Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh’s superstar all-rounder, is set to return to training as his return to international cricket is fast approaching.
Shakib, banned for a year after failing to report corrupt approaches, is free to play international cricket again from October 29. Nazmul Abedeen, Shakib’s mentor, told ESPNcricinfo that Bangladesh’s greatest cricketer is preparing to undergo a training camp at his alma mater, the BKSP facility in Savar. The training will be a full-fledged program to ensure Shakib returns to full fitness.
“Shakib will come to the BKSP next month where he will have coaches and trainers available,” Abedeen said. “We are functional as the coaches are all residing within the campus, so we can work with him well. Shakib will have everything at his disposal.”
Shakib believes he will return to a cricket as a more mature and calm man. He previously spoke of the influence of his two daughters on his life, as well as how he wants both himself and others to learn from his mistakes.
“You have to be honest,” said Shakib. “You just can’t lie to the people and pretend different things. Whatever happened has happened. People are bound to make mistakes. You are not 100%. The important thing is how well you can come back from those mistakes. You can tell other people not to make those mistakes. Tell them the path so that they never take those paths.”
Shakib is currently in the United States with his family. His return to international cricket coincides with Bangladesh’s possible tour of Sri Lanka, a three-match Test series that the SLC and BCB are working towards starting in mid-October. However, it remains to be seen whether Shakib will play a part in that series, should it go ahead.
The Indian government is all-but-set to grant permission to the BCCI to stage IPL 2020 in the UAE. A formal letter is expected to be provided anytime now.
The showpiece T20 tournament, originally scheduled for March 29, was first postponed to April 15. However, India is continuously trying to cope with a very sharp rise in COVID-19 cases, which has now crossed the two-million mark.
Earlier this week, the IPL governing council met to discuss key contingency plans to ensure the tournament goes ahead as smoothly as possible. These plans will now form part of the tournament’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
BCCI will hand down penalties for breachingthe bio-secure bubble
The BCCI is yet to confirm what the penalty is, but any player or staff member who breaches the bio-secure bubble will face consequences. However, there are special circumstances where penalties won’t apply, such as going to the hospital for scans.
“Breach of any Bio-Secure Environment protocols by players and team support staff will be punishable under the IPL Code of Conduct Rules,” the IPL said in the 16-page draft SOP document. The document is titled “Overview of Health & Safety Protocols during IPL 2020 Season”.
In addition, each team will have a doctor, who will be responsible for implementing strict medical protocols to ensure the tournament goes ahead without major issues. Also, all eight teams will be required to stay apart. “Team members must be allotted rooms in a separate wing of the hotel that has a separate centralised air conditioning (AC) unit than the rest of the hotel,” the IPL said. Team meetings need to be conducted in areas that are as open as possible.
Enter Scalene Hypercharge Corona Canon (Shycocan)
The IPL has recommended the use of Shycocan to mitigate the risk of COVID-19. Shycocan is “a device that has the ability to neutralise 99.9% of the coronavirus that might be floating in the air in closed spaces.” Also, on match days:
Players are discouraged to engage in celebrations such as hugging or handshakes
Temperatures will be checked before and after matches, and;
Family members not part of the bubble will not travel with the squad
Australia’s Test schedule has been thrown into some chaos, as the Boxing Day Test – the showpiece event of the Australian summer – might be moved away from Melbourne.
Cricket Australia’s (CA) schedule was tentatively put in place two months ago, in case the country saw a spike in COVID-19 cases. This has unfortunately been the case in Melbourne. CA also recently confirmed its Big Bash League (BBL) plans, which are also thrown into some chaos as a number of games are planned to be played in Melbourne.
Earlier this week, Melbourne moved into full lockdown and was declared a state of disaster, as the state of Victoria continues to struggle in its attempt to control the spread of the virus. The state now (as of 7th August) has 7,449 active cases, with daily cases increasing by the hundreds. As a result, other states, including New South Wales and Queensland, have closed their borders to Victoria, which makes the current schedule just about impossible to fulfill.
One senior cricket official told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age that there is no way that the current schedule can go ahead as planned. CA chairman Earl Eddings has called for an emergency meeting next week, with the Boxing Day Test high on the agenda. CA will also need to look at their contingency plans, in terms of how such changes will affect the summer’s $300 million season.
