All posts by n8rngtd.top

Jos Buttler has admitted he was a fault for the Mankading incident that occurred the last time England and Sri Lanka met at Edgbaston

George Dobell23-Jun-2016Jos Buttler has admitted he was at fault for the Mankading incident that occurred the last time England and Sri Lanka met at Edgbaston.Buttler was run out by the bowler, Sachithra Senanayake, after he overcommitted to backing up at the non-strikers’ end during the 2014 ODI that Sri Lanka went on to win by six wickets.While Sri Lanka had warned Buttler a couple of times previously about his backing-up, the incident provoked boos from the Edgbaston crowd. Alastair Cook, England’s ODI captain at the time, expressed his “disappointment” with Sri Lanka’s decision not to withdraw the appeal and suggested that “a line had been crossed”.But Buttler now accepts the incident was caused by his own mistake and says he has learned from the experienced. “It is obviously batsman error,” Buttler said. “If you walk out of your ground and someone wants to do it, it is in the laws of the game. It is all part of the game.”I was disappointed at the time, because it doesn’t happen very often. I thought you could do that every ball if you wanted and there would be a chance to run someone out. But the bowler would say why don’t you just stay in your crease? So I guess I did learn something from it.”With Angelo Mathews, the Sri Lanka captain, confirming that he would be prepared to do the same thing again – “if someone is trying to take advantage of the rules, we will probably warn him, but I stand by it,” he said ahead of the first ODI – Buttler knows that he has to be more careful in this series.”We ran a few twos the other day,” he said, “so I’m sure they’ll be looking out for it.”

Ajinkya Rahane, who scored an unbeaten 108 to lift India to a declaration with a lead of 304, believed there was still more than enough time left for his team to force a win

Karthik Krishnaswamy in Kingston02-Aug-20162:03

‘Scoring hundred here is special’ – Rahane

All through Monday, weather experts in lands surrounding the Caribbean Sea tracked a low-pressure trough moving westwards across the Atlantic, anxious to see if it would develop into a tropical cyclone, with a wind speed ranging from 63kph to 119kph. If it met those conditions, they could officially call it a tropical storm. They already had a name ready for it – Earl.All through Monday, even as blue skies gave way to grey over Sabina Park, the occupants of India’s dressing room were not worried about the weather. There was no point worrying, because it was not in their control.Eventually, 43 overs of day three were lost to rain, and more showers are expected on days four and five of the Test match. Nonetheless, Ajinkya Rahane, who scored an unbeaten 108 to lift India to a declaration with a lead of 304, believed there was still more than enough time left for his team to force a win. India only made 142 runs in the 46.1 overs played on day three, and Rahane credited West Indies’ bowlers for keeping India’s scoring rate down, particularly their captain Jason Holder, who bowled a spell of 11 overs spread across the first two sessions, nine of them before lunch.”We were not thinking about the weather,” Rahane said. “Initially, in the morning, we wanted to play normal cricket. Unfortunately, Wriddhiman [Saha] got out just before lunch. That partnership was really important for us. The plan was to bat once and bat long, and I think we did that. There’s still some help for the fast bowlers in the wicket, and I thought Holder bowled a very good spell before lunch. He bowled pretty well. After lunch, the plan was to play positive and try and get a 300-plus lead. Unfortunately, the rain came in, that’s not something we can control.”Later, asked the same question in Hindi, Rahane said the timing of Saha’s dismissal might have prevented India from accelerating immediately after lunch.”On the islands, it rains, but clears quickly also,” he said. “You can’t be thinking about the weather and playing. The important thing was how much of a lead we could get and how quickly we can get it. We wanted to play normal cricket till lunch, and then, if we played positively, our lead would have grown. Anyway, there is plenty of time left in the Test match.”India lost two quick wickets – of Amit Mishra and Mohammed Shami – after the day’s first rain interruption, which lasted 52 minutes. Between resumption and India’s declaration, Rahane moved to his seventh Test century. He had a hundred in the West Indies to go with tons in New Zealand, England, Australia, Sri Lanka and India, and 90-plus scores in South Africa and Bangladesh.Rahane seemed to quieten in the 80s, and for a time, farmed the strike, with No. 10 Umesh Yadav at the other end, before soaring into the 90s with an inside-out six off the offspinner Roston Chase.”Frankly speaking, I was not thinking about my hundred,” Rahane said. “When Mishra and Shami got out, I told Umesh to play normal cricket. Just give your 100% whether defending or playing a shot. When I was 84-85, I wanted to play normal cricket, but the offie brought his long-off in and I wanted to clear the fielder. When I was on 95, [I told Umesh] just play normal cricket, and once I get my hundred, we’ll play some shots.”Despite the help still available from the pitch, Rahane said India’s bowlers would need to be patient to bowl West Indies out in the second innings.”There is something for the fast bowlers, but it’s important for us to bowl a decent line and length tomorrow,” he said. “We have to bowl patiently. In the first Test match, we bowled in good areas and we bowled consistently. If we do that, we will be in a good position tomorrow.”

