Craig Miles collected his second five-wicket haul of the match as Gloucestershire bowled out Lancashire for 253 on the third day of the LV=County Championship clash at Bristol

ECB/PA09-Jun-2015
ScorecardCraig Miles continued to enjoy facing Lancashire•Getty Images

Craig Miles collected his second five-wicket haul of the match as Gloucestershire bowled out Lancashire for 253 on the third day of the LV=County Championship clash at Bristol.The 20-year-old seamer took 5 for 60 to complete match figures of 10 for 121 and leave his side chasing a victory target of 252. Karl Brown top scored for Lancashire with 56, while Ashwell Prince contributed 43 and Jordan Clark 48.By the close Gloucestershire had reached 26 for 1 in the quest for a Championship double over their visitors this season, with the in-form Michael Klinger unbeaten on 15, and a compelling contest was still in the balance.It was Miles’ day. In addition to the wickets he picked up with some disciplined bowling from the Ashley Down Road End, he produced a fine piece of fielding at mid-on to run out Prince as the batsman attempted a quick single.Miles likes playing against Lancashire. He has now claimed 24 wickets in four Championship games against them at an average of 16.70.
Lancashire began the day on 14 without loss and progressed to 93 for 2 by lunch, Miles pinning Paul Horton lbw for 6 playing no shot and forcing a misjudgement from Alviro Petersen, who looped a catch to point having reached the same score.Brown and Prince produced a solid stand of 77 either side of the interval, ended by Prince’s rash call. With the total still on 117, Steven Croft fell for a duck, leg-before to Miles pushing forward defensively.Brown moved to his second patient half-century off the match, from 161 balls, with nine fours, before edging an attempted cut off Benny Howell and offering a catch to wicketkeeper Cameron Herring, on as a substitute for the injured Gareth Roderick.James Faulkner fell for 4 to a sharp one-handed catch by Howell at cover off Matt Taylor and a 147 for 6 Lancashire led by only 145.
They were indebted to Clark and Alex Davies for adding 53 before Davies, on 28, carelessly clipped a Howell half-volley straight to Will Tavare at midwicket.Clark fell to the second new ball after a handy 65-ball innings, and Tom Bailey produced some clean striking to finish unbeaten on 27 after Glen Chapple and Kyle Jarvis had perished cheaply.Jarvis struck a quick blow as Gloucestershire began they victory bid, bowling Tavare for a duck off an inside edge as he looked to drive through the covers. But Klinger and Chris Dent saw things through to the close, with their side requiring a further 226 on the final day.

Pakistanis were bowled out for 247 on the first day of their tour game against Sri Lanka Board President’s XI, with seven wickets falling to spin

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jun-2015Spin was the Pakistanis undoing, as they were bowled out for 247 on day one of the three-day warm up against the Sri Lanka Board President’s XI at Colts Cricket Ground in Colombo. Only Ahmed Shehzad and Younis Khan crossed fifty, as the visitors lost seven wickets to spin – five of them to legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay. The Board XI went to stumps at 44 for 1, after Junaid Khan had trapped Dimuth Karunaratne in front second ball.Mohammad Hafeez was lbw to right-arm seamer Nisala Tharaka in a rain-affected first session, before Azhar Ali was caught off Milinda Siriwardene’s left-arm spin to leave Pakistan at 39 for 2. Shehzad and Younis then set to work on the only substantial partnership of the innings, hitting 113 in each other’s company, for the third wicket.Younis was the more aggressive batsman, hitting three sixes and five fours to progress to 64 from 78 balls, before falling to Siriwardene himself. Vandersay then laid waste to the middle order, first having Shehzad caught for 82, before dismissing Misbah-ul-Haq soon after. Asad Shafiq was stumped off Vandersay for 27, and with Sarfraz Ahmed also having been run out, the tail provided little resistance, giving up the last four wickets for 15 runs. Vandersay finished with 5 for 73.Upul Tharanga remained unbeaten on 29 at stumps, with Kaushal Silva for company.

Birmingham moved back to the top of the North Group of the NatWest Blast – level on points with Worcestershire – after a six wicket victory over Yorkshire with eight balls to spare.