Also, IPL 2020, now confirmed for UAE, also presents a challenge. The first Test of the Australian summer, against Afghanistan, was due to begin on November 21. However, the IPL Final is pencilled in for November 10, which means that if Australian or Afghanistan players are involved, they will not be able to quarantine for 14 days upon their arrival to Australia, which is currently a government requirement during the COVID-19 pandemic.
So, it looks highly unlikely that the Australia-Afghanistan Test will go ahead as planned.
For the Boxing Day Test, Adelaide has reportedly put its hand up to host the Test and is a good chance. It is unclear whether Perth, who is scheduled to host the Afghanistan Test, is in the running to host the Boxing Day blockbuster. As the situation worsens, CA will need to make some urgent decisions regarding the Test season, as well as the BBL, as the competition has two Melbourne teams (Stars and Renegades).
Cricket fanaticism in Australia is certainly in-line with what we feel in India. The emotion runs high, every child picks up a bat as an infant, and a huge crowd the MCG on Boxing Day to headline the Australian summer (although very unlikely to be the case this year due to the pandemic).
The culture of the Australian team might have changed post Sandpapergate and the huge media backlash on the ‘win at all cost’ mindset, but the Aussie intent and the hunger to win is still intact.
In the summer of 2018-19, Virat Kohli’s troops had conquered the Australian soil for the first time ever, winning the series 2-1. Knowing the nature of the Aussies, they would be seething. They take great pride in the baggy green and are not known to let go of a loss. That too at home.
That loss left deep scars in Australia’s memory. Apart from Perth, India dominated the series in all three departments. To sum up Australia’s agony, not a single batsman was able to score a century in the 4-match Test series. It was an abject surrender from the home side.
Indian team celebrates after they win the Border-Gavaskar series 2-1
Those wounds are still fresh and the Aussies are hungry to go for the kill against India this summer. They were without their two best batsmen last time around, but now they have the ammunition to reverse the equation against a strong team like India.
The experience of Smith and Warner at the top, talented youngsters like Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head to handle the middle order and a solid mind in a captain like Tim Paine. They have a well-settled bowling line-up with the likes of Cummins, Hazlewood, and Starc and undoubtedly the best spinner in the current generation, Nathan Lyon. The perfect recipe for success. Call it revenge, redemption or retribution, the Australians would come out all guns blazing in the 1st Test at Brisbane.
Virat Kohli will face a tough challenge after their recent drubbing in New Zealand
India lost a series each in England and South Africa in 2018. Now the team is under some heavy scrutiny after their recent drubbing in New Zealand. With Australia looking stronger than ever, this will be one of the most challenging series for India and Virat Kohli. One that might define Kohli – ‘The Captain’.
Cricket Australia has confirmed the series to go ahead as scheduled and a lot is at stake for both teams when they lock horns this December. Here’s a look at all the big challenges and the battles to watch out for in the tour down under.
1. India’s 1st Away D/N Test
“We’ll ask Virat and see if we can get his permission to play at Brisbane and also play a D/N Test”, replied Tim Paine to a reporter’s question, taking a sly jibe at his Indian counterpart. Kohli is someone who doesn’t back away from challenges. As per the schedule released by Cricket Australia, India would be playing the first Test at Brisbane, a venue where Australia has not lost at since 1988.
India is set to play their 1st Away D/N Test when they tour Australia this summer
The second Test will be D/N and would be played in Adelaide. The Indian team is pretty inexperienced when it comes to playing under lights and has played only a solitary Test, that too at home against Bangladesh. Playing the pink-ball Test in Australia would be a different beast altogether for Kohli and Co. It’ll be interesting to see how the Indian batsmen tackle the moving ball against a strong Australian pace line-up.
2. Virat Kohli Vs Steve Smith
Steve Smith recently said the upcoming Australia-India series has the potential to be one of the all-time great series. Well said.
The battle between Smith and Kohli will be a beauty. Kohli is certainly the best batsman across all three formats, but Smith pips him when it comes to the Test format. Smith, often touted as the next Bradman, has 26 centuries to his name at a staggering average of 62.84.
Virat Kohli Vs Steve Smith
This battle had lost voice post the Sandpapergate, but is now reignited after Smith’s fantastic comeback to Test cricket in the Ashes last year. Smith also regained the No. 1 place in the Test batting ranking even after a 1-yr exodus from cricket.