Pakistan will play their first day-night Test with a pink ball in Dubai against West Indies from October 13 to 17, the PCB announced on Thursday

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Aug-20161:09

Pakistan to host day-night Test against WI

Pakistan will play their first day-night Test with a pink ball in Dubai against West Indies from October 13 to 17, the PCB announced on Thursday. The Pakistan board released the schedule for West Indies’ tour of the UAE, which starts on September 23 and comprises three T20Is, three ODIs and three Tests.

Pakistan v WI in the UAE

• September 20: T20 tour match v ECB XI, ICC Academy

• September 23: 1st T20I, Dubai

• September 24: 2nd T20I, Dubai

• September 27: 3rd T20I, Abu Dhabi

• September 30: 1st ODI, Sharjah

• October 2: 2nd ODI, Sharjah

• October 3-4: Two-day tour match v ECB XI, ICC Academy

• October 5: 3rd ODI, Abu Dhabi

• October 7-9: Three-day tour match v PCB Patrons XI (D/N), Sharjah

• October 13-17: 1st Test, Dubai (D/N)

• October 21-25: 2nd Test, Abu Dhabi

• October 30-November 3: 3rd Test, Sharjah

Dubai will host the first two T20I matches on September 23 and 24, with the third one being held in Abu Dhabi on September 27. The ODI series will be played between September 30 and October 5, with Sharjah and Abu Dhabi listed as venues. The day-night Test will be the first in the three-match series, and West Indies will play a day-night tour match against PCB Patrons XI between October 7 and 9 in Sharjah to prepare for the first Test. The second and third Tests will be held in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, from October 21 and October 30 respectively.In June, an initially reluctant WICB had agreed in principle to play a day-night Test in the UAE, following the PCB’s offer of a practice match and training sessions under lights. Pakistan are also scheduled to play second day-night Test in the 2016-17 season, against Australia in Brisbane from December 15.Apart from the day-night tour game, West Indies are scheduled to play two tour matches – a T20 and a two-day game – against an ECB XI. Both matches will be held at the ICC Academy in Dubai.The PCB had also mulled hosting West Indies in Sri Lanka to counter the growing expenses in the UAE, which has been host to Pakistan’s home series for a decade now. The idea, however, was dropped after assessing the drawbacks of playing in Sri Lanka during the monsoon.

International cricket is headed for a major financial shift as Australia, England and South Africa lead a push to sell overseas television rights in a collective bundle overseen by a new, independent administrative body

Daniel Brettig09-Sep-20161:17

Could all cricket be sold as one TV package?

