All posts by h716a5.icu

Australia’s coach Micky Arthur has said that Mitchell Johnson will have to compete with Pat Cummins for a place in the playing XI

ESPNcricinfo staff15-May-2012Australia’s coach Micky Arthur has said Mitchell Johnson will have to compete with Pat Cummins for a place in the starting XI during the one-day series against Ireland and England in June and July.Both Johnson and Cummins were recalled to the squad after recovering from foot injuries they sustained during Australia’s Test tour of South Africa in November 2011. “Mitchell Johnson returns and we can’t wait to have him back around the group,” Arthur said. “He may have to wait his turn though, as we are taking such a talented group of bowlers on the tour with us.”Arthur said he was excited with the prospect of seeing Cummins, who took seven wickets on Test debut against South Africa last November, return to top-flight cricket. “The player I am most excited about is Pat Cummins, we all saw what he could do in his one and only Test match and to have him back in the mix is fantastic,” he said. “He has the ability to become one of the best in the world. He and Patto [James Pattinson] will take a huge amount out of this tour.”Arthur hoped the Pattinson-Cummins combination would make their attack a force during the Ashes in 2013. “We hope they both will be firing this time next year when we go to England to claim the Ashes back and drawing on the experience of touring the UK before will certainly give them an edge.”Arthur also expressed support for Australia’s Test batting line up. “I am very happy with where our Test team is headed. Continuity in selection and role clarity is so important in creating team culture and I know that all players now know where and how they fit in,” he said. “We have a settled top six now and, together, this unit has played seven Test matches.”Edited by Carlyle Laurie

Ross Taylor, the New Zealand captain, has been ruled out for three to four weeks after picking up a calf strain

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jan-2012Ross Taylor, the New Zealand captain, has been sidelined for three to four weeks after picking up a calf strain on the second morning of the only Test against Zimbabwe in Napier. Taylor will miss the rest of the Zimbabwe series and is hoping to be fit for the home one-dayers against South Africa in late February.Taylor was injured attempting a single and was forced to retire hurt on 122 early on the second day. Only 15 overs of play was possible before rain intervened with New Zealand at a strong 392 for 5.Paul Close, the New Zealand physio, said that Taylor would have further tests before starting a rehabilitation programme. “While it is early days, our target is to have Ross available for the one-day series against South Africa in late February,” Close said.Opener Brendon McCullum is expected to take over the captaincy from Taylor, although no official vice-captain has been named for the Zimbabwe series.

An imperious display of strokemaking by Virat Kohli powered an Indian fightback conspicuous in its absence recently, made a mockery of an imposing score and kept India’s finals hopes alive

