As reported by the Telegraph, Ollie Robinson, who has enjoyed a terrific Test debut, will be dropped for the second Test against New Zealand due to racist and sexist tweets back in 2012. Robinson’s dream start, which featured the big scalps of Test regulars Tom Latham and Ross Taylor, quickly took a sharp turn as his old tweets surfaced online.
There's a few things to note about Ollie Robinson's old tweets: 1) This will almost certainly happen more and more, as players who have been on social media since their teens make their debuts. 2) Anyone can see your public conversations on Twitter. pic.twitter.com/pFbsNiOd1H
After day one at Lord’s, Robinson “unreservedly apologised” for the tweets. “On the biggest day of my career so far, I am embarrassed by the racist and sexist tweets that I posted over eight years ago, which have today become public,” Robinson said shortly after stumps. “I want to make it clear that I’m not racist and I’m not sexist.”
Robinson has taken 4/75 and 2/8 with the ball, along with 42 with the bat on Test debut. However, much of the focus has been on Robinson’s tweets, as well as the ECB’s decision to drop him for the second Test.
Opinions were rife on Twitter, with fans calling the decision by the ECB as one that had to be made. Others felt the decision was too harsh. Below are some of the reactions.
Decision too harsh? Culture needs to be looked at
Some fans believe the tweets were made when Robinson was much younger and naive. Also, fans believe the focus should instead be on the culture around him that prompted such behaviour.
The likes of Harsha Bhogle weighed in. Many others were passionate in their stance.
When a teenager posts abusive, sexist, racist tweets, what is the air he is breathing? I believe we need to investigate whether there is/was a climate around the game where it was deemed okay to do so. #OllieRobinson
Yes the tweets Ollie Robinson sent in 2012 are unacceptable and yes their emergence could not have come at a worse time. But we are talking about a teenager long before he had the responsibility an England career brings. A 'full investigation' by ECB is over the top IMO.
As an ex teammate of Ollie Robinson’s in the Yorkshire set up, having roomed, shared the field and gone out for dinners and socials with him, I know full well he isn’t a racist.
Yes, the remarks were inexcusable and irresponsible. He’s apologised. We should forgive, and move on.
Good for Ollie Robinson for fronting up this evening. What he said was unacceptable, but it was a long time ago and we all make mistakes when we are young. I hope everyone puts it away after today and judges him by his actions today and in the future, not his teenage past.
I mean, don't be racist in the first place, but it really does boggle the mind that sportsmen and other prominent people don't get someone to sift through their old tweets for dodgy content. Ollie Robinson has only got himself to blame. #ENGvNZ
Rashid Khan, the key player in the Afghanistan cricket team, stated that he does not wish to become the Afghanistan cricket team’s captain again. He also mentioned that the upcoming T20 World Cup is the only thing on the team’s mind now.
Over the past three years, Afghanistan has had a tough time finding the right man to lead them. The Afghanistan Cricket Board removed Asghar Afghan from captaincy just two months before the 2019 World Cup and named a split captaincy between Khan (T20Is), Gulbadin Naib (ODIs) and Rahmat Shah (Tests).
But, after Afghanistan ended the World Cup without a single win, Naib was stripped of the role, and Khan was named captain across formats.
In December 2019, Afghan was brought back, but 15 months into his stint, he was sacked again. Once Asghar Afghan was sacked from the captaincy, Rashid Khan expected to become the captain of the Afghan team.
However, ACB has named Hashmatullah Shahidi as the new Test and ODI captain, with Rahmat Shah being his deputy. The ACB also announced Rashid Khan as the new vice-captain of the Afghanistan T20I side. The board has not finalized which player will be the captain in the shortest format of the game.
During his interview with ESPNCricinfo, Rashid Khan spoke about how he wants to be a team player and doesn’t want his performance to be affected with the World Cup on the team’s mind.
“I want to do well for the team as a player, and my performance is a bit more crucial for the team rather than me thinking about different things being a captain. Also, it takes time, and right now, the most important thing is the World Cup which is quite near, and I feel it is too much for me to have.
“I am afraid it might affect my performance for the team, which is a key, so I am very happy as a player. Whatever decision the board and selection committee make, I am fully behind it and will appreciate it,” said Rashid Khan.
NED vs IRE 2nd ODI Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | NED vs IRE 2nd ODI Dream11 Prediction Today | Netherlands vs Ireland 2nd ODI Key Players | Utrecht Pitch Report
Netherlands’ ODI Super League debut had the makings for a close match on a big occasion. The match, and the Dutch, delivered in spades.
After Josh Little ripped through the middle order to reduce Netherlands to 53/5, the Dutch, who were then further reduced to 102/7, staged one hell of a fightback. With grim faces in the dugout, Sydney-born Timm van der Gugten led the reguard action with a fiery 49 that gave his side a fighting chance with 195 on the board. The bowlers then showed great fight and composure to win by a single run and register 10 crucial Super League points.
Ireland would have left the ground wondering how they lost that match. In control for much of the Netherlands innings, Ireland then let their poor finish with the ball creep into their batting display, losing their first three wickets for 11 runs. It was a struggle beyond that point, with Paul Stirling and Simi Singh the only two players to cross 20 as Ireland fell short of their target despite batting their full 50 overs.
Now, the Irish not only need to win to keep this series alive, but they desperately need ODI Super League points. They have won just one of eight Super League matches to date, and another defeat here may already push them too far behind the automatic qualification spots for the 2023 World Cup. All to play for.