International cricket is headed for a major financial shift as Australia, England and South Africa lead a push to sell overseas television rights in a collective bundle overseen by a new, independent administrative body.While the BCCI has expressed reservations about the concept, ESPNcricinfo understands that Cricket Australia, the ECB and CSA are adamant that a more collaborative approach to selling bilateral rights is the only way to minimise potential damage to revenue levels due to a shrinking of the Indian television market.Their push for a new way to sell bilateral rights was a key part of discussions at a workshop convened by the ICC in Dubai this week. These meetings effectively signalled the death knell for the concept of two-tier Test cricket, but prospects are brighter for a Test Championship playoff, and formalised league structures for ODIs and international Twenty20 matches.The recent acquisition of Ten Sports by Sony has cut the number of major Indian television rights bidders by a third, and both CA and the ECB are aware their current rich deals with Star Sports – worth up to US$8 million per international match – are unlikely to be matched next time around.Overseas rights contracts for both nations are soon to expire, adding urgency to the boards’ desire for another approach that will mean less
competition between nations and a better overall return.”All countries are worried about the downturn in the Indian market and they feel a linked-together approach will be better,” a source told
ESPNcricinfo. “Otherwise they’re out there on their own, two Indian broadcasters and 10 countries all with rights deals to sell – broadcasters can pick and choose.”If you’ve got one rights package to sell with content they want included somewhere in it then you’re in a much better position.”So eager are Australian, English and South African administrators to try the collective approach that they are unlikely to wait for
consensus before pulling the trigger. The pooled bid could feature as few as three nations or as many as 10, depending on who responds positively between now and the next round of official ICC meetings in October.Given that the deal would be for bilateral series only, there is no requirement for the pooled option to pass a vote of the ICC executive board. Instead CA, the ECB and CSA will need to convince other nations that the new deal is in their best financial interests, and also to formulate an independent body to oversee proceedings in a manner that would remove any doubts about the rich seeking a bilateral cash-grab at the expense of the rest.”The decision to pool rights could be made by three, five, 10 countries, however many agree,” the source said. “It isn’t all in or none in – it will take place regardless of how many sign up.”While the ICC has a department tasked with selling commercial rights to global tournaments, it has no authority to sell bilateral series. “Independence in decision-making in that group and also independence in terms of how the money is divided up is going to be really important,” the source said. “If big countries are seen to be muscling little countries then the concept weakens.”But it’s got [to have] independent management and potentially governance that will position it as a genuine media player, rather than countries pursuing their own individual interests.”The BCCI’s hesitance to get involved in the pooled deal thus far is driven in part by the differing television rights priorities for each nation. Indian cricket has generated massive revenue from the IPL, dwarfing the still-strong returns derived from international series and ICC events.By contrast, all other boards including Australia, England and South Africa rely far more heavily on the television rights from bilateral series sold into the Indian market and ICC tournaments. While T20 began in England and has found a successful outlet in Australia’s BBL, neither competition is anywhere near as lucrative as the IPL – likewise the tournaments run by other nations.”In the end the boards are competing against themselves and pulling in three directions,” the source said. “They’re the beneficiaries of ICC events, they’re the rights holders for bilateral cricket and they own domestic T20 competitions. It does come back to where they want to prioritise their energies and what balance of those three things they see their business running on in the future.”

BCCI president Anurag Thakur has accused the Shashank Manohar-led ICC of “arm-twisting” the Indian board and not taking it seriously