The Report by Siddhartha Talya28-Feb-2012
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Virat Kohli was “in the zone” during his 133 not out off 86 balls•AFPTurnarounds don’t come any better. Fortunes don’t change more dramatically. And emotions don’t bear a starker contrast. At the halfway stage, Sri Lanka would have felt they had one foot in the final, having left the India bowlers deflated after a dominating performance with the bat. And they would have been right to think that way, the Indian batting having shown little promise in the series and the team on the brink of elimination.But Virat Kohli put on an imperious display of strokemaking, his malleable wrists powering an Indian fightback conspicuous by its absence on what had been, until now, two forgettable overseas trips. Kohli’s innings made a mockery of an imposing score, kept India’s finals hopes alive and left Sri Lanka having to beat Australia for a third time in the tournament to knock India out.Given India’s poor outings with the bat in their recent games, one would have expected them to struggle to chase a target of 321 in 50 overs. They achieved it in 36.4 – needing to chase it in 40 to stay alive in the series – and did so with Kohli finishing things off in a blaze of glory. Kohli was in the zone; he dismissed anything that came his way with clinical precision, found the boundary at will whether the field was in or pushed back, ran swiftly between the wickets to catch the fielders off guard and middled the ball with scarcely believable consistency.While Kohli was the protagonist in India’s successful chase, the other characters played their due part. Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar would have wanted to do more but gave India the explosive start they desperately needed to stage a counterattack; Gautam Gambhir continued to be fluent, just four boundaries in a knock of 63 off 64 balls showing the toil behind the runs; and Suresh Raina, under pressure to perform, kept Kohli valuable company in a matchwinning stand.If India were insipid with their bowling, Sri Lanka were far worse, as wides flowed, gift balls were doled out with regularity and the fielding buckled under the pressure of an unexpected fightback. Both innings were replete with fumbles, misfields, wayward throws – one of them, had it been on target, could have run Kohli out – making batting even more profitable on the easiest track in the series thus far. The brisk start to the chase and the subsequent consolidation by Gambhir and Kohli meant India were in with a fighting chance with two Powerplays still remaining, and both proved highly lucrative.Kohli made both his own, first targetting Nuwan Kulasekara in the 31st over, which began with India needing 91 in 10 overs for a bonus point. He carted three consecutive fours as attempted yorkers failed to meet their desired lengths and served as tempting length balls. Two were whipped – in trademark Kohli fashion, a momentary turn of the wrists imparting tremendous force to the ball – and the other sliced over point in an act of improvisation.The Sri Lanka fast bowlers misfired badly but even when they got it right, like an accurate yorker from Malinga, Kohli was able to shuffle across and expertly work it past the short fine fielder. He took 24 from Malinga in the 35th over, flicking him for six, sending one through the covers for four and then picking up three more fours past short fine, and finished the game with two thunderous drives through the off side. A pump of the fists was followed by a roar of elation and relief as MS Dhoni calmly trudged on to the field to join in the celebrations.A win this dominating seemed a distant possibility when Kohli joined Gambhir at the fall of Tendulkar’s wicket. Tendulkar had walked across too far to be caught plumb by Malinga, ending an innings in which Tendulkar seemed devoid of pressure and completely uninhibited in his approach. Sehwag and Tendulkar batted with freedom, the former smashing Malinga into the grassbanks behind deep midwicket in a fiery opening stand of 54, and Tendulkar going over the top on the off side, and displaying an adeptness in picking Malinga’s variations. But at 2 for 86 in the 10th over, with India’s two most experienced batsmen back in the pavilion and the required-rate still very high, Kohli and Gambhir faced a daunting task.That both took little time to get going was crucial in maintaining the tempo that had been set. Gambhir steered Kulasekara for four off his third delivery before punching one past midwicket, and Kohli warmed up with one of several whips off Malinga off his second ball. The pair didn’t get bogged down despite a 35-ball boundary drought, running swiftly between the wickets, converting ones into twos by putting the outfielders under pressure and making the fielders inside the circle appear redundant by stealing quick ones.Kohli broke that drought with a drive off Thisara Perara past extra cover and later clobbered Angelo Mathews over the wide long-off boundary. At the halfway stage in the chase, the pair had notched up half-centuries, laying a solid foundation for the onslaught to follow with ten Powerplay overs still remaining. After Gambhir fell to an accurate throw while trying to steal a second, Raina infused the innings with greater urgency, providing a quicker partner at the other end to Kohli and indulging in some power play of his own to help hasten the finish.The Kohli show overshadowed an assured and commanding performance by Sri Lanka with the bat, and centuries from Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara, who capitalised on a palpably below-par show from India’s bowlers.Dilshan shrugged off his initial unease against the swinging ball to gradually open up and march towards his 11th ODI century and Sangakkara played an innings as attractive as several of his abruptly terminated cameos this tournament, only longer in duration this time, full of confidence and more pleasing on the eye. The determination and focus of trying to bat India out of the game was unwavering in their innings, and the smiles on their faces and the India players’ drooping shoulders suggested a one-sided game. But body-language is not always a reliable indicator, for it had taken an about turn in three hours’ time.Edited by Dustin Silgardo

Rahul Dravid has called on cricketers to give up “a little bit of freedom of movement and privacy” if it helps keep the game free of corruption