George Dobell21-Jun-2015
ScorecardRecordo Gordon’s three wickets limited Yorkshire’s total•PA Photos

Birmingham moved back to the top of the North Group of the NatWest Blast – level on points with Worcestershire – after a six wicket victory over Yorkshire with eight balls to spare. It was their 11th victory in 13 completed T20 matches. For a side about to be boosted by the arrival of Brendon McCullum, it is quite a foundation.Yorkshire never recovered from losing four wickets in the Powerplay overs. While Jack Leaning, the latest off the Yorkshire production line of talented young players, took them to something approaching a competitive total, it never looked likely to be enough. It left them seventh them in the table – they have lost four of their seven games in the competition – and facing an uphill fight to qualify for the quarter-finals.”We never really got going,” their captain Andrew Gale said afterwards. “I’m very disappointed with our batting. “I thought 160 to 165 was par on that pitch – it looked a belter at the toss – and in the end we scraped our way to 130. We never found the pace of the pitch and, when the pace was taken off the ball, we found it hard to score.”It’s so frustrating. It feels like we’re banging our heads against a brick wall. I’d rather we were bowled out for 80 trying to score 160 than make 130.”There are some mitigating factors. No club has been hit harder by England call-ups – Gary Ballance was rested form this match on the orders of the ECB – and this pitch, the same one used for Friday’s match against Leicestershire, was not the easiest. But their overseas players are struggling for form. Glenn Maxwell has passed 20 only once in six T20 matches and has not been selected for the Yorkshire side in this week’s Championship match against Nottinghamshire, while Aaron Finch, with 41 in three innings, is struggling for fluency and will also miss that game and represent the club’s second XI against Worcestershire seconds instead. “He needs red ball cricket,” Gale explained.That means that Maxwell will miss out even on second XI selection. Regulations state that only one overseas player can take part and, with Finch already included, there is simply no room for him.The most pleasing aspect of this result from a Birmingham perspective was the contribution of their younger players. With Jonathan Trott consigned to a role in the commentary box, Chris Woakes still a little way off a return from injury – he will not, as reported elsewhere, play second XI cricket this week – and Ian Bell falling in the first over of their reply, they were instead grateful for the disciplined bowling of Oliver Hannon-Dalby, Recordo Gordon and Josh Poysden.Gordon was especially impressive. Having impressed with his raw pace last year, he was obliged to remodel his action after pretty well founded suggestions that he threw his quicker ball. But months spent working with the club’s bowling coach, Alan Richardson, has reaped their rewards and here he looked an intelligent bowler with good variations, a calm head and, crucially, an unimpeachable action.Having had Alex Lees caught behind with one angled across him, he dismissed Maxwell – top-edging a pull off a cutter – first ball and came back at the death to have Leaning caught at mid-on. With his cutters, his hint of inswing and an ability to bowl a much sharper ball, he looked a handy cricketer.Poysden, a legspinner who relies more on change of pace and control than turn, also impressed in three frugal overs and claimed the memorable wicket of Finch, whose torturous innings was ended when he chopped one on to his stumps.From 36 for 4 at the end of the Powerplay, though, Yorkshire could be modestly relived by their eventual total. Leaning and Finch, who took 14 off a Keith Barker over that contained a no-ball but was generally cramped for room by the bowlers, added 43 for the fifth wicket – albeit at under a run-a-ball – before Leaning and Tim Bresnan added 39 in five overs.When Maxwell, who might be disappointed he cannot get a game for Yorkshire as a spinner, claimed both openers in his first nine balls, it seemed Birmingham might struggle. But William Porterfield looked in good form, Tim Ambrose calm and Laurie Evans explosive. Any tension there might have been was released when the 18th over of the innings, bowled by Bresnan, cost 15 and Birmingham cruised home with relative ease.With Bell also available to play in Friday’s game against Lancashire, their coach, Dougie Brown faces a tough decision over who to select and where. Ian Westwood and Sam Hain will also return from injury for the second XI this week.There were just under 9,000 at Edgbaston for the game. The club is currently standing third – behind the two London teams – in ticket sales for this year’s event. It will undoubtedly be a record years in terms of T20 attendances, but you wonder if everyone at the ECB wants this competition to work. After all, if it did, it might prove far harder to justify the changes they are keen to make.