Arun Venugopal10-Sep-20162:50

‘Felt like the captain left a sinking ship’ – Thakur

BCCI president Anurag Thakur has said the board is being “arm-twisted” on two fronts: as a result of the Lodha committee’s recommendations for structural reform, and due to the change at the top of the ICC, where Shashank Manohar has taken charge as the independent chairman. Thakur also took exception to Manohar’s remarks that his priorities lay with the ICC and not the BCCI. Manohar had suggested that it wasn’t his responsibility but that of the BCCI representative to look after the board’s interest at the ICC table.”I think these [Lodha] recommendations and [the] change in ICC [regime] are arm-twisting BCCI both at home and at the ICC which is not good for Indian cricket,” Thakur said. “The situation of BCCI – a global leader till the recommendation of the Lodha committee… now with the new ICC regime they are trying to sideline the BCCI, one of the most important stakeholders in global cricket today. Just [because of] one recommendation, we are not taken seriously.”Thakur, who is in Greater Noida to watch the final of the Duleep Trophy, told reporters that the BCCI, by virtue of being a “global leader”, had an obligation to look after the interest of smaller boards. He reiterated the BCCI’s concerns over the budget for next year’s Champions Trophy in England, which the Indian board felt was three times as much as what was allotted to India for the World T20 earlier this year.”Yes, BCCI should look after its interests, but BCCI does not only limit itself to look after BCCI’s interests,” Thakur said. “If he [Manohar] is saying that he has got nothing to do with the BCCI, BCCI is one of the 105 members and one of the most important stakeholders of the ICC today. And, that is why we have raised the issue – when the others kept mum – that we want to go through the Champions Trophy budget.”Compare the World [T20] Cup with the Champions Trophy – we had 56 matches, Champions Trophy has close to 15 matches; we had eight venues, they had only three venues; it was a 49-day event and the Champions Trophy is only a 20-day event. So the per-match cost is three times higher. Every single penny saved is every single penny earned, not only for BCCI but for 105 countries.”When you talk about the two-tier Test system, BCCI could have got benefits by joining hands with those associations like Australia and England, but we stood by countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, and to an extent like West Indies.”Thakur questioned Manohar’s motives for amending the ICC constitution, which played a part in his being elected unopposed as the first independent chairman of the world body. He contended that Manohar hadn’t taken all members into confidence before the amendments were made.”Mr Shashank Manohar was on the board to make certain changes, amendments. As the president of the board he should have taken into confidence all the BCCI members which he did not,” he said. “The amendments were made and he became the independent chairman. Once he has become the independent chairman, he left the BCCI when BCCI needed him the most.”

Despite having a decent County Championship season at best, Zafar Ansari has impressed the England management with his temperament and all-round skills, and is in line to play his maiden Test

George Dobell26-Oct-2016It will come a year later than anticipated, but Zafar Ansari looks set to make his Test debut in the second Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka on Friday.But for a badly-broken left thumb, Ansari would almost certainly have played his maiden Test in the UAE 12 months ago. But, just hours after he was picked for the tour, he sustained the injury in the field, and was subsequently obliged to undergo two operations. Samit Patel was recalled, instead, and he played the Sharjah Test.While Ansari enjoyed a decent rather than spectacular season for Surrey in the County Championship – he averaged 27.43 with the bat and claimed 22 wickets at 31.40 – the England management admires his calm temperament almost as much as his all-round abilities. While they were reluctant to thrust Jack Leach, the Somerset spinner, who enjoyed a more remarkable season – he claimed 68 wickets in the first-class season at an average of 22.58 – into international cricket, they seem to have no qualms about Ansari.The case of Simon Kerrigan continues to influence selectors in such cases. Kerrigan, drafted in for his debut in the final Ashes Test of the 2013 summer, was mauled by Australia’s batsmen, and appears to have never fully recovered from the experience. Even Leach’s captain at Somerset, Chris Rogers, remarked that “emotionally, he still has a bit of a way to go” before he would consider him suitable for selection. He will instead be given an opportunity to familiarise himself with the England environment as part of the Lions programme.Ansari, though slightly younger, is seen as more worldly and experienced. He gained a first from Cambridge University, and, having graduated through the England age-group system – he played for England at the Under-15, Under-17 and Under-19 levels – made his international debut in the rain-ruined ODI in Ireland in May 2015. He bowls at a relatively sharp pace, and, as a left-arm spinner whose turn will take the ball away from the right-handers, could prove more useful than a second spinner when England face an Indian top-order heavily stocked with right-handers.Ansari fits the mould of this team, too, in that he can bat, bowl and field to a decent standard. Generally patient and compact in red-ball cricket, he has opened the batting for Surrey. But, after a modest County season – his highest score was 53 – it seems Ansari will bat at No. 8 for England. That will move Chris Woakes to No. 9, and Adil Rashid, a man with 10 first-class centuries, down to No. 10. It seems Gareth Batty will be the unfortunate one to make way.There might have been a good case for resting Rashid instead. The pitch looks remarkably dry and cracked already, and, while the weather forecast for Dhaka is not wonderful – the city is braced for cyclonic storm Kyant – it seems likely that Bangladesh may take a bit of a risk in preparing a result-surface in the hope that they can square the series. On such turning surfaces, the control of Batty might prove more useful than the turn of Rashid, though Rashid did look as though he would benefit from anther long bowl ahead of the India series.England are also set to recall Steven Finn. He has been bowling with good pace in the nets and will probably replace Stuart Broad, who will have to wait until the India Tests before gaining his 100th Test cap. While there will be a temptation to give Jake Ball a game and rest Chris Woakes, the team management may be wary of making too many changes against an improving Bangladesh side that went within an ace of achieving their first Test victory against England in Chittagong.That means little opportunity for Jos Buttler. While he continues to hit the ball well in the nets – as one of the local net bowlers discovered on Wednesday when he received a black eye after being unable to get out of the way of a straight drive – Jonny Bairstow took another step towards cementing his place with the gloves with an impressive performance standing up to the stumps in Chittagong. And Trevor Bayliss has already indicated that he is keen to stick with the top-six in the batting line-up for the Dhaka Test.