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Dec-2011Rahul Dravid has called on cricketers to give up “a little bit of freedom of movement and privacy” if it helps keep the game free of corruption. Speaking at the Sir Donald Bradman Oration in Canberra, Dravid said players should treat the inconveniences of dope tests, the possible scrutiny of finances, or even lie-detector tests as necessary measures to keep the sport clean.”Cricket’s financial success means it will face threats from outside the game and keep facing them. The last two decades have proved this over and over again,” Dravid said. “The internet and modern technology may just end up being a step ahead of every anti-corruption regulation in place in the game.”As players, the one way we can stay ahead for the game is if we are willing to be monitored and regulated closely. Even if it means giving up a little bit of freedom of movement and privacy. If it means undergoing dope tests, let us never say no.”If it means undergoing lie-detector tests, let us understand the technology, what purpose it serves and accept it. Lie-detectors are by no means perfect but they could actually help the innocent clear their names. Similarly, we should not object to having our finances scrutinised, if that is what is required.”The radical idea of lie-detector tests was first mooted by the MCC to strengthen anti-corruption measures. The proposal was backed by former Australia captain Steve Waugh, who took a lie-detector test himself, and England captain Andrew Strauss also said he would be willing to undergo such an examination. The Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA), however, was opposed to the idea and its chief executive Tim May said lie-detector tests were “far from foolproof”.Dravid, the first foreign player to deliver the Bradman oration, said that players needed to sacrifice a bit of personal comfort for the good of the game. His comments came at the end of a year during which three Pakistan players – Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir – were found guilty of spot-fixing during the tour of England in 2010. They were sentenced to jail terms after a trial at Southwark Crown Court.”When the first anti-corruption measures were put into place, we did moan a little bit about being accredited and depositing our cell phones with the manager. But now we must treat it like we do airport security because we know it is for our own good and our own security,” Dravid said. “Players should be ready to give up a little personal space and personal comfort for this game, which has given us so much. If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear.”

Jonny Bairstow and Scott Borthwick shone in England’s final warm-up match before the ODIs begin on Friday

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Oct-2011ScorecardJonny Bairstow cracked eight sixes during his hundred•Getty ImagesEngland’s one-day tour of India is a chance for some of the youngsters to impress and two of them, Jonny Bairstow and Scott Borthwick, shone in the final warm-up match before the ODIs begin on Friday. Bairstow underlined his precocious talent with a thunderous 53-ball hundred as England piled up 367 for 4 then Borthwick took advantage of some slap-happy batting from the hosts to finish with 5 for 31 in a 253-run victory.Bairstow’s onslaught, which included eight sixes, built on solid work from the top order, including an opening stand of 159 between Alastair Cook and Craig Kieswetter, while Jonathan Trott also found form with 74 off 68 balls as he and Bairstow added 143. Bairstow’s second fifty took just 20 deliveries. The only batsman to miss out was Kevin Pietersen, who fell to the left-arm spin of Medhi Hasan for 10, and he has failed in both warm-ups on his return to the one-day side.Ian Bell sat out this match with a stomach upset and Ravi Bopara was rested following his 73 in the first game so, with Bairstow’s form clear, there are now some tricky selection issues ahead of the opening one-day international. Given that Pietersen has been brought on this tour rather than continuing his rest he is unlikely to be left out so Bell could be the player who has to make way.The top three, however, appear to be set in stone despite a few early doubts when Trott was named at No. 4 in the team sheet. England will need to be flexible with their thinking during the series, but the tried and tested order seems likely to start. Cook and Kieswetter reacquainted themselves in a productive partnership following the latter’s return from the Champions League and were not overly tested by a friendly home attack.However, after England’s less-than-inspiring display on Saturday when they were bowled out for 219 it was an important statement of intent to produce a commanding batting performance. Both openers could have reached three figures, but neither will be too concerned to have missed out as it ensured others had the chance for time in the middle. Cook, having again outscored his opening partner, was caught on the boundary and Kieswetter mistimed a pull.Pietersen was caught at backward point after a brief stay but England’s innings never threatened to lose direction as Trott and Bairstow combined in their different styles. Trott manoeuvred the field while Bairstow gave a display of the power and timing that had been on show during his ODI debut in Cardiff last month. The last 10 overs of England’s innings – outside of Powerplay restrictions under the new regulations – brought 105 runs.Despite a promising start against England’s pace bowlers – which included Stuart Meaker – the home side collapsed when spin came into the attack. A superb catch at slip from Cook to remove Akshath Reddy gave Borthwick his first wicket and the same combination struck again two balls later.Wickets continued to fall in a hurry and Meaker then got in on the act with three for himself in the 29th over as his pace proved too much for the lower order. Neither Borthwick nor Meaker are expected to push for initial selection in the series, but their performances will have been noted.It completed a fine day for England’s new faces but tougher challenges await.

