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Australia’s captain has been asked the same questions in countless press conferences since taking over as captain. At last, he’s about to play some cricket

Melinda Farrell at The Oval12-Jun-20181:02

Every game I play for Australia is a bonus – Paine

What sense of relief will Tim Paine feel when he leads the Australian players out at The Oval for their first match since that series and, once the goodwill handshakes are out of the way, actually starts playing some cricket?It would be over-stating it to describe the coveted role of Australia captain as a poisoned chalice but, in his brief tenure to date, Paine has been forced to shoulder the burden of rebuilding the shattered reputation and integrity of the national side in a way none of his predecessors has had to do.The press conference on the eve of Australia’s first outing since the calamitous series in South Africa was predictable in echoing every other media opportunity in the wake of ‘sandpapergate’: a barrage questions on sledging, banter, abuse and behaviour. Please, no more talk about “The Line”. While he answered them all with a weary politeness, there are only so many ways Paine can rephrase the same answer.”I can’t talk about it anymore to be honest,” Paine said. “We’ve talked about what’s acceptable from our team and what people are saying from outside our team doesn’t really matter.”Internally we know what’s right and what’s wrong, and that’s what counts.”Paine’s situation is remarkable. After making his Test debut alongside Steve Smith, a thumb injury sustained in an exhibition match left him watching Smith’s ascendancy from afar while he battled to keep his career afloat through periods of further injury and, at times, indifferent form. He was mentioned in sympathetic tones, a subject of regretful “what-ifs”.Last year, unable to sustain his place in the Tasmanian side, Paine had accepted his playing days were over and he was planning the next phase of his life. His unexpected recall to the Australian team for the Ashes was the feel-good story of the summer; the shocking circumstances of his rise to the captaincy were as unforeseen as they were unfortunate.But the fact this has all landed in his lap at a time after he had expected it to be over gives him a valuable perspective.”I’m in a really good space with my cricket,” said Paine. “I’m captaining Australia where twelve months ago I was nearly working for Kookaburra sports.”Every game I play for Australia is an absolute bonus for me. I spoke to JL [Justin Langer] this morning about trying to play every game for Australia as if it’s my last, and it’s easy for me to do that.”While Paine’s situation is unusual, it’s not entirely unique in modern cricket and, if he is looking for an example of what is possible in such circumstances, a glance in the direction of Misbah-ul-Haq’s history would not go amiss.Unwanted by his team for the 2010 tour of England, Misbah later revealed he felt like burning his kit and throwing it away, such was his disillusionment. Luckily, he didn’t. He and his kit were called upon in the aftermath of Pakistan’s most notorious cricket scandal, the outcomes of which dwarf Australia’s recent transgressions in scale: players jailed, the standing of the team seemingly irrevocably destroyed.Misbah was an unlikely hero – remember the tuk-tuk jibes? – and yet, in the space of four years, he achieved what many thought would be impossible at the start of his captaincy. With the help of trusted lieutenants and allies and, on the strength of his own determined conviction, he led the resurgence of Pakistan, the restoration of its reputation in international cricket and – despite never having the advantage of playing at home – took his side to the top of the world Test rankings. The setting for the drawn match which secured Pakistan’s No.1 ranking is the same venue where Paine’s side will take its first steps back from its own pit of ignominy.This is not to suggest Paine will emulate Misbah’s achievements in a playing or leadership sense. Whether or not Paine is the long-term solution to Australia’s captaincy, or even wicketkeeping, remains to be seen. But Misbah showed, at the very least, that Australia’s – and Paine’s – obstacles are not insurmountable.Before anything of the sort is possible, of course, there is some cricket to be played. And redemption to be sought.”Words are words,” said Paine. “Come Wednesday, it’s time for us to act on those words and show it by actions.”

From spending almost two years out with injury to learning about yorkers form Waqar Younis at the Global T20 Canada, things are starting to look up for the quick

Peter Della Penna17-Jul-2018When Ali Khan burst onto the USA scene out of anonymity in late 2015, his future was filled with immense promise, going from zero to CPL-player in nine months and taking Kumar Sangakkara’s wicket with the very first ball he bowled for Guyana Amazon Warriors. But the last two years have been spent in and out of action due to a series of nagging leg injuries, which makes his performance in the recent Global T20 Canada all the more impressive.While Steven Smith and David Warner grabbed most of the pre-tournament headlines at the Global T20 Canada for making a “comeback” of sorts, Khan was also on the comeback trail. The USA fast bowler from Ohio lost his CPL contract with Amazon Warriors earlier in the year, and was no longer a regular in the USA XI either in part due to his inability to stay on the field.So it was all the more remarkable for Khan to make a splash at the Global T20, spearheading the Winnipeg Hawks new-ball attack to finish with 10 wickets in eight games, second for the team behind Fidel Edwards. His ability to swing the new ball at 135-140 kph and bowl consistent yorkers that were clocked as high as 145 kph made him one of Hawks’ surprise stars of the tournament under captain Dwayne Bravo and head coach Waqar Younis. On Monday, Khan was rewarded with a new contract at Trinbago Knight Riders for the upcoming CPL, called into their squad as a like-for-like replacement for the injured fast bowler Ronsford Beaton.”Bravo and Waqar Younis, working with them, that has helped me a lot,” Khan told ESPNcricinfo. “They gave me a lot of confidence from day one, saying, ‘You are the leader of the attack.’ I was very confident when I was on the field and they were always supporting me, no matter if I go for runs or don’t get wickets or anything. They were always supporting me so I think that helped me a lot to get through all the games.”