India and England head to Visakhapatnam with the series level and a focus on what sort of pitch will be served up for the ground’s debut Test

The Preview by Alan Gardner16-Nov-2016

Match facts

November 17-21, Visakhapatnam
Start time 9.30am (0400GMT)2:38

‘Here to give India run for their money’ – Cook

Big Picture

It is a couple of thousand kilometres from Dhaka to Rajkot but England travelled even further in their attempts to banish the subcontinental homesick blues. The Saurashtra Cricket Association were welcoming hosts, it has to be said, and Alastair Cook had the fates on his side at the toss, allowing England’s batsmen to stockpile runs (and confidence) on a placid surface; but their display nevertheless exceeded all expectations, prompting Trevor Bayliss to call it the “best performance” since he took charge.For India, Rajkot was flat in more ways than one. Their much-vaunted spin attack collected figures of 9 for 521 and, having ground their way towards first-innings parity, a minor collapse on the final afternoon left them hanging on for a draw – a new experience for the team under Virat Kohli’s captaincy. More than that, it was the first time since England’s visit in 2012 that India had been denied victory in a home Test (barring last year’s wash-out in Bangalore).Kohli has talked confidently and humbly about learning lessons and not taking England for granted – but there was also an undertone of irritation at the stultifying effect of the surface provided for the first Test. Visakhapatnam is expected to offer more for the spinners, as it did during an ODI on New Zealand’s tour last month, but the Andhra Cricket Association has publically promised a “neutral pitch”. In 2012, MS Dhoni’s call for more helpful surfaces backfired as Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar spun riot in Mumbai and Kolkata but, despite the improved display from England’s slow trio in Rajkot, India would be confident of winning a shootout this time around.Whatever the Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Stadium serves up, India’s prospects would certainly be aided by R Ashwin rectifying a dismal record against England (with the ball, at least). An average of 53.40 is comfortably his worst against any Test nation – though his first-innings 70 maintained a similar figure with the bat and may have been the difference between a draw and defeat. Five of England’s top six made significant contributions in Rajkot but, during a five-Test series, there is plenty of scope for the narrative to take a twist.Luck and judgement have played their part in England settling on a system to take on the might of India in India. The prodigious emergence of Haseeb Hameed may have solved a perennial problem at opener, while Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid showed the benefits of working with a spin coach as knowledgeable as Saqlain Mushtaq. Cook’s England are on a four-Test unbeaten run in these parts but it will require another round of unstinting effort to keep the hosts at bay.Virat Kohli and Alastair Cook shook hands on a hard-fought draw in Rajkot•Associated Press