Such is the pressure on groundsmen in an Investec Ashes series in which pitches have dominated the agenda, Warwickshire have turned to an unlikely source of inspiration ahead of the third Test at Edgbaston

Will Macpherson at Edgbaston27-Jul-2015Such is the pressure on groundsmen in an Investec Ashes series in which pitches have dominated the agenda, Warwickshire have turned to an unlikely source of inspiration ahead of the third Test at Edgbaston. Head groundsman Gary Barwell, who is preparing his first Ashes pitch, is using lights normally used for the cultivation of cannabis in the hope of preparing the perfect surface.This is not the first time the Edgbaston officials have used the hot lamps, which are borrowed free of charge from West Midlands Police after being confiscated from local cannabis growers.The hope is that the lamps help encourage grass growth and dry an outfield which has suffered heavily at the hands of the torrential rain that has swept the UK in the last week. That Edgbaston’s vast pavilion also can leave the outfield shadowed exacerbates the issues.

Wood cleared after fitness test

Mark Wood is available for selection having come through a fitness test on his ankle ahead of the third Test.
Wood, who looked jaded at Lord’s where he picked up one wicket for 132 runs in the game, underwent the test on the outfield at Edgbaston ahead of training on Monday. His ankle was heavily strapped during the second Test.
He suffered no reaction and has been cleared for availability for the match starting on Wednesday.

The pitches at Cardiff – where a Mitchell Starc delivery in the match’s first over bounced twice on the way through to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin – and Lord’s – where Australia amassed 337 for 1 on the first day – have been one of the main talking points of the series although both matches finished inside four days.Just as notable on the outfield as the teams trained on Monday was the sight of the ECB’s pitch inspector, Chris Wood, and Lord’s groundsman Mick Hunt, who has come under fire for the surface for the second Test, which Australia won by 405 runs.The lamps were handed over to the club in the winter of 2013-14, after Barwell had seen similar techniques in action while working on the staff at Notts County FC, and they have been used since in order to create pitches that suit Warwickshire’s varied attack, which contains the pace of Boyd Rankin and the spin of Jeetan Patel.Amid accusations that the ECB have ordered placid surfaces to nullify Australia’s vaunted seam attack, Starc accused England of “not knowing what they want to do” with the type of surfaces they are preparing.”We’ll find out on day one, but the way it is at the moment, I guess the quicks on both sides will be happy to see it stay the way it is,” Starc said, of a pitch that two days out was grassy, but will be well mowed ahead of the Test.From the England camp, Joe Root said: “I want to see a result pitch where we can play some good competitive cricket and put a show on.”

The ten members of the South Africa A touring party who were hospitalised for food poisoning, have been discharged and the players have been cleared fit to face Australia A tomorrow

Alagappan Muthu in Chennai10-Aug-2015The ten members of the South Africa A touring party who were hospitalised for food poisoning have been discharged, and the players have been cleared fit to play their match against Australia A.

Revised fixtures

August 12 – South Africa A v Australia A
August 13 – India A v South Africa A
August 14 – Final

That clash was to be held on Tuesday, but it is understood that even though they had recovered, the South African players wanted an extra day of rest, and so the match will instead be held on Wednesday. As a result, the final group match, between India A and South Africa A has also been pushed back by a day, to Thursday. The final will take place on Friday as originally planned.As per the original schedule, South Africa A were to play Australia A today, but a CSA press release yesterday said the squad had been “ravaged by food poisoning.”Half the side had taken ill prior to South Africa A’s game against India A on Sunday. However, the likes of Reeza Hendricks, Omphile Ramela and Mthokozisi Shehzi still had to play because the team did not even have 11 men to put on the park, and they ended up aggravating their problems. Quinton de Kock, who had only flown in to Chennai on Saturday afternoon, scored a gritty century, but he too suffered from cramps and had to be withdrawn from the field in the 32nd over of the second innings.Things were so dire that South Africa A’s video analyst Hendrikus Coertzen and India A’s Mandeep Singh had to be roped in as substitute fielders. South Africa A’s reserves list for the game included Wayne Parnell, Beuran Hendricks, Cameron Delport, Cody Chetty and Keshav Maharaj, but only Hendricks and Maharaj came out as substitute fielders.*17:20 GMT: This story was updated following the change in fixtures