Key Players to Watch/Key Stats
Netherlands:
Timm van der Gugten (49 off 53 balls and 1/28 off 10 overs) was absolutely outstanding in the first ODI. He now has nine wickets in five ODIs at an average of 12.22 and economy rate of 3.66. His all-round ability will be key again.
Max O’Dowd was looking good in the first ODI (23 off 25 balls) before getting trapped LBW. He has scored three fifties in his five ODIs to date, and will be looking to make another 50+ score here.
Skipper Pietar Seelar missed out with the bat, but roared back with 3/27 in his nine overs. He now has seven wickets in five ODIs vs Ireland. Like van der Gugten, Seelar’s all-round ability will be key for the Dutch once again.
The same applies to Logan van Beek. He is coming off 29 off 48 balls and 2/44 in the first ODI. Importantly, it was his two early wickets that set the scene for Netherlands.
Stephen Myburgh has made three starts in his ODI career against Ireland (35, 22, 20). Can he make another start but carry on this time?
Ireland:
No player in history has more runs against Netherlands in ODIs than Paul Stirling. The right-hander has 355 runs in seven matches vs the Dutch at a fine average of 50.71 and strike rate of 90.10.
Also, Stirling has been magnificent in ODIs since the start of 2019. In this period, Stirling has ammassed 1,420 runs in 26 innings at an average of 56.80.
William Porterfield has the second-most ODI runs against Netherlands (333, avg. 47.57). He will be looking to bounce back after a low score in the first ODI (5).
So too Andy Balbirnie. The Ireland skipper scored 795 runs at 41.84 across 2019 and 2020, but is struggling in 2021 (85 runs, avg. 14.16). Apart from one half-century, he has scored just 32 runs in his other five innings this year. Can he bounce back?
George Dockrell struggled with the bat in his first ODI as a batting all-rounder (11 off 38 balls). Since 2017, he has averaged 101.28 in Ireland’s List A competition, so expect Ireland to persist with Dockrell in the role of number five.
Simi Singh had a fine outing in the first ODI, part of a good 2021 so far for the off-spinning all-rounder. He found some turn in the first match, taking 1/28 off 10 overs, followed by 45 (69) with the bat. Also, he is one of four players to take at least 10 wickets in 2021 so far (11 in five matches).
Josh Little looked in terrific form two days ago. He bowled with good pace, and troubled the Netherlands batsmen right throughout. He finished with 3/32, and will be looking to continue the fine form. Craig Young also took three wickets (3/34).
Kevin O’Brien has the most wickets of any bowler vs Netherlands in ODI history (17 in 10 matches).
The last two ODIs between Netherlands and Ireland have been mighty close. In 2013, the teams played out a tie. Two days ago, Netherlands won by one run.
Netherlands sit ninth in the ODI Super League table, ahead of Zimbabwe, Ireland, South Africa and Sri Lanka.
Possible Playing 11
Netherlands could look to stick with the same XI that won the first ODI.
Netherlands: 1. Stephan Myburgh, 2. Max O’Dowd, 3. Ben Cooper, 4. Bas de Leede, 5. Pieter Seelaar (c), 6. Scott Edwards (wk), 7. Saqib Zuilfiqar, 8. Logan van Beek, 9. Timm van der Gugten, 10. Fred Klaassen, 11. Brandon Glover/Vivian Kingma
Will Ireland bring Kevin O’Brien into their XI? He could replace William Porterfield at the top or Harry Tector at four.
Ireland: 1. William Porterfield, 2. Paul Stirling, 3. Andy Balbirnie (c), 4. Harry Tector/Kevin O’Brien, 5. George Dockrell, 6. Lorcan Tucker (wk), 7. Simi Singh, 8. Andy McBrine, 9. Barry McCarthy, 10. Josh Little, 11. Craig Young
Sportpark Maarschalkerweerd Utrecht Pitch Report and Weather
Both sides found it difficult to hit deliveries on a length in the first ODI. The track was certainly on the slower side, with the spinners hard to get away and seamers rewarded for good lengths. We can expect a similar kind of match in similar conditions, although there is a chance of a passing shower throughout the day.
Dream11 Prediction
Option 1:
NED vs IRE 2nd ODI Dream11 Prediction
Option 2:
NED vs IRE 2nd ODI Dream11 Prediction
Match Prediction
Another fascinating battle is on the cards. The challenge for Netherlands will be to back up their great effort with another. Ireland, with more experience, will be out to bounce back. Ireland to win in a tight one and level the series 1-1.
ENG vs NZ 1st Test Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs NZ 1st Test Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs New Zealand 1st Test Key Players | Lord’s Pitch Report
Test cricket is back. And back with a bang at the home of cricket, with fans set to attend to mark the start of England’s huge home summer.
Factors such as England’s depletion (no Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler or Jofra Archer) and that this series is not part of the World Test Championship might reduce this series’ attractiveness to some, but it is still Test cricket after all. Test cricket is its own story. It is a number of battles within a battle. And, of course, England has played home to some cracking and memorable Test matches over the past couple of years. This series, which is crucial for a number of England batsmen, is a chance to build confidence and momentum.
For New Zealand, these two Tests preceed the World Test Championship Final against India. However, not only is this great preparation for that match, but the Black Caps have the chance to achieve their first Test series win in England since 1999. They have shot up the rankings due to consistent performances in their own backyard, but this is an opportunity to test themselves in overseas conditions where question marks still remain.