“Waqar helped me a lot especially with reverse swing and the yorkers. He told me the skills: how to reverse, where to reverse and when to reverse. He always says the best ball in cricket is still a yorker.”Ali Khan

Nicknamed “Yorker Machine” by his USA team-mates, Khan’s ability to bowl toe-crushers on demand at a regional tryout held in Indianapolis in September 2015 earned him a spot in a combined North American Associate squad in the following January’s CWI Super50. His performances there garnered the CPL contract with Amazon Warriors where he nabbed Sangakkara on debut.But the two years after his memorable debut wicket for the Amazon Warriors were largely forgettable. Not long after his first CPL season wrapped up, he suffered a major injury to his left hamstring during an innocuous drill – players were being timed while running a three between the wickets – at a USA training camp in Indianapolis in September 2016. A player who prides himself on hustle and effort, Khan stretched himself too far trying to complete the third run to beat the clock ahead of USA’s fastest timed player, Timroy Allen. The result was almost 24 months of lingering leg problems.Khan was so desperate to play for USA, and the USA coaching staff equally desperate to get him in the line-up, that he made his USA debut while semi-fit against Oman in WCL Division Four in Los Angeles a month later. The result was an inspired display in which he bowled Oman’s most dangerous batsman, Zeeshan Maqsood, in the first over of the match to set up an eight-wicket romp, a result that went a long way towards ensuring USA won the tournament and gained promotion to Division Three.But Khan never really gained proper rest and recovery time. USA’s players were touring for the Regional Super50 again two months later, and Khan was desperate to keep himself in with a chance of maintaining his standing with Amazon Warriors. More over-exertion resulted in missing the majority of the Super50, resting on the bench with his dodgy hamstring. He maintained his spot with Guyana, but playing for USA he continued to look less than 100% and was eventually dropped midway through WCL Division Three last year in Uganda.At a USA regional trial this past May in Chicago, Khan seemed 100% fit for the first time in a while, but after taking a wicket and leaping in the air to celebrate, he clutched his right leg on the landing and then limped away. Some of the USA coaches and selectors present let out a gasp and buried their faces in their hands. At times it has been hard to tell which of his two legs is the healthier one.The fact that Khan took the field in game one for the Hawks in the Global T20 Canada may not have been a miracle. But the fact that he lasted eight games without injury may have seemed like one. Moreover, he never looked tired and instead looked more invigorated as the tournament went on, his speeds continuing to climb as he became less inhibited by thoughts of a possible injury recurrence.Ali Khan shouts in joy after USA win•Peter Della Penna”It’s all good now,” Khan said. “I’m not injury-scared anymore because I’ve worked hard when I wasn’t playing. When I was injured, I did proper rehab and I am back to full strength now so I don’t think about injuries. Hopefully nothing happens in the future but at this point I am feeling as fit as I have ever been.”That return to full fitness allowed him to fully focus on continuing to develop his skills. While he has long been known as USA’s best yorker and death bowler, one new weapon unveiled in his arsenal during the Global T20 Canada was an impressive slower ball. He foxed Andre Fletcher and Luke Ronchi, one of the most in-form T20 batsmen worldwide, with his slower ball off back-to-back deliveries against the Edmonton Royals, inducing a pair of skied chances only to see his infielders spill them in the 30-yard circle. He said it’s a delivery he has been working on improving for awhile, but that the process was accelerated by working with Waqar.”Even before the [June USA squad] Texas camp, I was trying to work on a few different things especially my slower ball because my slower ball wasn’t as effective as it is now,” Khan said. “So I was already working on it with my yorkers but after getting here in the camp, Waqar helped me a lot especially with reverse swing and the yorkers. Working with him in the nets was pretty helpful.”He told me the skills: how to reverse, where to reverse and when to reverse. He always says the best ball in cricket is still a yorker and not many bowlers can bowl that. So if you can go out there and bowl yorkers the way you do, that’s the best ball in cricket. After Bravo left, then David Warner was the captain and he also gave me a lot of confidence, so all of these guys helped me to go out there and perform.”Before Khan rose to prominence to make his CPL and USA debuts, his full-time job was working as a mobile phone sales rep for Cricket Wireless, a national mobile phone network, out of one of their branches in Dayton, Ohio. Now working at a branch in Cincinnati, Khan’s back-to-back opportunities with the Global T20 Canada and CPL have forced him to put Cricket phones on hold and given him legitimate aspirations of possibly earning enough money in T20 franchise leagues to make it a full-time career. More pro opportunities for him and other USA players will also help USA’s chances of making the next World T20 when regional qualifying begins in September, in addition to climbing up from WCL Division Three on the 50-over rankings ladder.”First of all I’d like to say thanks to the Global T20 Canada for organising such a tournament where players like us from Associate countries can come up and showcase our skills and talent,” Khan said. “It was really hard being on the bench for two years in Guyana. I was definitely learning from the coaches but of course I wanted to play. It was a great opportunity here playing for the Winnipeg Hawks.”I think it will definitely open doors if I keep performing, but you have to take it game by game. I’m not looking too far ahead. I’m just looking to perform, go out there and do good if I get an opportunity [at Trinbago]. I just want to help my team in any way if I make it into the XI and just leave the rest up to God. I believe everything happens for a reason.”