Form guide

India DWWWD (last five matches, most recent first)
England DLWLW

Watch out for…

India’s champion and match-winner, R Ashwin was strangely subdued in the first Test. His match haul of three wickets was his lowest in a home Test since Nagpur 2012, on England’s last visit, though he was not helped by being asked to bowl first – 46 overs tells how heavy the workload was. In that first innings, Joe Root and Moeen Ali were particularly judicious in how they played him, finding gaps to rotate the strike and hitting over the top whenever the pressure needed releasing; of the left-handers he was supposed to gobble up, only Ben Duckett succumbed. More is expected of him in Vizag.The lissom figure of Haseeb Hameed looks set to accompany Cook out at the start of the England innings for some time to come after his enchanting debut. The 19-year-old became the third-youngest Englishman to score a Test fifty and he belied the “Baby Boycs” tag bestowed on him by skipping out to hit Ravindra Jadeja for six – as Mark Butcher suggested on Switch Hit, perhaps the “Bolton Breezeblock” would be more appropriate. If he is bound to be bounced mercilessly at some point, it is probably unlikely to be in India, where he seems suitably at home given his Gujarati heritage.

Team news

India have indicated that KL Rahul will come back into the side at Gautam Gambhir’s expense – possibly signalling the end of Gambhir’s considerable international career. Kohli hinted at a surprise or two, which may mean a debut for either Karun Nair or Hardik Pandya, with Amit Mishra’s place most vulnerable after a disappointing performance. Ishant Sharma could also contest a pace-bowling spot with Umesh Yadav, who was arguably the best quick on display in Rajkot.India (probable) 1 KL Rahul, 2 M Vijay, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli (capt), 5 Ajinkya Rahane, 6 Karun Nair/Hardik Pandya, 7 R Ashwin, 8 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 9 Ravindra Jadeja, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Ishant Sharma/Umesh YadavEngland’s one quandary is over the fitness of Chris Woakes and whether to gamble on James Anderson, who has not played since August due to a persistent shoulder problem. The temptation would be to stick with an unchanged XI but Woakes is carrying a “bowling niggle” according to Cook, meaning England’s intention to hold Anderson back for the third Test in Mohali will be tested; Steven Finn could also come into the equation.England (probable) 1 Alastair Cook (capt), 2 Haseeb Hameed, 3 Joe Root, 4 Ben Duckett, 5 Moeen Ali, 6 Ben Stokes, 7 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 8 Chris Woakes/James Anderson, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Zafar Ansari, 11 Stuart Broad

Pitch and conditions

There will be much scrutiny of the Vizag pitch over the next five days. On the eve of the match it appeared firm and true, without much grass, and is expected to play well initially before taking increasing turn. The last ODI played here saw New Zealand bowled out for 79, with Mishra taking 5 for 18, while Assam were dismissed for 69 in a Ranji Trophy match, also in October – although that was a different strip and down to variable bounce rather than spin. The weather is set to be hot and humid throughout and a lush outfield may test the ability of both teams to generate reverse swing.

Stats and trivia

• Visakhapatnam has hosted seven ODIs and two T20 internationals but this will be the first Test at the ground – making it India’s 24th Test venue.
• Virat Kohli and Joe Root are both set to play their 50th Tests in Visakhapatnam.
• Cheteshwar Pujara and M Vijay are approaching 3000 career runs – Pujara is three short, while Vijay needs 20.
• Hameed’s 82 in Rajkot was the highest score by a teenager for England.
• Three England batsmen (Jonny Bairstow, Root and Cook) have passed 1000 Test runs for 2016; Moeen Ali needs 186 more to get there as well.

Quotes

“Many would have been looking at that situation in a different way, that we struggled and we were put under pressure, but as a cricketer internally we know what we learnt from that situation.”
Virat Kohli believes India’s second innings in Rajkot was a useful test
“This side is growing all the time and there’s a lot of talent in English cricket at the moment.”