Given Lancashire’s game in hand, talk of this match being a title decider is premature at best and actually a little absurd

Jon Culley at Aigburth29-Jun-2011
ScorecardDale Benkenstein was the matchwinner for Durham in Liverpool•PA PhotosGiven Lancashire’s game in hand, talk of this match being a title decider is premature at best and actually a little absurd. What victory has done for Durham, though, if you were to think of the Championship as a horse race, is to take them a couple of lengths clear at just the moment the pace is hotting up, which means that Lancashire cannot really afford to falter.The home side sniffed a chance overnight. Three wickets lost in 10 overs on Tuesday evening certainly discomfited Durham, leaving them to troop up on the third morning with still 154 to get of the 181 needed to win, and not much room for error.It required a steady, unflappable attitude, for there would be more setbacks, inevitably. Yet, as predicted, the depth of Durham’s batting saw them home. Dale Benkenstein, whose steady hand guided them to a 102-run lead on that bizarre, 20-wicket first day, supplemented his 83 not out with an unbeaten 60.Benkenstein, 37, is having a remarkable season. In 15 Championship innings he has four centuries and has failed to reach 50 on only five occasions. He made 137 in Durham’s win over Lancashire at Chester-le-Street, which means has scored 280 against them in three innings for once out.In this innings, as impervious to pressure, seemingly, as he had been in the first innings, he passed 1,000 first-class runs for the season and overtook Jon Lewis’s mark of 7,854 to become Durham’s all-time leading scorer.Winning by five wickets suggests a degree of comfort in the end for Durham but there had been some tension along the way, as you suspected there would be.At first, it seemed as though Paul Collingwood, thrilled to have found some form with the bat and “pleasantly surprised” at how much he is enjoying being a Durham player again, would follow his century against Yorkshire with another match-winning hundred.Only too eager to confirm afterwards, after scratching around so much during his last year as a Test player, that he felt as comfortable as he ever has with bat in hand, Collingwood looked in complete control. He had a life on 21, put down by Paul Horton at first slip off Kyle Hogg, but that apart reached 45 in relative comfort.Hogg and Mahmood had both run in well without enjoying much luck. But how often is it that a bowling change brings a wicket? Luke Procter gave Mahmood a breather at the river end and struck with his second ball, Collingwood falling to a catch he might have made himself, in his prime.Collingwood went for a drive as if he was sure it would come off the middle of the bat but edged it instead, whereupon Steven Croft flung himself to his right at third slip and clung on spectacularly. Likewise, when Gary Keedy then replaced Procter, he needed only two balls to trap Will Smith leg before.Paul Collingwood played a vital hand before falling to Luke Procter•PA PhotosSo, five down, still 99 short, the pressure was back on Durham. But the depth of their batting allows for setbacks where in other teams they might induce a fatal attack of nerves.And few batsman put experience to better use than Benkenstein. Lancashire had other chances, notably when Ian Blackwell, who had made 14 of his 26, was badly dropped at long leg by Hogg, at which point Durham would have been six down and still 53 away from victory. Yet Mark Chilton, standing in for the injured – and missed – Glen Chapple as captain, readily acknowledged the role that Benkenstein had played in putting his side in their place for the second time.”Dale played really well,” Chilton said. “He is in fantastic nick, as he showed up at the Riverside. His 83 in the first innings was exceptional and his innings today saw them home in a pressure situation.”We felt in the game this morning and on another day could have had three wickets in the first hour with Saj and Kyle bowling very well. We were well in the game but then with 50 runs left we missed a run-out chance and a catch and then they put a good partnership together to see them home.”Benkenstein’s sixth and seventh boundaries completed the job, a little before a quarter to three. Typically, he accepted the applause with self-deprecating modesty.”Sometimes it frees you up when you bat in a situation like that and others are being drawn into making mistakes,” he said. “It takes the pressure off because if you fail it does not really matter whereas if everyone is scoring hundreds you feel you should do as well.”I only play one way and my approach does not change. I’m pretty boring, I stick to the same things. If I see a bad ball I hit it. You just hope for a bit of luck and that when you get a good ball you miss it.”Chilton, quite rightly, said that Lancashire need only to keep winning to make sure that Durham remain under pressure to keep winning too but there is an ominous confidence about the leaders.”We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves,” Collingwood said. “There are things we can improve on but we’d like to feel our brand of attacking cricket will be good enough for most sides.”Benkenstein echoed that assessment, even going a little further. “I think that the experience we have, the old heads who know the situations and what it takes to win matches will be crucial in terms of the championship. We have a good balance, with some enthusiastic young guys as well. In terms of batting I think this is as good a side as we have had.”