The pressure would be on Kohli to prove a point. Also, Kohli is going through a bit of rough patch with a total of just 38 runs in four innings against New Zealand. He has now gone 22 innings without scoring a hundred. Kohli’s 123 in Perth in 2018 remains his last Test hundred on an overseas tour. He would be hungry to get some runs under his belt and make a statement.
Just recently, Australia replaced India at the helm of the ICC Test cricket rankings. India had held this position since 2016, but have now dropped to the third place after their stupendous 2016-17 record was eliminated from the annual update.
Australia benefited from their recent wins against England in the Ashes and New Zealand at home, while India suffered a 2-0 drubbing against the Kiwis. It’s been quite a turnaround from Australia, considering that the team was in shambles after the ban on Smith and Warner and didn’t even know their Test playing XI. Now, the No. 1 ranking would again be up for grabs when India face the Australians this summer.
4. World Test Championship
If everything goes as planned, the top two teams in the points table of the Test championship will be playing the Final in June 2021 at Lord’s. Currently, India stands at 360 points, while Australia is at a total of 296 points.
India and Australia fight for a place in the Final of the World Test Championship
India is left with a home series against England, which they are expected to win. Australia will have an uphill task as they tour South Africa for the first time after the infamous ball-tampering incident. Australia also has a tour of Bangladesh, which is yet to be rescheduled.
This will more be a challenge for Australia. They’ll have to achieve a great result in this series if they have to finish at the top. With 120 points up for the taking, this series could be the decider of who cements their place of playing the Final at Lord’s.
Ravi Shastri had said in a press conference in 2018 that this is India’s best traveling side in 15 years. Not a lot of people were amused by this statement, but the Indian team had the numbers and ranking by their side. Now, India has slipped to No. 3 and is also in danger of dropping down in the points table of the ICC Test championship. It’ll be interesting to see how the much-touted Indian Test team responds to a recent blip in their success when they tour down under.
Written by Parth Gera. Follow Parth on Twitter today.
Top 5 best innings played in IPL playoffs | Opinion: which knocks make the top 5 best innings list in IPL playoffs history?
The Indian Premier League is well renowned for its close, tightly-contested matches. Several games in the IPL playoffs have propelled individuals to come up with iconic performances that completely shifted the course of the encounter or the team’s run in the league itself.
There have been numerous laudable batting outings by batsmen in these crunch games. Hence, it was quite a task to figure out the five topmost innings played in the playoff stages of the Indian Premier League. Until 2010, the tournament used to have a semi-final format to for the top four teams from the league stages to qualify for the finals. Thereafter, the IPL playoffs system was introduced that is implemented even now.
Without further ado, let us delve further ahead into the article:
5: Murali Vijay – 95 runs off 52 balls in the IPL 2011 Final
There are certain innings where a player bats the opposition out of the match completely.
Chennai Super Kings were on the quest for a consecutive IPL title, and Murali Vijay ensured that it happened through a fantastic innings of 95 runs from 52 deliveries in the final match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Vijay fearlessly took on the bowling attack, notching four boundaries and smacking the ball out of the park on six occasions.
By the time he departed at the start of the 19th over, the team had already put up 188 runs on the board and the morale of the adversary dropped significantly. The MS Dhoni-led side expectedly won the final by 58 runs and the batsman from Tamil Nadu was named as the ‘Man of the Match’.
4: AB de Villiers – 79* runs off 47 balls in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2016
RCB marginally missed on claiming the IPL trophy in 2016, but they surely put up some memorably entertaining knocks in their quest for the same. AB de Villiers’ unbeaten innings of 79 runs in 47 deliveries in the first qualifier of the tournament is definitely an outing worth recalling.
Gujarat Lions had posed a target of 159 for the Bengaluru-based side. However, RCB had succumbed to 29/5 at one point even before the conclusion of the field restriction overs. AB de Villiers, surely part of the all-time IPL XI, managed to calm the storm, stuck incredibly valuable partnerships with the likes of Stuart Binny and Iqbal Abdullah to lead his team to snatch a victory from the jaws of the Lions.
The immense experience that the Protea has gathered over the years was visible as he didn’t lose his composure and took on the opposition’s weak underbelly as the game progressed.
He held one end up, but didn’t allow the scoring rate to shoot up either and it was a fantastic demonstration of a team’s senior batsman taking up the mantle to do all the dirty work and eventually emerge triumphant from a woeful spot of bother.
