have promised a decision I think in the next two to three weeks, but a date would be sent to us shortly,” Patrick Foster, Russell’s lawyer, said after both parties made their final submissions in front of the three-member panel on Thursday in Kingston.During the hearing, which lasted nearly six hours, Foster told the tribunal that Russell had always adhered to the rules and had complied with tests, both at the local and international level. Foster stressed there was confusion in communication about the third filing failure, and Russell could not be penalised for no fault of his.According to the , while summing up his arguments during Thursday’s hearing, Forster reportedly told the tribunal that if firm evidence of negligence was indeed established and Russell was found guilty then, keeping in mind his history of complying with testing protocols in the past, he ought to be banned for not more than one year.Forster, however, insisted that the evidence presented by JADCO against his client was thin. “Our contention is to prove an anti-doping violation there must be three filing failures,” Forster said. “And we have said, based on the evidence that they should not be comfortably satisfied that there have been three filing failures; in which case the complaint should be dismissed. Our position is evidence is not sufficient to disclose three filing failures. And if the three cannot be proved the case cannot be made out.”JADCO’s legal counsel, Lackston Robinson, did not speak to the media but reportedly told the tribunal that Russell’s failure to file his whereabouts in 2015 could not be absolved by his compliance with tests in various jurisdictions. Robinson specified that the dates by which Russell had to inform JADCO whether he would be filing his whereabouts were December 31, 2014, June 30, 2015 and July 24, 2015.Robinson said that JADCO had no obligation to prove Russell’s “gross negligence”. He stated that as far as JADCO was concerned, the case was simple: Russell had to meet the deadlines for filing his whereabouts and he did not comply.Russell, a sought-after player in T20 leagues around the world, has spoken only once since JADCO laid the charge. In July, while playing the Caribbean Premier League, Russell said he found the allegations stressing and depressing. Russell had also missed the T20I series against Pakistan in the UAE in September.

New Zealand can wrap up the three-game series in Nelson; Bangladesh must win to keep it alive

The Preview by Mohammad Isam28-Dec-2016

Match facts

December 29, 2016
Start time 1100 local (2200 GMT)0:56

Bangladesh catching in focus

Big Picture

New Zealand have a chance to seal the three-match ODI series in the second game at the Saxton Oval, but their opponents will not be willing to just keel over after having travelled so far. While Bangladesh were convincingly outplayed in Christchurch by 77 runs, their mentality as a team has changed significantly over the last two years and now they will need to cling to that positive approach in a crunch game away from home.Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan will once again have to show the eagerness to fight against the short ball. Mosaddek Hossain, Imrul Kayes and Sabbir Rahman also looked relatively comfortable against that length in the series opener, but will have to be more patient in seeing themselves through the initial roughhousing.Mushfiqur Rahim will be missed; he has been ruled out with a hamstring injury for at least two weeks. He will be replaced by debutant Nurul Hasan.Bangladesh’s bigger concern will be their bowling in high-scoring Nelson, especially after they conceded 341 runs in the first game. Mashrafe Mortaza and his pace-bowling group have to bowl better lengths, while Shakib could be given a specialist spinner to partner given the slower nature of this pitch.New Zealand will have to tackle the spin threat; some of them looked sluggish in their footwork in game one, others were a bit too eager. While Neil Broom and Jimmy Neesham played back to slightly fuller deliveries from Shakib, Kane Williamson and Martin Guptill threw their hands too early at slower or angled deliveries, resulting in their dismissals.They will be glad that Tom Latham is willing to anchor the innings, and that Colin Munro has the ability to enforce himself on an opposition attack even from a tricky position.

Form guide

New Zealand WLLLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Bangladesh: LLWLW
Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha on Soumya Sarkar: ‘He is eating into his time. If he doesn’t score, we have to look for someone [else]’•Associated Press

In the spotlight

After his blazing 87 in the first game, Colin Munro will be a person of interest for Bangladesh’s think-tank. Munro was quick to dispatch anything too short or too full, but he can expect new challenges in Nelson if Bangladesh can bowl more into his body.Shakib Al Hasan was expensive with the ball but still got the breakthroughs. With the bat, he had better control though he only made 59. He handled the shorter length quite well up until the time Lockie Ferguson dismissed him with pace combined with awkward bounce.

Teams news

New Zealand are unlikely to rest Tim Southee and Trent Boult at this stage, which would mean Matt Henry and Colin de Grandhomme would have to keep waiting for their turn.New Zealand (probable) 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Tom Latham, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Neil Broom, 5 James Neesham, 6 Colin Munro, 7 Luke Ronchi (wk), 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Lockie Ferguson, 11 Trent BoultKeeper Nurul Hasan has replaced Mushfiqur Rahim, whose absence will be felt more in the middle order. Bangladesh could also be looking at either Mehedi Hasan or Tanbir Hayder to add to their bowling line-up on a relatively slower Nelson pitch, with Soumya Sarkar most at risk of losing his place.Bangladesh (probable) 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Imrul Kayes, 3 Mahmudullah, 4 Shakib Al Hasan, 5 Sabbir Rahman, 6 Mosaddek Hossain, 7 Nurul Hasan (wk), 8 Mehedi Hasan/Tanbir Hayder, 9 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Taskin Ahmed

Pitch and conditions

The Saxton Oval pitch is regarded slower than most in New Zealand. Still, the stats favour the team batting second; in the six completed ODIs here, five teams, including Bangladesh, have chased successfully. In the previous completed game here, 12 months ago, Sri Lanka eclipsed New Zealand’s 276 with 22 balls to spare.Thursday’s forecast for Nelson is clear of rain.