James Taylor has described Mahela Jayawardene’s knowledge as “invaluable” as England prepare to put up a better fight in the UAE

Alan Gardner03-Oct-2015For the majority of England’s young squad, the upcoming series against Pakistan in the UAE is a step into the unknown. But while they attempt to adjust to the heat and conditions in the nets at the ICC academy in Dubai, there is another new face in the group with plenty of experience to draw upon.Mahela Jayawardene, the former Sri Lanka captain who is being employed as England’s batting consultant on tour, made more than 9000 of his 11814 Test runs in Asia. He is also familiar with the opposition, having played more Tests against Pakistan than any other country. Over the last four years alone, Jayawardene was involved in four Pakistan series, including two in the UAE.His appointment to a first coaching role by England was based upon his batting expertise in the subcontinent – England also have tours to India and Bangladesh in the next 18 months – and he has already been working closely with his charges. Only Alastair Cook and Ian Bell remain from the top order who were confounded by Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman in 2012 and James Taylor described Jayawardene’s knowledge as “invaluable” as England prepare to put up a better fight this time.”He’s been outstanding,” Taylor said. “He’s very approachable. I’m fortunate enough to have played against him as well, so he knows me a little bit. That helps that relationship, he knows how I play.”His experience is invaluable. It’s brilliant to have him around – especially a guy who is a similar stature to me, that helps me personally as well playing spin. All the lads have spent plenty of time working on their game with him.”How England’s batsmen fare against slow bowling will be one of the key battlegrounds, with Zulfiqar Babar and Yasir Shah lining up to emulate Ajmal and Rehman. Shah posted a timely reminder of his ability with 6 for 26 in an ODI in Harare shortly after England landed in the UAE and even Jayawardene, who retired before the legspinner’s Test debut last October, will only be able to help in general terms.Mahela Jayawardene will bring his vast experience of batting in Asia to help England’s cause•Getty Images

“I saw him in the World Cup briefly, but I haven’t seen him so much in red-ball cricket,” Taylor said of Shah, who recently became the fastest Pakistani to 50 Test wickets. “I know he’s obviously performed really well recently. It’s another challenge we’re all looking forward to.”It is three years since Taylor made his two Test appearances to date but he forced his way back into the squad via an impressive one-day series against Australia. Although it seems unlikely that he will find a route into a middle order that is set to comprise of Ian Bell, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes, his ability against spin could see him come into contention, starting with two warm-up games against Pakistan A scheduled for next week.Taylor first won a sustained run in an England shirt on the ODI tour of Sri Lanka last winter, battling the oppressive heat and slow surfaces. He has not yet had an extended opportunity to make a case with the Test side but nimble feet and a diminutive stature are useful attributes in this part of the world – as Jayawardene can attest.”I love playing spin. It’s something I really enjoy,” Taylor said. “Obviously, there’s potentially going to be quite a lot of spin bowled out here. So I hope I do what I have previously.”It’s going to be tough conditions, but it’s a chance for me to stake a claim and try to get back in the side. We have two opportunities in the warm-up games, so it’s up to me to pull my finger out and score some runs.”I’m delighted to be back in. It’s been a long few years … But I’ve worked really hard, and I’m definitely a better player than I was in 2012.”Winning away from home has become harder than ever and, as visiting teams have found over recent years, there are few tougher propositions than taking on Pakistan in the UAE. England’s recent success has come on the back of a high tempo game played since the start of their home season but they may have to find a lower cruising speed if they are to last the distance in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.With temperatures rising to as high as 45C, the England players have taken to draping themselves in towels and wearing neckerchiefs to try and stay cool during practice. As Autumn begins to strengthen its grip back in England, it is another challenge that Taylor is willing to endure.”We’re giving it our best to get acclimatised as soon as possible,” he said. “We’ve had a couple of tough training sessions. But the boys are loving it – we’d prefer to be out here in 40 degrees than in the cold in England. Also, you get to work on your tan, which is perfect.”