ESPNcricinfo previews the third ODI between Zimbabwe and Bangladesh in Harare

The Preview by Firdose Moonda15-Aug-2011Match facts
August 16, Harare
Start time 0930 (0730 GMT)Vusi Sibanda has been solid at the top of the order for Zimbabwe•Associated PressThe Big PictureZimbabwe are within sniffing distance of ending their drought of five years without an ODI series win over a Test-playing nation. They have beaten Ireland and Kenya in recent times, but their previous series win against a Test playing-country was in August 2006 when they beat Bangladesh 3-2 at home. Much has changed since then, and should Zimbabwe pull off this victory it would underline their notion that this is indeed a new era for their cricket.So far they have outplayed their opposition convincingly, bowling with aggression and batting with composure. They have all the ingredients to cook up a successful summer – a new-ball bowler, Brian Vitori, who looks better and better with every match, back-up seamers like Elton Chigumbura, who play a supporting role but can also take wickets, a top order that can play seam and spin with equal conviction, and, as they showed in the last match, a middle order that can finish the job.It all looks a little too easy for Zimbabwe at the moment and they may want to challenge themselves by trying to defend a total rather than chase one down, especially since their middle order has not spent enough time at the crease. Perhaps those ideas will be left to Bulawayo, if the series has been won by then, and there is room for experimentation before welcoming Pakistan and New Zealand.For Bangladesh, disaster looms, according to Shakib Al Hasan, who called his team situation a crisis. Their mistakes have become more glaring as the series has progressed and are now in urgent need of attention.The top order appears to need superglue stuck to their spikes so that they will stay at the crease and avoid forcing the middle and lower orders to fix their mistakes. The top four have failed – their execution has been poor and their application non-existent. Although they are fronting up against a good attack, they are also been given a pitch and conditions conducive to batting, and if Bangladesh are to come back into this series, they are going to have to learn patience very quickly.The Bangladesh bowlers have not been given much to work with but they have also not shown much perseverance and have tended to give up after getting an early breakthrough. The left-arm spinners have not threatened and it will be up to the offspinners and seamers, who showed that they can extract some reverse swing, to take wickets. A more determined effort is required from Bangladesh if they are to go to Bulawayo with any thoughts of restoring respectability.Form guide (most recent first) Zimbabwe WWWLL
Bangladesh LLLLL
In the spotlight He has been out cheaply in both matches so far and even though he leads a winning team, Brendan Taylor will want to produce with the bat as well. Taylor’s perennial problem has been a lack of footwork and after being bowled by his opposite number in the first match and edging while playing away from his body in the second, it may be an issue he wants to address as the summer continues.Nasir Hossain rescued a tattered Bangladesh innings on debut in the previous game and immediately impressed with his handling of the short ball. On first glance, there is something distinctly different about Nasir when compared to other Bangladesh batsmen. Rather than mistiming his pull shot or being hurried into it, he plays it with skill and grace and his maturity at the crease was evident in his well-paced 63. He was only given two overs with the ball, but it will be interesting to see how he performs in that department as well. Team news With a series win just a match away, Zimbabwe are unlikely to tinker with a successful XI. Kyle Jarvis is still waiting for his opportunity, but may have to hang on until Bulawayo to get it, even though Chris Mpofu struggled a little in the second match. Regis Chakabva will also have to bide his time before getting a look in.Zimbabwe (probable): 1 Brendan Taylor (capt), 2 Vusi Sibanda, 3 Hamilton Masakadza, 4 Tatenda Taibu (wk), 5 Craig Ervine, 6 Forster Mutizwa, 7 Elton Chigumbura, 8 Prosper Utseya, 9 Ray Price, 10 Brian Vitori, 11 Chris MpofuA continually failing top order should call for some change and Bangladesh may have no choice but to finally bring Junaid Siddique in. One of Tamim Iqbal or Imrul Kayes should pay the price for their poor showings so far. However, the selectors have been hesitant to drop either and Siddique may slot into the middle order ahead of Shahriar Nafees or Mohammad Ashraful. Abdur Razzak is likely to keep his place, more for his batting than his left-arm spin, meaning that Suhrawadi Shuvo will have to sit out again.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Imrul Kayes / Junaid Siddique, 3 Shahriar Nafees, 4 Mohammad Ashraful, 5 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 6 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 7 Mahmudullah, 8 Nasir Hossain, 9 Abdur Razzak, 10 Shafiul Islam, 11 Rubel Hossain Pitch and conditions
The surface should remain good for batting, as it has done through the one-off Test and previous two ODIs, with all the strips on the square known for being flat. The first hour has had something for the bowlers though, with just a little bit of extra bounce and movement on offer. Later in the day, the pitch has slowed down, but there is not a lot of turn. Batting should be a reasonably easy task and the bowlers will have to stick to good lines and lengths and bowl wicket-to-wicket to get results.Stats and trivia The team chasing has won 50% of the time at Harare Sports Club in its 19-year history as an international ground. However, in the last two years, the team fielding first has won 64.2% of the time and in the last year, that increases to 80%. Imrul Kayes’ batting average in day matches, 27.41, is almost 10 runs fewer than it is in day-night matches, 37.09.Quotes “We have to do what we have done so far and be hungry on the day.”
“We should put on 260 every time we bat but our top order is not scoring runs, I would love to see those top order guys scoring some runs for the team.”