Stats and trivia

• Nurul Hasan will become the fifth wicketkeeper to debut in ODIs for Bangladesh after Mushfiqur Rahim in 2006. Dhiman Ghosh, Jahurul Islam, Anamul Haque and Liton Das all came in as replacements when Mushfiqur got injured at different stages
• New Zealand have won two out of their four matches at the Saxton Oval, lost one, and one has been a no-result
• Mushfiqur Rahim will miss his first match in nearly six-and-a-half years. Mushfiqur had played 92 ODIs in a row between July 2010 and December 2016, a record for Bangladesh

Quotes

“Anyone not scoring runs has a limited life span isn’t it? He is eating into his time. If he doesn’t score, we have to look for someone [else].”

The 20-year old fast bowler was helped by previous experience of bowling in T20 finals, but he was amazed at how his home crowd kept chanting his name as he picked up two wickets in an over

Firdose Moonda21-Jan-20172:06

I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I’d be – Ngidi

When Lungi Ngidi was 18 years old and in his first season as a professional cricketer, he was part of a Titans’ T20 team that played in the final of the franchise competition. He only bowled one over in the match but removed the opposition’s most high-profile batsman: Kevin Pietersen, who top-edged a pull.At 19, with a bit more experience under his belt, Ngidi was in the franchise final again. He was considered good enough to bowl a full complement of four overs and, conceding just 27 runs, he got rid of the two best batsmen from the opposition: Colin Ingram and Colin Ackermann.It was with these experiences that Ngidi, now 20, took the new ball for South Africa in Friday’s T20 against Sri Lanka. “I’ve played in a few finals so I have been under pressure quite a few times already and that’s one of the things that gave me an advantage,” he explained afterwards.”Having been under pressure situations before, I knew opening the bowling for your country is not really a joke. It’s quite a serious matter. I tried to focus on the methods that’s worked for me and that’s just to stay in the moment. There’s nothing you can really do other than deliver the balls one at a time and from there see what happens. The first over, I wanted to get my line and length right and I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I would have been.” Still, his first over cost nine runs and was taken out of the attack.Sri Lanka needed 40 off 18 balls with seven wickets in hand in a 10-over shootout when Ngidi was brought back, and having seen his team-mates making crucial incisions, he wanted to step up too.”After the first over I saw that there was a bit of bounce and it was skidding through. I tried to beat the batsmen for pace,” Ngidi said. “Coming back in the eighth over, I knew if I hit the deck hard at back of a length, I could try and nick the batsman off or get him caught.”Lungi Ngidi took two wickets in four balls in his first match of international cricket•Associated Press

The plan worked perfectly. Seekkuge Prasanna swung at a back of a length ball, got a top edge that wicketkeeper Mangaliso Mosehle gobbled up and Kusal Mendis pulled a short one to deep square leg, where Heino Kuhn took the catch and then, wary of how close he was to the rope, popped the ball over to Imran Tahir.”I thought Heino had taken the catch and was going to do a victory lap but then I saw him punt the ball up so my heart jumped because I didn’t know which way it was going,” Ngidi said. “But I was very happy. The skill levels are up there.”Ngidi finished with figures of 2-0-12-2. He was the only South African bowler with an economy rate under 11, for which he earned the Man-of-the-Match award on his home ground and more fans than he has ever had before. “I have never heard people scream my name. It really was amazing for me. I have been working hard to get where I am and for the fans to acknowledge and support me like that, it was unreal for me.”I actually got a bit emotional so I just had to take a moment to myself there and focus on the game again. It’s a bit overwhelming because I have never had that many people ask for my autograph or to take pictures. Usually it’s the odd one or two but now there’s even more”Titans’ coach Mark Boucher has identified Ngidi as Kagiso Rabada-like because of his pace – around 140 kph – his clever use of the bouncer and his cool head. South Africa’s selectors seem to have the same idea and for Ngidi, the dream is coming true.