Lou Vincent, the former New Zealand batsman, has claimed he was acting under “direct orders” from Chris Cairns, his captain at Chandigarh Lions, when he agreed to fix matches

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Oct-2015Lou Vincent, the former New Zealand batsman, has claimed he was acting under “direct orders” from Chris Cairns, his captain at Chandigarh Lions, when he agreed to fix matches during the now-defunct Indian Cricket League (ICL) in 2008.Vincent, who was last year banned for life from all cricket after admitting his involvement in match-fixing, claimed he was lured into the practice with offers including a cash bribe masquerading as an advance payment on a bat sponsorship, and subsequently earned US$50,000 (£32,000) for each of the games that he helped to manipulate.”I was under direct orders from Chris Cairns to be involved in match-fixing,” Vincent alleged under examination from Sasha Wass QC at Southwark Crown Court, where Cairns is on trial for perjury and perverting the course of justice, charges that relate to his successful libel action against Lalit Modi in 2012.”I looked up to Chris, he was a role model,” Vincent said. “All of a sudden I had been invited into this little world. There was talk of the tournament and how every game is going to be fixed.”

Dinesh Mongia’s reaction

“I was not involved in any match-fixing,” Dinesh Mongia told when contacted in Chandigarh. “I played for the Chandigarh Lions but I don’t know what the New Zealanders (Cairns, Tuffey and Vincent) were doing.”

Vincent told the court that his introduction to match-fixing had come via a bookmaker called Varun Gandhi, who offered him a bundle of cash during a meeting in a hotel room and told him that a woman who was also present was there to keep him company.”I was aware that she was available for sex … that was when the penny started to drop,” he said.Vincent initially reported the approach to his agent, Leanne McGoldrick, but claimed that Cairns’ subsequent response was to recruit him to his own match-fixing operation.”‘You have done the right thing’,” Vincent claimed Cairns had told him. “Right, you are working for me now, that will act as good cover’. That was how the whole introduction of being asked to match-fix for Chris Cairns happened.”Vincent, who had been suffering from depression since being dropped from the New Zealand team the previous year, described how he received instructions “either on the bus or at breakfast” in three or four of the matches that he played in the 2008 ICL tournament. However, he claimed to have struggled to “master the art of getting out”.”I was under instructions to fix,” he said. “When you are underperforming you just play dead-bat shots, play more defensive, you can control your scoring tempo but the actual art of getting out is actually quite hard.”One of the easiest ways is to get run out, hit the ball to a fielder and keep running. Try to get stumped. Miss a straight ball.”I didn’t master the art of getting out very well. Cairns suggested if I was playing club cricket in England I practise the art of getting out.”Vincent also alleged that, in addition to Cairns, the Indian batsman Dinesh Mongia and New Zealand fast bowler Daryl Tuffey were involved in match-fixing during their time at Chandigarh Lions.Cairns denies charges of perjury and perverting the course of justice. His former barrister, Andrew Fitch Holland, denies a charge of conspiring to pervert the course of justice.The trial continues.

Bangladesh will be keen to end the year on a high after their most successful stretch in international cricket, as they take on Zimbabwe in the first ODI of the series in Mirpur on Saturday