ESPNcricinfo previews the game between Mumbai Indians and Kochi Tuskers Kerala in Mumbai

The Preview by Dustin Silgardo14-Apr-2011Match FactsFriday, April 15
Start Time 2000 (1430 GMT)Lasith Malinga has taken wickets in his first over in both games•AFPBig PictureIn a tournament where predictions based on cricketing logic are often about as valid as that of a prescient octopus, Mumbai Indians have returned some sanity to proceedings. They were the best side on paper coming into the tournament, and rather than succumbing to the supposed “predictable unpredictability” of the IPL, they have translated their theoretical strength into two clinical victories; and Kieron Pollard and Andrew Symonds haven’t even had a bat yet.Friday will be a test not just of whether Mumbai can continue their dominance, but also of whether the IPL itself can occupy the sort of space in the country’s consciousness that it has in recent years. Cricket returns to the Wankhede Stadium for the first time since Sachin Tendulkar was hoisted on his India team-mates’ shoulders during the World Cup celebrations, and the IPL organisers will be hoping the cheers that greet him when he walks out to bat will create a ripple effect that will keep the buzz around the tournament going.Mumbai’s opposition, Kochi Tuskers Kerala, look a lopsided team. Their batting line-up boasts names worthy of making a Twenty20 all-star team, but the bowling, if you take out the ageing Muttiah Muralitharan and the volatile Sreesanth, reads rather eerily like a list of former India bowlers. The weakness was apparent in their first match in particular, when Mahela Jayawardene, stuck for options, had to toss the ball to the inexperienced Raiphi Gomez and watch him get hit for 20 runs in the 18th over of Royal Challengers Bangalore’s chase.If there is one weakness Mumbai have that Kochi can try to exploit, it is the support bowling. But in order to get there, they have to first pass the Lasith Malinga test. Malinga’s mastery of the old ball is well documented, but he has been as lethal with the new one in the tournament so far, striking in his first over in both of Mumbai’s games.Team talkKochi have two options to strengthen their bowling: John Hastings will be back from Australia’s tour of Bangladesh, while Thisara Perera could provide some extra pace. Including either of those two, though, would mean having to bench either Brad Hodge or Murali. Steven Smith will not be joining the Kochi squad as he is returning to Australia to have surgery on his ankle.Andrew Symonds missed Mumbai’s first two games with a niggle and is likely to come in for James Franklin, meaning he will play alongside Harbhajan Singh. They were the protagonists in the Sydney saga in 2008. Harbhajan played down the incident, saying it was behind them and that they were looking forward to playing with each other.Play ESPNcricinfo Team selector. Predict the playing XIs for this match.In the spotlightThe three squads that have won the IPL so far had one thing in common: they were built around the image of their captains. Mahela Jayawardene has led his national side to a World Cup final (in 2007) and is a dangerous Twenty20 player, although his best performances in the format have come in the opening slot. Pushing himself up the order to take on his team-mate Malinga would be a sign of confidence that could filter down to his team.Rohit Sharma came into the tournament with his $2 million price tag hanging like a weight around his neck; cynics ever-ready to lament the IPL’s ability to inflate the egos of impressionable youngsters. Friday is a chance for him to prove his worth.Prime numbers Ravindra Jadeja is Kochi’s highest run-getter this season with 70 runs from two games. During the first season of the IPL he scored 135 runs in nine innings, while in the second he got 295 runs.
Mumbai’s new wicketkeeper Davy Jacobs scored only 88 runs in eight innings during the Standard Bank Pro20 series in South Africa, while Owais Shah, who is yet to get a game for Kochi, was the leading run-scorer in that tournament with 293 runs from eight innings.Chatter”He’s a great guy. Whatever happened in Sydney, that’s all history now. We don’t want to keep on thinking about what happened then. Hopefully, with his performance and mine, we can do a lot of good things for Mumbai Indians. “
“It is just the beginning of the tournament, we need not be negative. I think just one win can change things for us and the momentum will take us ahead in the tournament.”