Trent Boult is unavailable, but New Zealand’s attack is still more than capable of causing problems to a fragile England batting lineup. They will hold hope in the fact that England have made scratchy starts to home Test series since the 2019 World Cup, including 85 all-out vs Ireland, first Test defeat to Australia and first Test defeat to West Indies. However, led by Kane Williamson and Tom Latham, the Black Caps must hold their own with the bat against a good England attack. A good battle awaits.
Key Players to Watch/Key Stats
England:
Joe Root is undoubtedly the key man for England with the bat. He had a superb start to the year in Sri Lanka and India, with a total of 794 runs at an average of 66.16 so far in 2021.
Against New Zealand, Root has scored 495 runs at an average of 44.75, including a double century in his last Test against them albeit on a flatter pitch. At Lord’s, Root has the eighth most Test runs of any player in history (1,189, avg. 47.56).
This series is a good chance for Zak Crawley to nail down the number three position. He hasn’t had a strong County campaign so far (368 runs, avg. 33.45), but showed great signs in England last year against Pakistan where he scored a double ton.
A big series also for Rory Burns and Ollie Pope. Both are averaging above 65 in the 2021 County Championship, and they’ll be hoping that form translates into the Test arena.
No bowler has more wickets than James Anderson at Lord’s. England’s leading Test wicket-taker has taken 103 wickets on this ground at a superb average of 23.89. Also, he has 60 scalps vs New Zealand at an average of 26.89. In England, the average drops to 22.26 with 34 wickets in seven Tests.
Stuart Broad also loves bowling at Lord’s. In fact, he is second only to Anderson on this ground with 94 wickets at 27.06. Also, he has 66 wickets at 27.18 vs New Zealand – the most of any current bowler in ENG-NZ Tests.
Is Ollie Robinson a must-pick for England? The seamer has been in superb form, with 29 wickets in five matches at an average of 14.72. Craig Overton is also in unbelievable form, with 36 scalps in six matches at 12.86.
New Zealand:
Can Kane Williamson get the better of Joe Root and England? The Black Caps skipper averages just 30 in England, but it must be noted that he’s only played four Tests in the country. The last of his four Tests was back in 2015, and Williamson has gone from strength-to-strength since.
Williamson has enjoyed success at Lord’s, with his century in England scored on this ground. Against England overall, he has scored 743 runs at an average of 43.70.
Ross Taylor has a solid record against England. In England, he has scored 523 runs in seven Tests at an average of 40.23. Overall, he has scored 1,145 runs at 40.89 against them. No other current NZ player has more runs against England than Taylor.
Tom Latham has scored 146 runs at 36.50 in England and 386 runs at 36.80 vs England overall. Will he have a big first Test and build on these numbers? New Zealand will be hoping so.
BJ Watling will retire after the WTC Final. He averages 56.80 in three Tests in England and 55.57 in 10 Tests vs England overall.
Tim Southee will lead the NZ attack in the absence of Trent Boult. His battle with Root will be a great watch. He averages 32.76 with the ball in 15 Tests vs England, and 34.40 in five Tests in England. Can he improve on these numbers?
How will Kyle Jamieson fare with the ball in his first overseas Test? He has been incredible in Test cricket so far, with 36 wickets in six Tests at an average of 13.27. Also, Jamieson provides great batting value, with 226 runs at an average of 56.60.
Neil Wagner produced incredible bowling performances on flat pitches vs England in New Zealand in 2019. His 37 wickets against England come at an average of 30.02, but we all know his wicket-taking ability against good players. He hasn’t played a Test in England since 2013, where he took seven wickets at 36.28.
ENG vs NZ 1st Test Dream11 Prediction: Kane Williamson will be key.
Stats and Facts
The last time these two teams faced off in a Test series in England was in 2015. The series finished level at 1-1.
Stuart Broad has taken figures of 1/64, 7/44, 3/77 and 3/50 across the 2013 and 2015 Lord’s Tests vs New Zealand.
Rory Burns (23 Tests) is the second-most experienced player in England’s top seven, behind Joe Root.
James Anderson is eight wickets away from 1,000 First Class scalps.
New Zealand have not won a Test series in England since their 2-1 victory in 1999.
Possible Playing 11
England could look to play four seam bowlers on a Lord’s pitch that is expected to have some grass cover. If they play Leach, then Ollie Robinson is expected to play over Craig Overton, according to reports.
England: 1. Rory Burns, 2. Dom Sibley, 3. Zak Crawley, 4. Joe Root (c), 5. Ollie Pope, 6. Dan Lawrence, 7. James Bracey (wk), 8. Ollie Robinson, 9. Craig Overton/Jack Leach, 10. Stuart Broad, 11. James Anderson
Devon Conway will make his Test debut at the top of the order, partnering Tom Latham. Colin de Grandhomme is fit again and could win the race for the seam-bowling all-rounder spot against Daryl Mitchell.
New Zealand: 1. Tom Latham, 2. Devon Conway, 3. Kane Williamson (c), 4. Ross Taylor, 5. Henry Nicholls, 6. BJ Watling (wk), 7. Colin de Grandhomme, 8. Mitchell Santner/Matt Henry, 9. Kyle Jamieson, 10. Tim Southee, 11. Neil Wagner
Lord’s Pitch Report and Weather
Lord’s has been the most prolific ground in terms of wickets in the County Championship. However, much of that is owed to Middlesex’s batting struggles. In terms of this track, there was a green tinge on the eve of the match, with the grass cut shorter. Expect there to be movement for the bowlers on day one before the pitch becomes a good one for batting throughout the Test as the weather forecast looks warm and sunny for most of the match.