In the days before his final Test, Rangana Herath looks back on his spectacular career and explains why he’s retiring

Andrew Fidel Fernando05-Nov-2018You had originally said you were retiring at the end of the series, but you’ve brought it forward. Why is that?If you take the last 12 to 18 months, I haven’t played three Tests in a row because of my knee injuries and back issues. This is a three-Test series, so I thought it would be tough to play the whole thing given my fitness. So the selectors, SLC, the captain and the coach met with me and we came to this direction. I think it’s the right one.Galle has been one of your favourite venues. What are your memories here?I played my first Test against Australia here – that’s one you will never forget. If you ask for maybe my best spell overall, the time I took nine wickets in the first innings and five in the second, at the SSC in Colombo, for Mahela’s last Test – that’s the one that comes to mind.It was in 2009 that you got a stable place in the team. Do you remember how you got that call up?I was playing in a league in Staffordshire for a team called Modershall. I’d played for them for about three months when I got a call from Kumar Sangakkara, who was the captain, and he said, “Murali has been injured – how’s your form?” He asked me if I could come for the Test, and without even thinking about how I would get there, I said yes. They organised everything for me, with Murali especially helping me out at the time. I came to Colombo and then played Pakistan in Galle.You were 31 at the time – did you think it would be your last chance at the top level?I had a lot of experience by the time I got this chance, because I’d played professionally for about 10 years before that. The knowledge that I had really helped me. But if I hadn’t played well in that game, it’s possible that it could have been my last Test. As I was on the way, though, I thought that with the maturity I had in my game, having played club and A team cricket for so long, that I should be able to do well against Pakistan. I had that belief.You’ve taken more five-wicket hauls in the fourth innings than any other bowler – including Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne. What’s enabled you to do that?The first thing we should look at is where I’ve got those five-wicket hauls – a lot of them have been in Sri Lanka where it turns. Also pitches turn the most in the fourth innings, and I feel my strength is bowling line and length for long spells. You get a lot of support from the surface when you do that. Those are the reasons for that record, I think.Banners were put up for Rangana Herath before his Test farewell•ESPNcricinfo LtdBack when you were just establishing yourself in the side, did you ever dream you’d finish as the most successful left-armer ever?Back then I didn’t have a big plan like that. But when you play for a long time, you start ticking off milestones – 100 wickets, 200 wickets. Then you learn how to use your experience and to win matches.Is that record one you hold dear?Yes. Among left-arm bowlers I was the first spinner to take 400 wickets, and then I became the best left-armer. It’s a great achievement, but it’s not one you can achieve by yourself. I have to thank my team-mates, coaches, support staff and the people around me. They are the reason I was able to achieve it.You’ve had injuries for a long time – how did you extend your career this far?That’s the advantage that spinners have. You can play until your 40. The most important thing is to maintain your fitness. So I’m really grateful to all the physios and trainers, whom I’ve done a lot of work with. With their support and my own desire and sacrifice, I was able to play until I am 40.Any regrets?Not really. If you take one-day cricket, we’ve come to World Cup finals and lost. Apart from that there are no regrets in my cricket life. Cricket has given me a lot.Do you feel you’re leaving the team in a good place? Who are the bowlers who can help replace you?Right now Akila Dananjaya and Dilruwan Perera are playing. In addition to them left-armers Malinda Pushpakumara and Lakshan Sandakan are there. They are all good bowlers, but what is important is to give them opportunities. We need to create the right environment for them to perform well. I’m sure they will get those opportunities, and that they will do well.What are your plans after retirement?I’ve been working for the Sampath Bank since 2000. I think after I’ve stopped playing, I’ll keep working there.

Questions over the lack of power in the middle and lower order remain for a team that is formidable in all other aspects

Saurabh Somani21-Mar-20197:09

Bowling-heavy Sunrisers seek middle-order lift

Where they finished in 2018: Runners-up in the tournament, and on top of the league table with 18 points in 14 games
StrengthsAs with seasons past, this year too Sunrisers Hyderabad’s main strength is their varied and potent bowling attack. The duo of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Rashid Khan almost guarantee eight overs that the opposition will have to tread carefully, but the support cast is what makes Sunrisers’ bowling so good.There’s Khaleel Ahmed and Siddharth Kaul, who have both been on the periphery of the Indian team in recent times. There’s the exciting Basil Thampi, who burst onto the scene as a yorker specialist but now has an excellent Ranji Trophy season behind him too. There’s also Sandeep Sharma and T Natarajan, both with proven T20 credentials, while Billy Stanlake provides a pacy and incisive option among the overseas contingent.Sunrisers also strengthened their spin attack with the addition of Shahbaz Nadeem, and it won’t be going too far to say that, as far as bowling goes, they have the personnel to account for any opposition or conditions. Since 2016, the year their formidable attack took shape and they won the title, Sunrisers have had the best economy rates in the Powerplay and death overs. In the middle overs, they are second, their figure of 7.88 only marginally behind Mumbai Indians’ 7.78. Not only do they keep the runs down, but they also pick up wickets. They are near the top in averages for the Powerplay (third) and middle overs (second with 27.98 to KKR’s 27.75), and the best at picking up wickets in the death overs.WeaknessesSunrisers made a smart trade in getting the trio of Vijay Shankar, Shahbaz Nadeem and Abhishek Sharma for Shikhar Dhawan, but Dhawan’s departure adds to their batting worries. David Warner will be back this season, but whether he finds his old touch straightaway or not remains a question, as does the identity of who will partner him at the top.Kane Williamson or Jonny Bairstow seem like the likely candidates, and between them the three do form a good top order, though one that isn’t used to working together as much perhaps.The middle and lower order, though, has lacked firepower for Sunrisers. Manish Pandey had a poor run last season and while Yusuf Pathan is still capable of sending balls into crowds, he does so less regularly now. Their auction picks – Bairstow, Martin Guptill and Wriddhiman Saha – don’t really address that, but Vijay Shankar’s arrival could help, though they might still need to depend on the likes of Deepak Hooda and Ricky Bhui to step up as finishers.ESPNcricinfo LtdThe overseas questionThree overseas spots are sealed – Williamson, Warner and Rashid. Warner might be rusty, but he will certainly get a long rope at the top even if he fails in the first few games given his past record for the franchise. Williamson and Warner will have to shoulder a large part of the batting responsibility. Rashid, of course, has rapidly become one of the world’s top bowlers in the shortest format. The men who will vie for the fourth overseas spot, at least at the start, are likely to be Jonny Bairstow, Shakib Al Hasan and Mohammad Nabi. Given that the bowling is already strong, Shakib might have to miss out since Sunrisers already have Shahbaz Nadeem as a left-arm spinner. Between Bairstow and Nabi, team balance would indicate a preference for Bairstow, since he can don the keeping gloves. That means a top order of Warner, Bairstow and Williamson – as good as any in the world.AvailabilityLike all teams, Sunrisers will have to deal with early departures, in their case of Warner and Bairstow, with both CA and ECB having said that their World Cup players will be withdrawn from the tournament on May 1. In Guptill they have a readymade replacement for Warner, and having bought back Wriddhiman Saha, they are covered as regards keeping too. Replacing Bairstow’s dynamic batting will be more difficult, though. The other thing they’ll be hoping for is that Williamson recovers from his shoulder injury well, and quickly.SquadESPNcricinfo LtdThe best XI1 David Warner, 2 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Manish Pandey, 5 Vijay Shankar, 6 Yusuf Pathan, 7 Rashid Khan, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Shahbaz Nadeem, 10 Siddharth Kaul, 11 Khaleel AhmedHead coach: Tom Moody. Bowling coach: Muttiah Muralitharan. Mentor: VVS LaxmanWill they make the playoffs?The truism in cricket that bowlers win you matches has been shown to hold in T20 cricket too, especially by Sunrisers. They have always had a couple of holes in the batting but have still made the playoffs in the last three years, winning in 2016, achieving fourth place in 2017, and being runners-up in 2018. They should make it four out of four this year.Poll