Albie Morkel and Colin Ingram have not been included in the Jacques Rudolph-led South Africa A squad to tour Zimbabwe and Malaysia for personal reasons

ESPNcricinfo staff25-May-2011Albie Morkel and Colin Ingram have not been included in the Jacques Rudolph-led South Africa A squad to tour Zimbabwe and Malaysia for personal reasons. South Africa A will play in a one-day tri-series against Zimbabwe and Australia A followed by a six-team Twenty20 competition in Kuala Lumpur in June and July this year.”Albie’s wife is expecting their second child and he understandably needs to spend time at home,” Andrew Hudson, convenor of selectors, said. “Colin has been on the road in India for more than four months now.” Ingram was in South Africa’s World Cup squad and stayed on for the IPL, where he was part of the Delhi Daredevils.The A team will be captained by Rudolph, who also led the side against Bangladesh in April at home. Rudolph has committed himself to South African cricket after opting out of his Kolpak deal with Yorkshire last year and looks set for a national recall.The wicket-keeping role – which has come under scrutiny in South African cricket circles as a successor to Mark Boucher has yet to be found – looks set to be shared between Heino Kuhn and Morne van Wyk. That means there is no place for Davy Jacobs, who is recovering from a broken thumb, which he sustained while playing for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL.The squad includes regular A team participants, Vernon Philander, Dean Elgar, Loots Bosman, Ryan McLaren, Rusty Theron and Roelof van der Merwe. There are two new additions for the T20 competition in Lions pace bowler Ethan O’Reilly and Cobras opening batsman Richard Levi. Wayne Parnell has also been included in the T20 squad.South Africa also named their emerging squad for the annual competition that is played in Australia and also features the emerging teams from New Zealand and India. Stiaan van Zyl has been named the captain of a squad that features young talent such as batsman Mangaliso Mosehle and left-arm spinner Dale Deeb.South Africa A squad for Zimbabwe triangular: Jacques Rudolph (capt), Craig Alexander, Farhaan Behardien, Loots Bosman, Dean Elgar, Rory Kleinveldt, Heino Kuhn, Ethy Mbhalati, Ryan McLaren, David Miller, Vernon Philander, Rusty Theron, Roelof van der Merwe, Jonathan Vandiar, Morne van WykSouth Africa A squad for Kuala Lumpur T20 tournament: Jacques Rudolph (capt), Farhaan Behardien, Loots Bosman, Richard Levi, Ethy Mbhalati, Ryan McLaren, David Miller, Ethan O’Reilly, Wayne Parnell, Vernon Philander, Rusty Theron, Roelof van der Merwe, Jonathan Vandiar, Vaughn van Jaarsveld, Morne van WykSouth Africa Emerging Players squad: Stiaan van Zyl (capt), Kyle Abbott, Temba Bavuma, Andrew Birch, Dale Deeb, Reeza Hendricks, Richard Levi, Pumelela Matshikwe, Mangaliso Mosehle, Ethan O’Reilly, Dane Piedt, Obus Pienaar, Mthokozisi Shezi, Jon-Jon Smuts, Shaun von Berg