The Preview by Mohammad Isam06-Nov-2015

Match facts

November 7, 2015
Start time 1300 local (0700 GMT)1:37

Isam: Bangladesh, Zimbabwe bring out the best in each other

Big Picture

Bangladesh currently have the third-best win-loss ratio in ODIs this year after Australia and New Zealand. Zimbabwe have the third-worst, just above Scotland and UAE. Bangladesh have won ODI series against Pakistan, India and South Africa this year, while Zimbabwe recently lost both ODI and T20 series to Afghanistan, at home.Among the five international contests currently ongoing, this seems to be the least fashionable. But don’t count out a Bangladesh-Zimbabwe encounter so easily. Both sides have plenty to play for.Bangladesh will be keen to end the year on a high after their most successful stretch in international cricket. They have become a different team with a ready line-up of stroke-makers, accumulators and finishers. They possess a bowling attack that offers variety and guile while they are fielding better than ever. They are also led by a man whose humility balances out his hunger for success.Zimbabwe, on the other hand, are a different side since the exit of Brendan Taylor during the World Cup earlier this year. The likes of Chamu Chibhabha, Sikandar Raza and Sean Williams now hold the batting key with their captain Elton Chigumbura providing the late flourish. In Craig Ervine they have a steady hand who doesn’t get flustered too easily. The bowling attack is led by another steady figure – Tinashe Panyangara. Spinners Wellington Masakadza, Tendai Chisoro and Graeme Cremer all have the skills to put the skids on the Bangladesh line-up.For the first time in the history of this contest, Zimbabwe have to deal with a Bangladesh team that is ranked far above them, at No. 7 in the ICC ODI rankings while they are at No. 10. This could be motivation enough for the visitors while the home side will be having to maintain their form.

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)
Bangladesh WWLLW
Zimbabwe LLWLW

In the spotlight

Sean Williams has been Zimbabwe’s most valuable players with both bat and ball in 2015, and much will depend on his work in the middle order. Williams has previous experience in Bangladesh, and will be expected to play spin well. His left-arm spin will also be handy.Among the youngsters in the Bangladesh team, only Liton Das doesn’t have a big score in international cricket. This will be a great opportunity for the No. 3 batsman to launch himself.

Team news

Bangladesh could stick to their tendency of using eight batsmen but Mashrafe’s lack of fitness and the absence of Soumya Sarkar means they need a bit of cover in the pace bowling front. Al-Amin Hossain could be included if that’s how the management feels, replacing either Liton Das or Imrul Kayes.Bangladesh: (probable) 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Imrul Kayes, 3 Liton Das, 4 Mahmudullah, 5 Shakib Al Hasan, 6 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 7 Sabbir Rahman, 8 Nasir Hossain, 9 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 10 Arafat Sunny, 11 Mustafizur RahmanZimbabwe have a number of spin-bowling options but from the evidence of Thursday’s practice match, legspinner Graeme Cremer should be ahead of Wellington Masakadza and John Nyumbu. Among the pace bowlers, Luke Jongwe could be expected to share the new ball with Tinashe Panyangara after Jongwe’s three-wicket haul in Fatullah.Zimbabwe (probable): 1 Chamu Chibhabha, 2 Richmond Mutumbami (wk), 3 Craig Ervine, 4 Sean Williams, 5 Regis Chakabva, 6 Sikandar Raza, 7 Elton Chigumbura (capt), 8 Tendai Chisoro, 9 Luke Jongwe, 10 Graeme Cremer, 11 Tinashe Panyangara

Pitch and conditions

The pitch in Mirpur will be hard but there will be moments when the ball will keep low, and there will be minimal turn. Even though the temperature hasn’t dropped, it is officially winter in Bangladesh, so dew could come into play after sunset. Weather, otherwise, should be clear.

Stats and trivia

• This will be the first time in almost five years that Hamilton Masakadza won’t be involved in a Bangladesh-Zimbabwe ODI.
• Bangladesh have won eight out of the 14 bilateral series between the two sides since 2001.
• Zimbabwe are the only team against whom Tamim Iqbal has more than 1,000 ODI runs.

Quotes

“I am still not 100%. I needed a bit more time to recover and do training. But since it is for Bangladesh, I will take that risk and hopefully I can last till the end.”
“The most important part is about to come in the first ODI tomorrow. We just have to make sure what we did yesterday, and not change too much.”

New Zealand finished the second day in Perth on 2 for 140, with Kane Williamson unbeaten on 70. They trailed by 419 runs after Australia declared on 9 for 559 earlier in the day

The Report by Brydon Coverdale14-Nov-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details4:05