Shaw and Pant smashed Sunrisers’ attack on a tough pitch and, after a wobble, an ice-cool Paul finished the job and took the side a step closer to the final

Varun Shetty in Visakhapatnam09-May-2019Delhi Capitals looked like they had done it again. Thrown it away, that is. They needed 12 from 12 with Rishabh Pant and Sherfane Rutherford at the crease. Ten balls on, it was two in two, and Trent Boult had just walked out to join Keemo Paul.Paul usually doesn’t say much, but looked like the one charting out the plans for the last two balls. He is just 21, but had done it before, taken on Khaleel Ahmed in the last over in search for a win. Back in 2016, he had taken West Indies Under-19s to the World Cup title, top-edging an attempted pull. It’s a pull again, and he nails it this time, finishing the job and putting Capitals just one step away from a maiden IPL final.***At the post-match press conference, Prithvi Shaw saw the comic side of yet another close match.”I think we have an affinity for making games interesting every time,” he said. “Things seem to go well and suddenly two-three wickets fall. That is the fun in T20s. As long as the situation is not interesting, you don’t have fun. You don’t feel that pressure. I suppose you guys might have felt the pressure as well – who will win? Who will come for the press conference? The same thing happens in the dugout.”Shaw is one of 12 players who are under 25 years of age in the Capitals’ squad. If we make that under 26, then he’s one of 14 players in that bracket, in a squad of 24. It is no secret now that youth investment is the hill that the Capitals have chosen to die on. It was a decision born when they were still the Daredevils a few years ago. Rarely has a team been able to transform on the fly over 11 years of the IPL. Sunrisers Hyderabad, of course, were born from the ashes of Deccan Chargers and have now carved their identity despite joining the league late. But it’s not something any other team has managed. It’s something that Delhi, especially, had never pulled off, every roster reshuffle over the years had seemed like an exercise in finding new ways to lose.To reiterate, they took the brave call to persist with youngsters, and at long last have come to the possibly their best result ever. And they’ve got it overwhelmingly right.ESPNcricinfo LtdWhen Shaw reached his fifty on Wednesday, only his second of the season, he held up the crest on his shirt, pointed two fingers at the dugout, and traced a line across – dedicated to all of you.”I’ve prepared quite a lot because I wasn’t scoring that well in the Powerplay and the team wasn’t really happy,” he said. “But they never gave up on me. They believed in me and I believed in myself. Thanks to all the support staff, Sourav [Ganguly] sir, Ricky [Ponting] sir, Pravin [Amre] sir, [Mohammad] Kaif sir and the players as well. They’re the ones who have given me a lot of positive vibes, and believing in myself was the biggest thing.”Coming into the Eliminator, Shaw had only one 40-plus score in ten innings in IPL 2019. On Wednesday, Capitals dropped Colin Ingram and brought in Colin Munro – an opener coming in for a middle-order batsman. So, the option was there to bump Munro up the order and drop Shaw altogether. But they persisted with him, and on a surface where top international batsmen like Kane Williamson and Shikhar Dhawan didn’t quite get going, Shaw played all the shots that have made people giddy in his short stint at top-level cricket.Before he had hit his first boundary, he looked to pull twice and was beaten. It wasn’t that kind of pitch – and then he decided it was. Two pulled boundaries, a cut. A punch on the rise to beat mid-off, and a lofted extra-cover drive against Rashid Khan. Just the kind of shots you don’t play on a sticky wicket if you’re a seasoned professional.”I just thought that if I get any loose ball then I’ll wait for it and give it a smash. That’s it.”Give it a smash, that’s it.***Rishabh Pant flays one through the offside•BCCIWhen Williamson took a gamble bringing on Basil Thampi, he said the idea was to take the cutters away from Pant, as opposed to those of Khaleel that come into the left-hander. And Pant, to borrow his team-mate’s words, gave it a smash. That’s it: 4, 6, 4, 6. Game-changer. It’s that thing experts have long said Pant can do.Pant’s 49 off 21 balls was just as breathtaking and ludicrous as Shaw’s 56. In all, he hit five sixes, two of which came against Mohammad Nabi, another bowler who was brought on to counter Pant by taking the ball away. He effectively sealed the win when he hit Bhuvneshwar Kumar over long-off – his first off-side six of the season. Paul then held his nerve to finish the job.Just as often as he is hailed for turning the game on a dime, Pant gets the stick for not being predisposed to see the team through on several occasions. But Capitals just back him to play his shots and come good.”[..] I’m not going to curb the way he plays, I’m not going to tell him to slow down because if he plays his best he will win games for us. I want him to go out with pure freedom and with no other thought other than hitting the ball for a six.”That’s what Ricky Ponting told the press earlier this season, which in hindsight was a preamble to all that happened Wednesday night.There is enough in Capitals’ young roster to produce special moments, and it seems they now have the license to exhibit some of their madness. There were players taking charge of situations at every point. Shaw went after the bowling, Paul looked to steal that single with Amit Mishra at the other end, before owning the situation to seal a win. And Pant, long before he came out to bludgeon Sunrisers, had plastered himself all over the Deepak Hooda run-out situation, screaming, arguing, asserting – convincing his captain not to withdraw the appeal. Hooda wouldn’t even have had strike next ball, but letting it go would have been an extra run in an elimination match.It’s the kind of bottle that’s been on display in the world of football over the last week, a world where successful investments in long-term projects and youth have all come shining to the fore through various underdogs in the Champions League. It is a vastly different world from the two-month fling that is the IPL, but there is a parallel to draw.Before Liverpool overturned their 0-3 score to beat Barcelona in the second leg of the semifinal, manager Jurgen Klopp had said the plan was to either surprise them or “fail in the most beautiful way”. If the second qualifier against Chennai Super Kings is anything like the lop-sided fixture Klopp’s team were entering, then it appears Capitals already have their team talk sorted.