Alviro Petersen was driving confidently in the morning session and looked set to continue in that vein. If he had, it would have gone a long way in cementing an opening slot

Firdose Moonda at SuperSport Park17-Dec-2010Alviro Petersen’s strongest statement of the day was made in the 20th over. He went down on a bent knee and slog-swept Harbhajan Singh over deep square leg for six. He had previously pulled Ishant Sharma to square-leg, driven Jaidev Unadkat through mid-off and Sreesanth through the covers, but this was that shot that expressed his intentions.”We didn’t want Harbhajan to settle,” Petersen said later. “We felt that if the ball was in our scoring areas and we could hit it, we would.”Graeme Smith went on to play a confident cut, a classy on-drive and a powerful pull and Harbhajan went for 19 in his first couple of overs. After Smith’s exit, Harbhajan got away with three boundary-less overs and if not for a drop from MS Dhoni, would have dismissed Hashim Amla. Petersen receded into his shell a little and came out only to drive a full Sreesanth delivery on the on-side.”We needed to have a lot of patience on this wicket.” Petersen said. He admitted that both he and Smith were tentative early on and “weren’t worried about the runs on the board,” as much as about seeing off the new ball and any early movement. “The longer you stay in, the easier it gets to bat,” he said – an observation that implied he was disappointed that he didn’t push on to reach three figures. He was driving confidently in the morning session and looked set to continue in that vein. If he had, it would have gone a long way in cementing an opening slot.Petersen took over the role at a time when South Africa was going through a mini-crisis. Ashwell Prince had made clear his desire to return to the middle order, Herschelle Gibbs had fallen out of favour and into rehab. Two strong seasons at the first-class level made Petersen the automatic choice. In 2008-09 season he finished third highest domestic scorer with 798 runs in nine matches at an average of 49.87. In the 2009-10 season, he made 557 runs in seven matches at an average of 55.7.With JP Duminy suffering a loss of form after the heroics that in Australia and Prince desperate to return to the middle order, it made sense to bring Petersen in. In February, after the first Test against India in Nagpur, the time was right. Prince had made a duck opening and Duminy nine runs at No. 6. Duminy was dropped, Prince moved down and there was room for Petersen.His debut – a crunch match against India at Eden Gardens – was going to be more mentally taxing than anything else. When Smith fell in the third over with the score on nine, it looked like Petersen was in for a rough ride. It would have been a topsy-turvy experience had he not been joined by the supremely confident and in-form Hashim Amla. Both went on record centuries and Petersen’s talent had announced itself on a grand stage.Apart from that, Petersen has not had a situation tough enough to test his mettle as an opener. He is playing in just his seventh match and has had a fairly gentle introduction to the big time. Ideally, after Kolkata, he should have gone on to stake a claim by scoring a century or two in the June tour of the Caribbean. Instead, he returned from three Tests with only one half-century to his name. His return in the two Tests against Pakistan was better and he looked likely to score a century in the first Test in Dubai before falling for 67.A second Test century is probably due for Petersen now, but he will have to wait for a while, possibly until the next match. Petersen didn’t appear too concerned with not reaching the milestone in the first innings and said South Africa wanted to “bat India out of the match.” He said the dressing room was “not satisfied with where we are now in the match” and had not yet thought about a declaration. Only a massive lead will satisfy South Africa and they only want to bat once.”The wicket is getting quicker and it’s changing quite a lot. A quick wicket suits our strengths so that’s what we want,” Petersen said, a warning to India that another blitz can be expected from Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel in the second innings.