Dream11 Prediction
Option 1:
ENG vs NZ 1st Test Dream11 Prediction
Option 2:
ENG vs NZ 1st Test Dream11 Prediction
Match Prediction
England have tended to start slowly in home Test campaigns in recent times. For that reason, New Zealand might very well grab a win here to take a 1-0 series lead. Should be an interesting match.
NED vs IRE 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | NED vs IRE 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction Today | Netherlands vs Ireland 1st ODI Key Players | UtrechtPitch Report
History will be made at Utrecht as Netherlands, after a long wait, will make their ODI Super League debut. Better, this will be the first time that cricket will be broadcast live on Dutch TV with Dutch commentary, making the occasion all-the-more exciting for the men in orange.
Australian-born Netherlands head coach Ryan Campbell said, “Our first appearance in the much talked about Super League is no doubt the most important page in the Dutch Cricket History book. We hope to open this chapter with a really competitive series against our great friends and adversaries Ireland.”
Crucially, and somewhat disappointingly, key players including Ryan ten Doeschate and Roelof van der Merwe will not be available for this series as they will remain with their English counties. So, an opportunity awaits for up-and-coming players to perform in a very important series that could very well be a competitive one. Can the Netherlands mark this occasion with the perfect start to their quest for 2023 World Cup qualification?
Ireland, whose only win in six matches in the ODI Super League was against England just under a year ago, will be after crucial points here. They welcome back the experience of William Porterfield and George Dockrell for this series, and they will need to keep their cool against a Dutch side itching to perform. A series whitewash in their favour will put them on 40 points (over rates pending), which will see them shoot right up the points table. Crucial series.
Key Players to Watch/Key Stats
Netherlands:
Max O’Dowd will be key for the home side. He has struck three fifties in his four ODIs so far, with a total of 235 runs at an average of 78.33. He scored 82 vs Scotland two weeks ago.
Keeper-batsman Scott Andrews is one of the Netherlands’ key players this series. He has 39 matches of international experience (33 T20Is, 6 ODIs), and recently scored his first half-century (56) in ODI cricket against Scotland.
Australian-born Ben Cooper, brother of Tom Cooper, will be itching for a big series. He has 66 matches of international experience (56 T20Is, 10 ODIs), with 10 50+ scores. He is coming off a poor series vs Scotland (10 runs in two matches), so will be looking to bounce back.
Netherlands skipper Pieter Seelaar has enjoyed some success vs Ireland, albeit over a decade ago. He has only been dismissed once in three innings with a total of 73 runs, as well as four wickets in four innings with the ball.
Vivian Kingma recently took five wickets for a total of just 44 runs (econ. 2.93) in two matches against Scotland (3/21 and 2/23).
Watch out for Sydney-born Timm van der Gugten. He is an experienced bowler with 68 scalps in 58 List A matches (as well as 178 FC wickets at 27.28). His last ODI was in 2013, so if picked here, he’ll be keen to make a mark.
Ireland:
Paul Stirling has been superb in ODI cricket over the past couple of years. Since the start of 2019, Stirling has struck 1,351 runs in 25 innings at an average of 56.29. Against Netherlands, Stirling has a fine record with 286 runs at an average of 47.66 (1 fifty, 1 hundred).
William Porterfield, who’s back in the Ireland squad, has the most runs for Ireland against Netherlands (328).
Skipper Andy Balbirnie is having a poor year in ODIs (5 inns, 81 runs, avg. 16.20). However, he has been a consistent performer for Ireland in recent years, with 795 runs at 41.17 across 2019 and 2020.
Kevin O’Brien surprisingly has a poor batting record vs Netherlands (8 inns, 138 runs, avg. 19.71). However, he enjoys bowling vs the Dutch, with 17 wickets in 10 ODIs at an average of 15.82.
Simi Singh is one of four players to have at least 10 ODI wickets in 2021. Singh has taken his 10 wickets in just four games (vs UAE and Afghanistan). However, conditions in Utrecht will be different to that of Abu Dhabi.
George Dockrell is also back in the Ireland squad, and will be looking to make a mark if given the chance. He has seven wickets in six ODIs vs Netherlands (avg. 25.57, econ. 4.08).
However, Dockrell is plying his trade as a batting all-rounder in recent times. Ireland skipper Andy Balbirnie said that Dockrell is likely to bat at five. Since 2017, Dockrell is averaging an incredible 101.28 in Ireland’s List A competiton.
The last ODI these two teams played was a tie back in 2013, with both sides scoring 268 in a thrilling contest. William Porterfield scored 30 (44) and Paul Stirling struck a 50-ball 49.
This will be the Netherlands’ first ever match in the ODI Super League. Ireland currently sit 10th with one win in six matches.