AB de Villiers has produced many great knocks, including in IPL playoffs
3: Adam Gilchrist – 85 runs off 35 balls in the IPL 2009 Semi Final
Delhi Daredevils were on an absolute rampage in IPL 2009, before an Adam Gilchrist classic struck them hard in the Semi Final. The veteran southpaw opened the innings for Deccan Chargers whilst chasing 154 runs to book a place in the Final. Much like the quintessential Gilchrist knock, he took the game away from the opposition within the first ten overs of the innings itself.
The Aussie wicketkeeper scored a massive 85 runs in merely 35 balls, which included ten boundaries and five sixes. He brilliantly capitalized on the left-arm bowling trio of Dirk Nannes, Ashish Nehra and Pradeep Sangwan. The quick pace of the pitch allowed Gilchrist to pierce the ball through the gaps very swiftly and take his team to 102 runs at the end of 10 overs.
Deccan Chargers only required 52 runs from 10 overs after Adam Gilchrist fell to Amit Mishra’s bowling. That innings pretty much set the tone for the side to win the IPL Title that season, as the momentum had completely shifted to their favor. Indeed, the team acted as if they had become ten feet tall after Gilchrist’s onslaught.
2: Manish Pandey – 94 runs off 50 balls in the IPL 2014Final
This match saw Wriddhiman Saha score a classy century in the first innings. However, the sheer fact that Manish Pandey anchored the Kolkata Knight Riders’ chase and stayed at the crease until the 17th over after being called on to bat in the first over itself means that his effort triumphs that of Saha in our list.
The openers couldn’t contribute much to KKR’s cause, but Pandey was well-supported by Yusuf Pathan as the duo went after a formidable target with supreme tactical nous and calculated risks. The Karanataka-batsman cleared the ropes six times in addition to adding seven boundaries.
At the time of his dismissal, KKR required a mere 21 runs from three overs. Pandey had bagged 54.97% of his team’s runs during the 16.2 overs that he was out in the middle. Such innings are a testament to the ideal number three batsman in the shortest format of the game and Manish Pandey can surely stake claim to be one of them.
1: Suresh Raina -87 runs off 25 balls in Qualifier 2 of IPL 2014
Perhaps the best IPL inning that resulted in a defeat for the team. Suresh Raina’s herculean but unsuccessful attempt to stimulate CSK to chase down the target of 227 runs set by the Kings XI Punjab in the second qualifier is one for the ages.
The dynamic left-handed batsman scored 87 runs from 25 deliveries at a strike rate of 348 as his team raced their way to 100 runs in the first six overs the innings itself.
Raina’s knock comprised of 12 boundaries and six sixes, which amount to 84 runs. That means 88.88% of his runs came via boundaries – a feat that is rarely ever seen even in a blitzkrieg like T20 cricket. The southpaw appeared to be unstoppable that night, as he seamlessly sent the likes of Mitchell Johnson, Parwinder Awana and others wretched on their way back after their respective deliveries.
Raina could have scored the quickest T20 century, as well as secured a victory for his team if not for that fatal mix-up with Brendon McCullum that ended up in him being run-out and thereby diminishing CSK’s hopes of making their way into the final match of the tournament.
Written by Tarkesh Jha. Follow Tarkesh on Twitter today.
The 3 Times a Team Achieved a Miracle Victory after Following On | How many times has a team won a Test match after following on?
Written by Kristopher Hinz
Kris is also a commentator for Flashscore Cricket. You can follow their live ball-by-ball commentary for all international cricket and the IPL. Check them out on Facebook and Twitter
Seeing the follow-on enforced these days is a rare thing, but it may become more common if four-day Tests become a regular occurrence. What is truly remarkable to note is that out of the 286 times that the follow-on has been enforced in Tests, the side asked to follow on has won just three times.
Let’s take a closer look at those three special victories.
England vs Australia, SCG, 1894:
After winning the toss and electing to bat, Australia amassed 586. They were led by allrounder George Giffen (with 161) and star batsman Syd Gregory, who smashed 201. England toiled for more than 170 overs and at one stage looked to have Australia at least somewhat under control at 408/8, but wicketkeeper and Australian skipper Jack Blackham changed things with a counter-attacking 74 in only 86 minutes. Faced with a mountain to climb, England barely scraped to 325 in an agonising 140 overs, with Albert Ward’s 75 the only resistance of note.