Sydney, Delhi, Lahore or Christchurch – who has produced the best World Cup XIs?

Sadaqut Ullah Khan10-Aug-2019Some things never change. Like New Zealand qualifying for the World Cup semi-finals: they did so for a record eighth time in 2019. Like everything going wrong with the South African campaign and the team punching below its weight on the biggest stage of all.Data and methodology

Information on players’ birthplaces was sourced from ESPNcricinfo and the websites of official cricket boards. If a player is born in a suburb that is generally considered a part of a metropolitan city, that player’s stats have been included in the rankings for that city. Information about city of birth could not be found for around 100 players but those were mostly from Associate nations like Canada, Bermuda, Netherlands and Scotland, so these omissions and/or mistakes will not make a real difference to the overall rankings.

And like Sydneysiders taking their team close to winning yet another World Cup. In England this year, David Warner and Steven Smith piled up the runs while Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins took wickets like machines.Sydney has a history of producing players who rise to the occasion. Three of Australia’s four World Cup-winning captains – Allan Border, Steve Waugh and Michael Clarke – are from there, and there have been a lot of remarkable contributions from players like Mark Waugh, Jason Gillespie, Starc, Smith and Warner.An analysis of over 1850 players from 133 World Cup squads through the history of the tournament places Sydney on top of the list of cities with the best overall bowling and batting performances in World Cup history. It is the only city in the world that can field a complete team of World Cup winners. There are 15 players from Sydney who have been part of World Cup-winning squads.Take a look at the cities with the largest number of players who made it into World Cup squads.Sadaqut Ullah Khan/ESPNcricinfo LtdCities with the best batting talent
Colombo (8186) and Harare (6328) have the most World Cup runs but these were scored at an average of 29 and 26 respectively. That doesn’t speak too highly of the overall batting talent produced by these cities.Sadaqut Ullah Khan/ESPNcricinfo LtdWhen you apply a higher cut-off in terms of average, Sydney comes out on top. The city has produced several batsmen who can tough it out in the most difficult situations – like Steve Waugh, Clarke, Smith, Mark Waugh and Warner.Launceston in Tasmania is second, thanks to players like David Boon and Ricky Ponting – the latter is second on the list of the highest run scorers in World Cups. Cape Town is third; it has produced gritty batsmen like Jacques Kallis, Gary Kirsten, Jonathan Trott and Andy Flower.Then we have Delhi, where Virat Kohli, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Shikhar Dhawan come from.Cities with the best bowling talent
Sydney comes out on top again. Starc has played the most vital role here, with 49 World Cup wickets at an average of less than 15. Other notable performances include 16 wickets at 16.1 by Nathan Bracken and 19 wickets at 23 by Cummins. Gillespie, Steve Waugh and Border have also made some good contributions.Sadaqut Ullah Khan/ESPNcricinfo LtdChristchurch is second, with bowlers like Richard Hadlee, Shane Bond, Matt Henry, Chris Harris and Ben Stokes. Bond tops the list with 30 wickets at 17.1. Hadlee is next with 19 at 18.1, while Harris, Henry, Stokes and Andrew Caddick have also picked up a lot of wickets.At No. 3 is Kingston, for whom Michael Holding, Courtney Walsh, Andre Russell and Sheldon Cottrell are the leading contributors.Cities with the best average of Man-of-the-Match awards
Lahore has won the most Man-of-the-Match awards but that is simply because there are more top players from Lahore compared to any of the other cities. If you look at the averages, Dubbo in New South Wales, has the best average, because of Glenn McGrath. (Dubbo is about 300km away from the nearest big cities, Sydney and Newcastle, and so it has been considered as a city in its own right.)Sadaqut Ullah Khan/ESPNcricinfo LtdIn second place comes Chandigarh, with players like Kapil Dev and Yuvraj Singh, the main architects of India’s successes in the 1983 and 2011 World Cups. Launceston owes its third place to Ponting.Cities with the best chances of winning the World Cup
Stats of players from more than 450 cities were considered in this exercise, but it turns out only 31 cities have produced at least 11 players or more. So we looked at the best performances of players from these cities to see which one has the best overall talent to compete in the World Cup.Some of these cities are good in the batting department (like Delhi and Mumbai) but lack strength in their bowling. Then there are cities like Wellington and Port Elizabeth that have really good bowlers but not enough quality batsmen.The eight cities in the graphic below have the most balanced teams – with players who have performed reasonably well in World Cups.Sadaqut Ullah Khan/ESPNcricinfo LtdYou can see that Auckland, Christchurch, Cape Town and Johannesburg have a lot of big names but they don’t have the star-studded line-ups that Sydney and Lahore boast of. The two South African sides have players like Andrew Strauss, Graeme Smith and Jonathan Trott, whose ODI records were not as good as their Test ones. They also contain quality players who haven’t quite performed to their true potential in the World Cup, like Quinton de Kock, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada.Together, Lahore and Sydney have more than 20 players who helped their teams reach and win a World Cup final. Most of these players