Uncapped legspinner Mitchell Swepson has some experience of playing in the subcontinent and against Indian batsmen, and he hopes that will help him settle on the tour of India

Daniel Brettig15-Jan-2017Mitchell Swepson’s media minders avoided the temptation to have him pose for the cameras in front of the Shane Warne statue outside the MCG on Sunday. When the 23-year-old spoke of his inclusion in Australia’s squad to tour India next month this proved to be a wise move, for there is more to Swepson’s story than Warne’s giant shadow.While grateful for Warne’s advocacy over the past few weeks leading up to the selection panel’s decision to send him with Steven Smith’s team, Swepson is neither a pupil of Australia’s most prolific wicket-taker nor a clone of his bowling method. Instead Swepson has built and trusted his own technique through a brief career that has already taken him a long way in a shorter space of time than he expected.”I never really modelled my bowling on anyone,” Swepson said. “I have looked at footage from Shane Warne bowling but more as a fan. I love watching that sort of thing, I love watching videos of Brett Lee bowling 160kph”I see myself as a standard leggie who likes to rip the ball. I’ve always been taught since I was a youngster bowling legspin to give the ball a good rip. You’ll go for a few runs, you’ll bowl some pump, but if you give yourself a chance to spin the ball hard and get the ball to talk through the air that’s how you’ll get your wickets. That’s how I go about it. I know I’ll go for runs and bowl some poor balls, but if I get the wickets that’s what I’m looking for.”Other influential figures in Australian cricket have been watching Swepson closely for some time, helping accelerate his progression through the ranks in a manner reminiscent of the young Warne or, more recently, Nathan Lyon. The selection chairman and former legspinner Trevor Hohns hails from the same Brisbane grade club, doubtless helping to forge a familiarity that contributed to Swepson’s starts for Queensland, Brisbane Heat and last year Australia A.”When I first got picked for the Shield team I didn’t think I was ready, sort of got thrown in the deep end there,” Swepson said. “Same thing when I made my BBL debut I didn’t think I was ready.”But it’s part of the game, if you get the opportunity it’s about taking it. I wasn’t expecting to be in a Test squad touring India, but it’s gone well for me being thrown in the deep end so far in my short career, so I’m really looking forward to any opportunity I can get over there and hopefully grab it with two hands.”Time in India and Sri Lanka last year with the national performance squad has allowed Swepson to gain some appreciation for what to expect, and also earn the respect of the national captain Smith, among others. Strong displays at home against India A in the spring also offered him some insights into the ways of Indian batsmen. He is aware that the Australian way must be significantly reshaped in the subcontinent, and also that any spin bowler’s resilience will be sorely tested by players raised against the turning ball.”There’s a lot to the way you have to go about your bowling over there,” he said. “It’s a lot different to bowling here in Australia, you’ve got to have your wits about you, got to have variation, change of pace, you’ve got to do a lot of things differently. I feel like the fact I’ve been over there and tested the waters a bit will help me to hit the ground running.”I take it as a challenge as a legspinner. Any cricketer should want to challenge themselves against the best; looking ahead to India in India against players like Virat Kohli, the best players of spin in the world, what better challenge could you want? It’ll be awesome to go over there and test yourself against the toughest opponents.”That kind of attitude has been fostered by another man influential on Swepson’s young career: Brisbane Heat captain Brendon McCullum. “As a captain on the field he’s such a calming influence,” Swepson said. “It’s pretty easy to get soaked up in the BBL, the crowds and the pressure and all that, but to have someone like that standing at short cover next to you when you’re bowling is pretty cool.”He loves a joke, loves a laugh loves a punt, brings in the field when maybe you shouldn’t. He finds a way to make you relax as a bowler and that’s what he’s helped me with.”So as much as Warne’s voice has been loud in support, there have been plenty of others in Swepson’s corner. Should he prove a success, all will be due credit for helping him along the way.

Lions management stressed that Jack Leach was left out to allow him more time to prove his remodelled action in the nets before testing it in a match situation

George Dobell17-Feb-2017Jack Leach, the Somerset left-arm spinner, has been left out of the England Lions team for the first unofficial Test against Sri Lanka A in Pallekele after struggling with his new bowling action.Leach, the second-highest wicket-taker in Division One of the County Championship in 2016 with 65 at 21.88, was thought by some to be unfortunate not to win selection in the England Test squad that toured Bangladesh and India. But his action was found to be illegal during routine tests at the national performance centre in Loughborough after the season and he was obliged to remodel it before departing on tour.While Leach initially thought the remedial work had gone well, the pressure of playing in a match situation and for a national side appears to have exposed some unfamiliarity with the new action. He conceded 68 in 14 wicketless overs in the second-innings of the warm-up match against the Sri Lanka Board President’s XI – the other specialist spinner, Ollie Rayner, took 3 for 55 from 22 overs by comparison – which led to the tour management going into the unofficial Test with Rayner as the only specialist spinner. Tom Westley and Liam Livingstone will provide spin back-up as required.The Lions management have stressed that there is no suggestion Leach has been left out due to any fears of illegality with his new action. It is, they say, to provide him more time to groove it in the nets before testing it under the pressure of a match situation. He has not been ruled out of the second match in Dambulla.While a period of readjustment was probably inevitable for Leach, it may be worth noting his county captain’s views towards the end of the season. Chris Rogers suggested Leach “emotionally… still has a bit of a way to go”, and suggested he may not quite be ready for international cricket where “the challenges… are a lot more difficult.”The ECB is also painfully aware of the case of another left-arm spinner, Simon Kerrigan, who endured a chastening Test debut at The Oval in 2013 and has never fully recovered. England are keen to ensure Leach has a more robust action and, as a consequence, a more robust sense of confidence, before he is thrust into relatively high-pressure situations.