Ward went one better in the next round, making 117 in the second inning as Australia enforced the follow on. With support from Jack Brown and some handy lower order resistance, England managed a much more competitive 437, which gave them an overall lead of 176. But things still looked to be headed in Australia’s favour when the home side reached 113/2 at stumps on the penultimate day. Rainfall changed things, and in an era when pitches were left uncovered overnight, this caused havoc with the pitch conditions. All of a sudden, England had a way back into the match. Bobby Peel (6/67) and Johnny Briggs (3/25 to go with 57 and 42) took advantage, rolling Australia for 166 and claiming a 10-run win.
Remembered as the Test match that turned Ian Botham’s career around, this match may have raised eyebrows if it was played in the 21st century. Ian Botham had been recently appointed captain of the England side but had made a disastrous start to his Ashes campaign. The English selectors decided to hand the reins to the experienced Mike Brearley.
The change in leadership didn’t seem to be making much of a difference when Australia reduced England to 135/7. It was at that point that Aussie tearaway Dennis Lillee and his wicketkeeping pal Rod Marsh decided to place a bet on England at odds of 500/1, something which as previously noted, would surely raise eyebrows now. This did not bother Botham, as he simply played with unbridled freedom from that point on. With the support of Graham Dilley (56) and Chris Old (29), he smashed an unbeaten 149 at over a run a ball, including 27 fours and a huge six that flew as Richie Benaud said “into the confectionary stand.” Set 130, Australia looked to be in control, as they had a century earlier, when they reached 56/1. But Bob Willis turned it around with 8/43 as England took a morale-boosting 18-run win which proved to be the catalyst for their eventual series victory.
India had tried manfully in the first Test. But it is worth remembering that Australia were at the zenith of their cricketing powers and not even a spell of 3/8 from Harbhajan Singh could stop them from reeling in an easy 10-wicket win.
So, when India fell to 113/8, still 332 runs behind Australia’s first innings total of 445 (despite a hat-trick for Harbhajan), it looked to be much the same story. India added some valuable runs on day three but were unable to save the follow on.
It was Rahul Dravid’s arrival at the crease during the second innings that turned things around. India went from 232/4 to 608/5 when his partner VVS Laxman was finally removed for a scarcely believable, silky 281. Dravid was more stout, but no less imperious, with his dour 180 from 353 balls. India eventually declared on 657/7, leaving Australia 384 to win. Once again, Harbhajan did the damage, claiming 6/73 and bowling India to a mammoth 171-run win, by far the biggest margin of victory by a Test team following on, and without a doubt India’s greatest Test win ever.
India vs Australia, 2001: The greatest Test victory after following on
Written by Kristopher Hinz
Kris is also a commentator for Flashscore Cricket. You can follow their live ball-by-ball commentary for all international cricket and the IPL. Check them out on Facebook and Twitter
Kris is also a commentator for Flashscore Cricket. You can follow their live ball-by-ball commentary for all international cricket and the IPL. Check them out on Facebook and Twitter
Cricket has changed so much over the years, but one thing has remained constant: the impact of an all-rounder – a player who can turn things around with multiple skills. A genuine all-rounder is so rare that teams end up coveting even the bits-and-pieces players to boost the team’s balance.
When this writer sat down to come up with the three best names to have played Test cricket, it proved to be a tougher task than anticipated. Even if we take out the pretenders, there are enough names to keep us engaged. That made it mandatory to formulate some ground rules.
First and foremost, only those players were selected who can make the final XI on at least two skills. A bowler who can bat or a batsman who can bowl is not something that will make this list. An all-rounder has to be good at both the trades so that he can play as a genuine batsman or a genuine bowler (or genuine wicket-keeper) – genuinely good at two skills. The likes of Kapil Dev and Richard Hadlee might find it tough to make our list, but that’s for later in the article.
Secondly, we are looking at the longevity of the players. Being an all-rounder is a very demanding ask and burns players out. Although we have our sympathies with the tribe, our elite all-rounders are only those who have maintained their skills for long periods of time. This time, it is the turn for the likes of Andrew Flintoff to miss out, whose body denied him a chance to make the list.