Jonathan Agnew, the BBC’s cricket correspondent and Test Match Special commentator, has been awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours List for services to broadcasting

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Dec-2016Jonathan Agnew, the BBC’s cricket correspondent and commentator, has been awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours List for services to broadcasting.Agnew, who played three Tests and three ODIs for England, had a 12-year career with Leicestershire from 1978 to 1990 before making a one-off comeback during the 1992 season for a NatWest Trophy semi-final when the county were hit by injuries.However, it was as a journalist and broadcaster that Agnew built a global reputation having initially started at BBC Radio Leicester and the newspaper before succeeding Christopher Martin-Jenkins as the BBC’s correspondent.”It’s great to get a pat on the back no matter what you do and this is a big pat,” Agnew said. “Test Match Special is a tight knit crew and I look at this as a team award.”I’ve also been able to be more of an allrounder, having done the Olympics and royal events, but I know cricket, and cricket on the radio is my home”.

Peter Nevill left the field with an injury during a BBL match for the second time in as many weeks

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jan-2017The Melbourne Renegades’ wicketkeeper Peter Nevill was taken to the hospital after a freak incident at the Adelaide Oval where he was struck in the face by Brad Hodge’s bat. Nevill walked off the field with a suspected broken jaw.The incident occured in the 18th over of the Adelaide Strikers’ chase when Hodge pulled the first delivery from Thisara Perera to the leg side, but his bat slipped out of his hand. Nevill, standing a few yards back, was watching the ball and didn’t see the bat coming his way until its handle hit his right cheek. He tumbled to the ground immediately and was surrounded by team-mates, the two batsmen and the umpires as the medical staff of the two teams scurried on to the field. Nevill stood up after some time to leave the field with a badly swollen face and was taken to a local hospital for X-rays. Captain Aaron Finch kept wicket for the remaining 17 balls.Incidentally, Nevill had left the field with an injury last week, too, during the Renegades’ match against the Sydney Sixers, when a skidding throw from a team-mate landed at the edge of the pitch and the ball hit him in the head. He was asked to leave the field by a doctor for a concussion test and Finch had kept wicket then too. Nevill was cleared to return an over later.

Monty Panesar has been recruited by Cricket Australia as a spin-bowling consultant for their tour of India next month, after spending his winter as a club cricketer in Sydney

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jan-2017Monty Panesar has been recruited by Cricket Australia as a spin-bowling consultant for their tour of India next month, after spending his winter as a club cricketer in Sydney.Panesar, 34, played an integral role in England’s memorable series win in India in 2012-13, claiming 17 wickets with his left-arm spin in the final three Tests to help engineer a come-from-behind triumph.However, he made the last of his 50 Test appearances at Melbourne during the 2013-14 Ashes, and was not considered for selection for England’s recent 4-0 defeat in India, despite making a return to first-class cricket for Northamptonshire last summer following a spate of well-documented personal issues.Panesar’s recruitment to Australia’s ranks came at the behest of Pat Howard, Cricket Australia’s high performance manager, whose team were whitewashed 4-0 on their last tour to India four years ago, and recently succumbed to a 3-0 loss in similarly spin-friendly conditions in Sri Lanka.According to the Australian, Panesar will travel to the Centre of Excellence this week to work with left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe, as well as Matt Renshaw, the opening batsman who was cleared of concussion on Sunday, following the incident that led to his withdrawal from action during the third Test against Pakistan.”Having Monty come up is a nice way to kickstart the squad’s thinking about playing in India,” Howard told the newspaper. “We want the batsmen to be thinking about what the bowlers will be trying to do to them over there and Monty can engage them that way as well as with the bowlers.”Phil Jaques will run the sessions with Matt, Monty and SOK, Phil has some nice ideas about how to challenge the batsmen,” Howard added. “In Australia we love big turners, but the successful bowlers like [Rangana] Herath and [Ravi] Ashwin are more likely to get you lbw or bowled than any other way, their accuracy and their length is absolutely outstanding.”Panesar was one of nine wickets for O’Keefe during their ongoing Grade match between Manly and Campbelltown Camden at the weekend.”He was brilliant on the weekend and must think cricket is an easy game after taking 9 for 54,” Panesar said.