were ranked among the best ODI bowlers or batsmen of their time. Which is why our final will be played between these two teams.Sadaqut Ullah Khan/ESPNcricinfo LtdLahore has a slight edge over Sydney in the final because of its bowling line-up – Wasim Akram, Imran Khan, Saqlain Mushtaq and Abdul Qadir. So good is their attack that Sarfaraz Nawaz, Wahab Riaz and Imran Tahir have been relegated to the bench.The batting line-up isn’t too shabby either: Mohammad Yousuf, Babar Azam, Saleem Malik, Umar and Kamran Akmal and Aamer Sohail. Not to forget that Imran, Abdul Razzaq and Akram are more than handy with the bat.You can argue that Sydney has batsmen like the Waughs, Smith, Warner and Clarke, who can deal with any bowling line-up, and that their pace attack is fearsome, with tall fast bowlers like Starc, Gillespie and Bracken. However, they don’t have any quality spinners or a proper wicketkeeper in their squad – so Warner will have to take the gloves.However, Lahore might be displaced from the top in a few years since the city isn’t routinely producing champions like Imran and Akram, while Sydney and Christchurch are still on top of the game.

Jofra Archer “very, very relieved” after England’s escape at Headingley and looking forward to renewing battle with Steven Smith

Alan Gardner28-Aug-2019Jofra Archer is so laidback he ought to be interviewed while reclining in one of the famous deckchairs at Hove. The cool cat who brings the heat with ball in hand, Archer seems pretty relaxed when asked to reflect on England’s Headingley heist, the Ben Stokes-inspired victory in the third Specsavers Test that not so much kept the Ashes alive as brought them back from the dead.He admits he was in “a bit of a different state of mind” on Sunday, though. Archer has had an electrifying effect on the series with the ball, taking his maiden five-wicket haul in Leeds, but after missing his chance to make a decisive contribution with the bat in England’s record-breaking run chase – holing out to deep square leg to leave his team eight down with 73 still required – he was worried his impact would be remembered for the wrong reasons.”I wanted to make it less hard work for Ben but I got out,” he says, back at Sussex and reflecting on an exhilarating first fortnight in Test cricket. “I thought I had messed the series up, not just the game but the series, so I was actually very, very relieved that we are still alive and fighting.ALSO READ: Headingley blockbuster gives Stokes career-high ranking”Your coach always tells you don’t leave it for anyone else. I tried to do as much of it as I could. We have all seen enough cricket to know, 80 to win with just one wicket left against the Australian bowling attack… We were very grateful to be on the winning side, that is all I can say.”So rapidly has Archer turned raw promise into big-game bankability, you have to remind yourself he has only been four months an international cricketer. He has already shown a remarkable maturity to his game, throttling down on speed at Headingley in recognition that conditions were in his favour and he makes for an interesting talker, too – weighing his answers carefully, like the dozen or so steps of his run-up.He admits that Stokes’ feats have given England “a second life in the series”, as they attempt to cap an extraordinary summer of cricket with an Ashes and World Cup double. Such was the magnitude of the shock inflicted by that final-wicket stand between Stokes and Jack Leach, Australia’s task in trying to win one of the last two Tests in order to retain the urn – an outcome that was within touching distance at Headingley – has been made doubly difficult.”That is the thing, never get complacent,” Archer says. “To be fair to them, 350 runs is a lot of runs. I think anyone else would have been in the same position. The crowd started getting on their backs as well, I think they panicked a bit. They thought they would have rolled us after getting a few quick early wickets but that was it. They did not go through us as they would have wanted and I’m glad we did show some resistance.Jofra Archer outside the pavilion at Hove•Getty Images”The series is not over. The upcoming games they will think twice. I don’t think they will declare now. I don’t think they will be too attacking. If they get a draw they will still retain so let’s see how the next Test goes. The way they play might be a bit different.”Given there has already been talk about his own workload, he adds that he almost felt sorry for Australia’s fast bowlers – before underlining the psychological impact such a gruelling defeat could have. “They were in the field a long time. They got to the second new ball and still couldn’t bowl us out. All of those mental facts should sit with them next game.”With the fourth Test a week away, there is a chance for both teams to catch their breath. Steven Smith seems set to return at Old Trafford after missing out at Headingley due to his Archer-induced concussion, and the resumption of their duel will be eagerly awaited. Discussing the blow to the neck that left him on the sidelines, Smith took the opportunity to point out that while Archer had hit him, “he didn’t actually get me out”, which drew a smiling response.”Well, I can’t get him out if he wasn’t there. I did want to bowl at him when he came back out [at Lord’s] but he was out before I even got to come back on. But there’ll be more than ample time to get him out.”He also reiterated a point made by Chris Woakes before Lord’s, that England would be just as happy to pass on Smith’s wicket if they can remove 10 other Australians. “I’m not here to get caught up in a contest with one man,” Archer says. “I want to win the Ashes.”