Possible Playing 11
Netherlands: 1. Max O’Dowd, 2. Stephan Myburgh, 3. Ben Cooper, 4. Pieter Seelaar (c), 5. Scott Edwards (wk), 6. Bas de Leede, 7. Tobias Visee, 8. Logan van Beek, 9. Timm van der Gugten, 10. Paul van Meekeren/Aryan Dutt, 11. Vivian Kingma
Ireland: 1. Paul Stirling, 2. William Porterfield, 3. Andy Balbirnie (c), 4. Kevin O’Brien, 5. George Dockrell, 6. Harry Tector, 7. Lorcan Tucker (wk), 8. Simi Singh/Andy McBrine, 9. Mark Adair, 10. Barry McCarthy, 11. Josh Little/Craig Young
Sportpark Maarschalkerweerd Utrecht Pitch Report and Weather
Back in 2019, Germany were rolled for 53 in a T20I vs Italy. In the next game between the same two sides, Italy (135/4) chased down Germany’s 130 with ease. At the Hague, which is considered to have a similar pitch to that of Utrecht, UAE beat Netherlands twice in a four-match T20I series, with an average first innings score of 151.
Here, expect a balanced surface where the bowlers will have a say particularly early on as the match is in European conditions. A mostly sunny day is forecast, with a top of 26 degrees which should make batting pleasant as the day goes on.
Dream11 Prediction
Option 1:
NED vs IRE 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction
Option 2:
NED vs IRE 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction
Match Prediction
Here’s hoping for a competitive clash on a special day for Dutch cricket. Ireland start as favourites given key players are missing for Netherlands, but the Irish will have to work hard in this match.
A champion: Top 5 Test knocks of BJ Watling | Looking at the top knocks of keeper-batsman BJ Watling in Test cricket for New Zealand
Well known for his grit and determination, BJ Watling is regarded as one of the finest wicket-keeping batsman of the current era. In a Test career spanning more than a decade, Watling has played 73 games so far and has scored 3,773 runs at a healthy average of 38.11 with 8 centuries and 19 half centuries.
Recently, Watling announced that he would be retiring from international cricket after the much awaited final of the first World Test Championship against India. So, in this article I am going to highlight five of his outstanding Test knocks as a tribute to the solid wk-batsman. Here we go.
5. 103 (182) vs Bangladesh (Chittagong, 2013)
The knocks played by a batsman from SENA countries in Asia are always special for them, aren’t they? This innings against Bangladesh was surely one of BJ Watling’s finest in the subcontinent. This was the first Test of the series and New Zealand opted to bat first after winning the toss. They got a really good start and were 244 for the loss of just 2 wickets at one stage. But they lost 4 quick wickets including the wicket of a set Kane Williamson and soon were reduced to 282 for 6 when Watling joined Corey Anderson in the middle.
To make the situation worse, Anderson departed on the same team score and Watling had to bat with the tail to ensure a solid total in the first innings for his team. Initially, he consolidated the innings alongside Doug Bracewell as they formed a good partnership of 57 runs for the 8th wicket. After Ish Sodhi dismissed for 1, Watling took charge of scoring well, supported by the number 11 batsman, Trent Boult.
Watling played the Bangladeshi spinners extremely well, and batted for almost 42 overs with Boult, adding 127 runs for the last wicket. Watling played some really gorgeous shots whenever he got chances and his innings included six lovely fours and two big sixes. This knock proved to be really crucial for the visitors as they were able to post a very healthy total of 469 in the first innings.
This knock was the testimony of surreal patience and supreme temperament of BJ Watling. It was the third and final Test of the series and the series was level at 1-1. So it was very important for the Kiwis to win this match in order to draw the series. After electing to bat first, New Zealand lost 4 quick wickets and were placed at 72 for 4 when Watling entered the middle to bat alongside Kane Williamson. The ball was turning and Yasir Shah was looking lethal as he had picked 3 out of those 4 wickets.
However, they batted for more than 41 overs and added 104 runs for the 5th wicket. Watling played the supportive role in this partnership and scored 27 runs off 125 balls. After Williamson got out, he batted alongside Colin de Grandhomme and the tail-enders till the end. His partnership of 45 runs with William Somerville ensured a total excess of 250 for New Zealand. He was extremely gritty throughout the innings and hit just 4 boundaries. He put the price on his wicket and let the Pakistani bowlers toil hard. His priceless unbeaten knock of 77 was crucial for New Zealand to recover from a bad situation and post a respectable total of 274 in their first innings. Later, New Zealand went on to win the game and end the series in an emphatic manner.
This was another gem of a knock played by BJ Watling under extremely difficult circumstances. This was the final Test match of the 2-match series and New Zealand were bowled out for a paltry 192 in their first innings courtesy a fine six-wicket haul by Ishant Sharma. In reply, the visitors went on to score a solid total of 438, thanks to a superb century by Ajinkya Rahane and fine half centuries by Shikhar Dhawan and MS Dhoni.
After conceding a lead of a huge 246 runs, New Zealand needed some really big individual contributions in their second innings in order to avoid defeat. But, they were in a miserable position after losing their first 5 wickets for just 94 runs when BJ Watling joined Brendon McCullum in the middle. What followed next was nothing short of a miracle. Watling and McCullum stitched a marathon partnership of 352 runs and stayed in the middle for 123 overs.
Although McCullum got his famous triple hundred, Watling’s support was priceless in the context of the match. He stood there like a rock and faced 367 deliveries. His knock of 124 involved 13 gorgeous fours. New Zealand declared their innings on 680 and thus India got an impossible target of 435 to chase in their 2nd innings. The game ended in a draw and the home side clinched the series by 1-0, which wouldn’t have been possible without the contribution of BJ Watling.
This was the 2nd and final Test of the series and England had taken a lead of 1-0 by winning the first match at Lord’s. Both teams scored 350 in their respective first innings and hence it was very important for New Zealand to post a good total in their 2nd innings in order to give a competitive target to the home side to chase in the 4th innings. They were on spot of a bother being placed at 141 for 4 when Martin Guptill was dismissed after scoring an aggressive 70 and Watling joined hands with the skipper Brendon McCullum in the middle.
They stitched a brilliant partnership of 121 runs for the 5th wicket, in which Watling’s contribution was 70 off 109. After the departure of McCullum, Watling formed two useful partnerships of 53 runs each with Luke Ronchi and Mark Craig. In the course of this, he completed his 5th test century in just 136 balls. His knock of 120 involved 15 gorgeous fours and a solitary six. He got out when the score was 368, which was a pretty healthy score. Mark Craig and Tim Southee further propelled New Zealand to 454 and they eventually went on to register a famous victory by bundling the Englishmen out for 255.
Watling was given the “player of the match” award for his outstanding knock.
I would definitely say that his lone double hundred is the finest test knock of BJ Watling. This was the first test of the 2-match series and England had posted a competitive total of 353 in their first innings after choosing to bat first. In reply, New Zealand were in all sorts of trouble as they were placed at 127 for 4 at one stage and needed someone to step up in order to get close to the first innings total of England.
As they say, “cometh the hour, cometh the man”, BJ Watling rescued the Kiwis and proved himself yet again as “Mr Dependable” in a crunch situation. He formed two vital partnerships of 70 and 119 runs with Henry Nicholls and Colin de Grandhomme respectively. His marathon partnership of 261 runs with Mitchell Santner ensured a huge lead for the home side. His amazing knock of 205 off 473 included 24 glorious fours and a solitary six. New Zealand were able to score a mammoth 615 in their first innings largely due to his heroic double century and later they dismissed England for just 197 and won the game by an innings and 65 runs. Watling was awarded “man of the match” for his magnificent knock.
If batting with the tail is an art, Watling is definitely a Picasso in it. He has been a really vital member of the New Zealand Test side over the years and his contributions have been phenomenal in the rise of New Zealand to the top spot in ICC test rankings. This is my list of 5 of the enormous spectacular knocks he has played in his Test career. Have your say!
WTC Final: 3 key player battles to watch out for | 3 key player battles to watch out for in the upcoming World Test Championship Final
The stakes are high as the World Test Championship (WTC) title will be on the line as the top two Test sides in the World will lock horns in a one-off Test at the Ageas Bowl, Southampton starting June 18.
The inaugural World Test Championship was launched in 2019, setting the stage for a long tournament in red-ball cricket to determine the World Test Champion. It garnered good attention from the viewers, which was the main reason why ICC decided to upstage the tournament. After 27 series and 71 matches long wait, New Zealand and India finished at the top of the WTC points table to seal the berth for the WTC final.
There are match-winners aplenty on either side of the net and there will be some key contests that will determine the outcome of the match.
Let’s have a look at the key battles ahead of the summit clash:
Virat Kohli vs Tim Southee
No other bowler in the world has dismissed Virat more than Southee in international cricket. Southee enjoys a stellar record against the batting maestro, dismissing him on 10 occasions across formats. Talking about red-ball cricket, in particular, Southee has got the better of the Indian skipper three times. The right-arm pacer also has been the most successful bowler for his country in the WTC cycle, having picked 51 wickets in 10 games.
With Dukes in hand, Southee certainly will again ask some tough questions with the ball. The Kiwi paceman has got the ability to move the ball in air and off the seam with control makes him a nut to crack. Virat had a great time in England last time in 2018 and taking the confidence from his last tour to the UK the Indian run machine will be looking to counter the Southee factor in Southampton.
Rohit Sharma vs Trent Boult
A new ball bowler like Trent Boult always has the baton in his hands to scalp important wickets at the top. With 34 wickets in 9 games in the WTC cycle, Boult again is expected to take the new ball and he’ll have to be at his best against the in-form Rohit Sharma, who has scored 1030 runs in WTC and has been India’s main source of runs at the top of the order.
Boult’s left arm angle certainly will ask tough questions from his Mumbai Indians skipper as the alien conditions are expected to favour the quicks. Also, watch out for how Rohit deals with the in-swinging delivery. If Rohit can somehow manage to play out the first spell of New Zealand’s left-arm quick without losing his wicket then it’ll be a victory for the Indian opener. The Kiwi paceman has dismissed Rohit once in Test cricket and would love to add more to that tally in the upcoming Final.
Tom Latham versus Ishant Sharma
Veteran pacer Ishant Sharma is the most experienced Test cricketer in the current Indian squad. Since the 2014 tour to New Zealand it has been a dramatic turnaround for the right arm pacer in Test cricket as his significant improvement with the red ball has been one of the main reasons of India’s overseas success in the last few years.
Ishant in particular has a personal liking for the left-handed batsman; he challenges both the inside and outside edge of the left-hander and that’s where New Zealand’s incumbent opener Tom Latham has to be careful while opening the innings for the Black Caps. Latham like Ishant has gone from strength-to-strength in his Test career and has performed in every condition, which makes him a tough player to plan against as a bowling unit. The left-hander is equally impressive on both sides of the wicket and Ishant will look to unsettle him early in his innings by testing him in the corridor of uncertainty and create the best chance to take his wicket.
Talking about matchups Ishant has bowled six overs against Latham in Test cricket, getting him out twice which suggests that Latham-Ishant battle again will be the one to watch out for in the WTC Final.
Written by Vaibhav Tripathi. Follow Vaibhav on Twitter today.