When Lyon fumbled the run-out, you could hear a heartbeat in the dressing room. When the scores were level, it was just a big cheer, we knew the series was not over

There is a sense building that this series has the potential to rival 2005 for the way in which it swept up the country, with cricket once again catapulted on to the front and back pages in the wake of Headingley. Archer says he had “an idea of what to expect” but admitted the intensity of competition against Australia had made for a special atmosphere in only his second Test.”It was a big turnaround, so many emotions. When [Nathan] Lyon fumbled the run-out, you could hear a heartbeat in the dressing room. When the scores were level, it was just a big cheer. At least we knew the series was not over.”On comparing the game to England’s equally unforgettable World Cup final win six weeks prior, he adds: “We had a lot more runs [to get] and a lot less wickets on Sunday. It felt a bit more impossible. Anything can happen in white-ball cricket, you have the Super Over, another chance, but red-ball, there’s nothing: if you lose, you lose. There’s no extra time.”And what about the need – no, greed – for speed? Archer clocked 96mph/154kph at Lord’s, and there will be many onlookers hoping he can raise the roof even higher in Manchester, which has a reputation for being among the quickest, bounciest surfaces in England. Can he bowl faster still? His answer is again indicative of a player with a razor-sharp appreciation of his skillset.”I’m an optimist so I’ll say yes, but if I don’t I’m okay. Bowling fast doesn’t get people out, you still need to put the ball in the right area. I’m all here for bowling fast but I’m also here to get wickets.” It doesn’t seem too early to suggest he will end up with plenty.Specsavers are the official Test partner of the England cricket team. Jofra was speaking to ESPNcricinfo ahead of the fourth Specsavers Ashes Test match

Everyone from their head of state to pioneering cricketers and great musicians turned up, but nothing changed from Indore

Mohammad Isam at Eden Gardens22-Nov-2019A prime minister, a chief minister, some of India’s greatest sportspersons and Bangladesh’s first batch of Test cricketers all turned up at Eden Gardens. Not to mention a house of 60,000 spectators in one of the biggest cricket parties thrown in the most fabled cricket patch on this side of the world.Except, Bangladesh could have been batting in Antigua, Potchefstroom, Wellington, Chattogram or Indore. Indecisiveness against deliveries around the off stump was all the superb India attack needed to exploit. Barring Imrul Kayes, who was undone by an Ishant Sharma delivery that thudded into the left-hander’s front pad, the rest were either caught behind or in the slips, or bowled off the inside edge.

No Bangladesh cricket team, or Bangladesh cricket itself for that matter, has been given so much respect in an away game

Shadman Islam lasted 52 balls by leaving nearly half of those, but just when he looked to be out of the woods, he was trapped by Umesh Yadav’s beautiful length and line. Mominul Haque was caught in the slips before Mohammad Mithun and Mushfiqur Rahim appeared to be beaten by Yadav’s pace. Mahmudullah remained iffy outside off stump while Liton Das looked assured until Mohammed Shami slammed one into his helmet.Bangladesh were bowled out in broad daylight when sighting the pink ball hadn’t been much of an issue for these pink-ball newcomers, at least in training.The visitors didn’t quite take lessons from Indore where, after deciding to bat first, they were caught in two minds in the face of India’s accurate bowling. Only Mushfiqur forced India to look for plans B and C as Mominul strangely admitted it was a “mistake” to bat first even though many including the opposition camp praised their decision.The stands were packed for India’s first day of pink-ball Test cricket•BCCIAt Eden Gardens, too, Bangladesh decided to give what they thought were the best batting conditions to their batsmen. The pitch was dry, the light was bright, and accepted wisdom is that the pink ball swings more at night than during the day. It made no difference thanks to a set of players stuck too far in their shell.Mushfiqur continuing to bat at No. 5 was perplexing. Without wicketkeeping duties in this series, it was well known that he was playing only as a batsman, and in the absence of Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan, stepping up to what is considered his best position was almost a given.It would have allowed him more control over the top and middle order, particularly with Shadman and Imrul struggling so much. Mominul also would have enjoyed Mushfiqur’s experience at No. 4, but instead, they let Mithun and his one-day-cricket-driven technique take over that position. The result was a fragile top order and extra pressure on Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah – they would spend their time at the crease knowing even the slightest mistake would open up the tail.