ENG vs NZ Test series: 5 key players to watch out for | 5 players to watch out for in the upcoming England vs New Zealand Test series
The English summer is probably the most exciting period in the calendar year for all cricket lovers around the globe. This year, the English summer is going to start with a bang as the home side will lock horns with the number two ranked Test side, New Zealand.
England are going to face some real challenges in the absence of some of their key players like Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer and Chris Woakes. On the other hand, the Kiwis are touring England after a huge gap of six years and hence it is not going to be a cake walk for them as well. There are some players who I think will play key roles for their respective teams in this two-match series and I am going to mention five such players in this article. Here we go.
Joe Root
ENG vs NZ Test series: 5 key players to watch out for – Joe Root
The first one in my list is Joe Root. The English batting lineup depends largely on him in the absence of Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler. He was in fantastic touch in the recent series against India and Sri Lanka. If I talk about overall stats, Root has scored 426 runs at a very impressive average of 53.25 against New Zealand in England. The last time he played against the Kiwis, Root scored 239 runs at an amazing average of 79.67. He has to play the most important role for England to put solid totals. It will be interesting to see how he goes this time.
Kane Williamson
Although Williamson doesn’t have a great overall record in England, his numbers at Lord’s, where the first Test is scheduled, is magnificent. He has scored 225 runs at a brilliant average of 56.25 at this particular venue. He is a more experienced player now than he was in 2015 when the Kiwis toured England for the last time. He had an extraordinary home season against West Indies and Pakistan in 2020-2021. Obviously, he is going to be the key batsman for the visitors and their overall success with the bat will depend on their skipper to a great extent.
Stuart Broad
ENG vs NZ Test series: 5 key players to watch out for – Stuart Broad
Stuart Broad is the partner in crime of James Anderson. He has terrific numbers at both the grounds, Lord’s and Edgbaston, where the 2 Tests are scheduled to be played. He has a bowling average of just over 27 and a SR of 53.52 at Lord’s, whereas his average and SR with the ball at Edgbaston are 23.63 and 47.23 respectively.
He had a fabulous summer last year against West Indies and Pakistan as he picked 29 wickets at a superb average of 13.41 and a SR of 31.89 in both the series combined. He has pretty good numbers against New Zealand as well (an average of 27.18 and SR of 51.53). Broad and Anderson form the most lethal duo in England as we have seen over the years. So, I expect some serious returns from Stuart Broad in the absence of other frontline experienced seamers like Chris Woakes and Jofra Archer.
Among the Kiwi seamers in the squad, Trent Boult has done the best in England. Boult has picked 21 wickets in just 4 games in England including 2 fifers. He is an outstanding swing bowler and would definitely like to bowl in English conditions. Talking about the technical flaws of the Englishmen, Rory Burns goes far too across; Dom Sibley, though gritty, has some technical limitations around both off and leg stump channels as well. Also, the English middle order is supposed to be a bit inexperienced in the absence of Stokes and Buttler. So I feel it is a great chance for Boult to exploit them and he is definitely going to play the most crucial role with the ball for the Kiwis.
James Anderson
ENG vs NZ Test series: 5 key players to watch out for – James Anderson
The one player I definitely expect to perform admirably in this series is the 38-year old veteran James Anderson. Anderson has 103 scalps at Lord’s at a brilliant average of 23.89 and a SR of 52.81. Also, he has a fifer against NZ at that particular venue. His average and SR at the other venue Edgbaston are 22.02 and 46.09 respectively. He has his second best bowling SR against New Zealand; so it’s pretty evident that he loves the Kiwis. Talking about his current form, he was fantastic in Sri Lanka and bowled his heart out in India with utmost control. We all know how good he is in England. So, I really expect Anderson to deliver yet again in this series.
Apart from these guys, Kyle Jamieson, Ollie Pope and BJ Watling are three more players I expect to deliver in this series. Jamieson has been fantastic right from his debut. He possesses the all-round ability and is certainly a key member of the New Zealand test side. The solitary question will be how he deals with the Dukes ball. Pope has been in great touch in the ongoing county Championship as he has notched up 555 runs at a splendid average of 61.67 and hence he surely would like to have a great summer unlike last year. On the other hand, BJ Watling has scored 778 runs against England at an average of 55.57 (2 hundreds, 5 fifties in 15 innings). In England, he has amassed 284 runs at a superb average of 56.8 including 1 hundred and 2 fifties. He would love to end his illustrious career on a high note.
Samuel Badree: The most overlooked T20 cricketer ever? | A look at the career and numbers of Samuel Badree. Is he the most overlooked T20 player?
Quality wrist-spin bowling is always a joy to watch. Although, at the same time, wrist-spin is inherently an extremely difficult craft to master. It takes a long time to reach maturity and get the ball to pitch where you want it to. The difficulty involved is primarily due to the fact that the ball has to exit the side/back of your hand before travelling through the air, consequently giving you lesser control since your arm is no longer behind the ball.
But then, there stood out a wrist-spin maestro, who over a sample of 4,125 balls recorded a mind-boggling economy-rate of just 6.02 – lesser than the likes of Narine & Vettori – in T20 cricket. In this article, let us all take a trip down the memory line and reminisce about one of the most overlooked T20 cricketers of all-time – Samuel Badree.
In T20 cricket, each and every ball delivered in the powerplay is an event. Batsmen, generally, try to attack so as to maximise the field restrictions and score as many runs as possible, hence making life difficult for bowlers.
Being different from a traditional leg-spin bowler, Badree normally used to bowl in the first six overs. “I think I have opened the bowling every single time for the West Indies.” said the man himself in an interview with ESPNCricinfo in 2017. The fact that he, being a wrist-spinner, used to open the bowling make his contributions far more appreciable and momentous.
For spinners – wrist-spinners in particular – the challenge of bowling the new-ball is relatively greater than seamers. The presence of lacquer makes it tough to grip the ball, consequently making the already difficult task of bowling leg-spin with control twice more challenging. Despite this, the precision with which Badree delivered in the powerplay was exemplary.
Since he choked runs such well, whenever Badree was taken off the attack, batsmen often used to overcompensate and provide breakthroughs to other bowlers.
No spinner has bowled more overs or picked more wickets than Samuel Badree in the powerplay in T20 cricket.
Badree wasn’t a ‘mystery spinner’, and neither was he a big turner of the ball.
The amount of spin Shane Warne extracted from the pitch was absurd. He spun the ball 19% more than the next biggest spinner in our T20 database & in a stat that illustrates how leg spin has been transformed: more than double Rashid Khan & 66% more than Samuel Badree. @CricVizpic.twitter.com/yWTTTPEVrk
In fact, what Badree did was pretty repetitive. Like a machine, he kept bowling his fast leg-breaks at a line and length most batsmen found difficult to hit. Also, he bowled the occasional wrong’un, turning in to the right-hander. But Badree being an anti-thesis to the typical West Indies player, away from all the attention and reception, nobody took note of his performances. He thrived on that fact that nobody planned for him.
Samuel Badree was a crucial part of Windies’ successful campaigns in the World T20. In 2012 – in Sri Lanka – Badree had an economy-rate of 5.56 as he picked 4 wickets in 4 games. Come 2016 – in India – he played 6 matches, picked 9 wickets at a bowling average of 13.77 and recorded a staggering economy-rate of 5.39. In both the editions, Badree succeeded in choking runs better than anybody else from the Windies squad.
In 2016, in the semi-final against India, whilst Simmons, Russell & Charles took the honours for a thrilling run-chase, in a game in which 388 runs were scored, Badree, who bowled his four overs for just 26 runs – also picking up the wicket of Rohit Sharma – as ever, went unnoticed, as he quietly did his job with the ball. Even in the final versus England, because of Carlos Brathwaite’s heroics, Badree’s spell of 4-1-16-2 never gets talked about.
In fact, Badree, with his sublime performances presented a strong case to be awarded as the man of the tournament in 2016. But yes, Badree being Badree, was once again overlooked.
Between 2012 and 2016, playing for the West Indies, he picked up 42 wickets – fourth highest after Ashwin, Afridi and Shakib Al Hasan. His bowling-average and strike-rate read 15.98 and 17.14 respectively, while his economy-rate was unbelievable as always – 5.59.
Credits: Cricmetric
Besides the two World T20s, Badree’s performances had helped his team – Trinidad & Tobago – to prevail in the Caribbean Premier League as many as four times – in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015.
As per ‘Impact Index’, although Narine triumphed over Badree in a number of areas, what made Badree the ‘highest impact T20 player’ was his performances in playoff matches.
“Badree played in twenty-one big matches in his career and produced a high impact performance in six of them, failed in just four and done reasonably well in the others. Narine has played twenty-two such matches, with high impact performances four times and eight failures. Malinga has played twenty-four, with four high impact performances and ten failures. So, this is where Badree sails over the others, even though he has not been the leading act sometimes.
In the end, Badree’s impact in big matches is 25 per cent higher than Narine’s and 78 per cent higher than Malinga’s.”
Sadly though, since Badree never really made a mark in the IPL, notwithstanding the volume of his performances, he always remained under the radar. These days, he’s a spin-bowling coach for an IPL franchisee, the Delhi Capitals.
Written by Sparsh Telang. Follow Sparsh on Twitter today
Cricket Scotland make strong statement against abuse | Cricket Scotland promises to take strongest possible action against online abuse
Cricket Scotland has taken to social media to make a strong statement against abuse and harrassment of its players, staff or opponents. Scotland’s women’s team has just completed their four-match T20I series against Ireland, which ended in a hard-fought 3-1 series defeat. Also, the men’s side recently fought out a 1-1 ODI series draw against the Netherlands, coming back from 1-0 down to level the series.
Unfortunately, with cricket comes the disappointment of social media abuse. It’s disgusting behaviour that all involved in professional sport are trying to stamp out. Cricket Scotland acknowledged that it’s great to have cricket back, and promised to engage in the strongest possible action against such behaviour.
“It’s great to back playing cricket and we love connecting with fellow fans of the game around the world,” the statement read. “But we will not tolerate abuse or harrassment directed at our players, staff or opponents from our followers.
“We will pursue the strongest possible action against anyone engaging in this behaviour. #EnoughIsEnough.”
— Cricket Scotland (@CricketScotland) May 27, 2021
This also comes after Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford tweeted the abuse he was receiving after his team’s Europa League Final defeat to Villarreal. Sport stars are subject to more abuse, particularly racial, than ever before, and players and boards are putting onus on the social media giants, including Twitter, to do more to stamp such behaviour out of the platforms.
At least 70 racial slurs on my social accounts counted so far. For those working to make me feel any worse than I already do, good luck trying ??
— Marcus Rashford MBE (@MarcusRashford) May 26, 2021