Mushfiqur Rahim continuing to bat at No. 5 remained perplexing

While their batting approach would be scrutinised repeatedly, what would also come under question is their sense of the occasion, or lack of it, even though Bangladesh have often stepped up in milestone matches, and even when the odds were against them.Sourav Ganguly’s attention to detail, the milestone of this being their first day-night Test, the novelty of the pink ball, the pre-game events and easily the biggest crowd they were playing in front of, could have roused them into an inspired showing. They were up against undeniably the best bowling attack in the world, which too could have been motivation.But one aspect did touch them. No Bangladesh cricket team, or Bangladesh cricket itself for that matter, has been given so much respect in an away game. It was as much a Bangladeshi occasion as it was India’s and it was hard not to be moved, especially considering they are often avoided by most of the major cricket nations.The only way they could have given back to this occasion was by providing some steel, if not thrill, with the bat. But while everyone from their head of government, ministers, pioneering cricketers and great musicians turned up, Bangladesh’s batting refused to leave Indore, Chattogram, Antigua and Potchefstroom, where too they had been overpowered.

Nottingham Forest are now monitoring a £40 million striker as a cheaper alternative to Sporting star Viktor Gyokeres, according to a new report.

Nottingham Forest hatch plan to sign Gyokeres

The Reds are firmly in the hunt for a top four spot this season, and if that is sealed, owner Evangelos Marinakis may be planning to spend big, looking to the likes of Aston Villa as examples of how to spend effectively to cement European status.

Nuno Santo will of course want to add more depth and quality to his squad if Champions League football is secured, and one surprise name that has emerged on their list is Gyokeres.

£25m release clause: Nottingham Forest join hectic race for "superb" star

They could trigger his release clause.

ByTom Cunningham Apr 7, 2025

The Sweden international has been linked with every big club around Europe, but that hasn’t put Forest off from putting their name forward in a bid to secure his signature. It was first reported last month that Forest were in contact with Gyokeres’ representatives over a move to the City Ground, seeing him as the ‘ideal’ long-term successor to Chris Wood.

In a new report, it has now been stated that Forest are willing to offer Jota Silva in a swap deal for Gyokeres. The Sporting CP manager is a big fan of Silva, and Marinakis hopes offering him can help them secure a deal for the star striker. But it could still be a hefty transfer for the Reds, as Gyokeres is said to be valued between £50-58 million.

Nottingham Forest now look towards Bournemouth star Evanilson

While Forest remain interested in signing Gyokeres, they are also looking at other options, potentially cheaper ones, and according to TBR Football, Nottingham Forest are interested in signing Evanilson from AFC Bournemouth.

The report states that the Reds are closely monitoring the Bournemouth striker, as they were interested in securing a deal for him last summer before he joined the Cherries in a deal worth £40 million. The report goes on to add that current Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi is likely going to be allowed to leave come the end of the season, and therefore, Evanilson could be his ideal replacement, as he could provide sterner competition for Wood.

Forest are not the only team from the Premier League taking notice of the Brazilian international, as Newcastle United and Aston Villa are also keeping a close eye on his situation. Evanilson has scored nine goals in 24 league games this season, as Bournemouth continue their pursuit of finishing in their own European spot.

Apps

24

Starts

21

Goals

9

xG

10.28

Shots per game

2.3

Goal conversion

16%

Goals per game

0.4

Assists

0

Key passes per game

0.9

Big chances created

2

Evanilson is not the only Brazilian striker to on Forest’s radar either, as the Reds continue to be interested in signing Matheus Cunha from Wolves, as he looks set to leave the Midlands side.

Forest are also in the race to sign Luis Henrique from French side Marseille, and he could be another cheap option for the Premier League side, as Marseille are looking to get around £25 million for their centre-forward, who can also play out wide.

Chelsea have submitted a £30m offer for an “extraordinary” midfielder, who is keen on a move to the Premier League this summer, according to a report.

Blues planning to strengthen several positions

The Blues haven’t been shy to splash the cash during the Todd Boehly era, and it appears as though they could be gearing up for another summer of heavy spending, having identified targets in a number of key positions.

A new striker is of particular interest, and talks have now been opened over a deal for Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap, who would ideally arrive at Stamford Bridge prior to the beginning of the Club World Cup in June.

In terms of centre-back targets, AFC Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen appears to be among the main candidates, with the west Londoners entering discussions for the 19-year-old, while AC Milan’s Theo Hernandez could be brought in at left-back.

David Ornstein "fascinated" as Chelsea consider deal for £80m forward

He could replace Noni Madueke.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 12, 2025

Another position in which Enzo Maresca clearly feels he needs to strengthen is central midfield, despite both Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez putting in some impressive performances this season.

According to a report from Spain, Chelsea have now submitted a €35m (£30m) offer for Real Betis’ Johnny Cardoso, but they are not alone in their pursuit, with Premier League rivals Bournemouth making a bid of the same value.

The Blues have been interested in Cardoso for quite some time, and they have now presented a concrete offer for his services, which could be tempting for the Spanish side.

The midfielder wants to move to the Premier League this summer, which indicates he could be keen on heading to Stamford Bridge, but he may have a number of options on the table, with several foreign teams thought to be keen.

"Extraordinary" Cardoso impressing in Spain

It is little wonder the American is starting to attract attention from across Europe, given that he has been impressing for Betis for quite some time, particularly catching the eye from a defensive point of view.

The 23-year-old ranks extremely highly across some key metrics for midfielders over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

Statistic

Average per 90

Tackles

2.66 (75th percentile)

Interceptions

2.07 (98th percentile)

Clearances

2.47 (91st percentile)

Aerials won

1.59 (85th percentile)

Not only that, but the Betis star has received very high praise from sporting director Manu Fajardo, who lauded the central midfielder as “extraordinary”, while he has also caught the eye of freelance scout Ben Mattinson.

Cardoso could be an excellent signing for Chelsea, although bringing in a new defensive midfielder shouldn’t be a priority this summer, given that Caicedo and Fernandez have both impressed this season.