Thirdly, we need players who are ‘game-changers’ – those players who can single-handedly change the course of a match and are versatile. Those players who can win sessions on their own with their instinctive play. It could be with the bat or with the ball or even with a spectacular fielding effort. These are the players the captains turn to as an ‘SOS’ option and more often than not, they deliver.
Based on these three rules, the field was narrowed down to Sir Garfield Sobers, Jacques Kallis, and Adam Gilchrist, in no particular order, as the best three all-rounders of all-time.
Ian Chappell once described Sobers as the ‘best batsman he had ever seen’. Coming from someone who doesn’t praise players easily, that was high praise indeed. The numbers that Sobers stacked up speak volumes of his versatility, especially highlighting the skill of a player who started at no.9 on his debut Test and went on to score the fifth highest individual score ever in Test cricket (365).
Sobers ranks very high on our skills parameter, because he could bowl fast-medium or spin depending on the match situation. He could walk into any side for any of his skills – batting, bowling, fielding, or even as a captain!
As far as longevity is concerned, he had a very successful 20-year stint in the Test arena and 22 years in first-class cricket. In every single game, Sobers played as a genuine all-rounder and that made him very special. He could change his game to suit the needs of his team and this versatility was and is second to none – probably the first of his kind that cricket has seen. In short, he was the first original all-rounder that Test cricket produced.
Sobers: Arguably the greatest all-rounder of all time.
Kallis was described by Steve Waugh as the greatest cricketer ever. Waugh said that “You only have to look at the runs he has scored, the wickets and the catches he has taken for South Africa.”
How true! Unlike most of the all-rounders (like Ian Botham, Richard Hadlee, Imran Khan, or even Ben Stokes in recent times), Kallis was a technically brilliant batsman. He brought a very classical approach at the crease and could play any shot from the cricketing manual. To top that, Kallis put a price on his wicket that was often too much and too high for the bowlers. That said, his bowling and slip catching were equally exceptional to land him a spot in any Test side.
He batted at three or four for South Africa throughout his career, was a gun fielder in the slips, and was an impact bowler who never shied away from a spell. Kallis’ longevity should be a case study for all budding all-rounders, especially if you add his equally spectacular ODI career. Further to this, Kallis could morph easily into a Rahul Dravid and blunt the opposition attack, become a Matthew Hayden to slay the bowlers, or be a Steve Waugh to be the team’s messiah. In short, there were very few players who could be as versatile as Kallis was.
Surprised at finding a ‘keeper-batsman in the list? Well, Gilchrist was used to changing the status quo and the game’s orthodoxy, so don’t be. If there was one player who changed the way modern cricket is played, it was him. Before Gilchrist, scoring 250 a day was par score in Test cricket. Gilchrist made it 150 a session!
He was the quintessential ‘in your face’ cricketer, whom the bowlers feared. There wasn’t a set template to bowl at Gilchrist, which made him difficult to bowl to. There wasn’t a shot that you could anticipate from Gilchrist, which made it even more difficult – almost impossible, when he was in full flow.
Just like any other all-rounder, Gilchrist was worth his salt in both his skills. He could play as a genuine batsman or a pure ‘keeper on any given day in any conditions. There isn’t any question about his longevity either, as he was a genuine all-rounder from day one of his Test career. His versatility coming in lower down the order was brutally efficient, as he could camouflage into any requirement and make it his own. Mind you, it wasn’t always ‘bang bang’ because Gilchrist was as much a brainy cricketer as he was a brawny one.
That ends the short list of three best all-rounders Test cricket has seen. There’s bound to be some heartburn over the absence of Imran Khan, Richard Hadlee, Kapil Dev, or Sir Ian Botham, but each of them fell a tiny bit short on the parameters. While Imran lacked the longevity on his multiple skills to be considered, Hadlee or Kapil didn’t quite make the grade as genuine batsmen, while Botham’s versatility to be a match-saver sold him short.
Agree with our parameters and the final selections? Join the argument and let us know your thoughts!
Kris is also a commentator for Flashscore Cricket. You can follow their live ball-by-ball commentary for all international cricket and the IPL. Check them out on Facebook and Twitter
What an end to an ODI series sandwiched between two Test series; the first of the ODI cricket league, which required a boost, particularly given the one-sided opening ODI.
Paul Stirling and Andy Balbirnie, two of Ireland’s premier batsmen, came to the fore in the third match. They were well under-par in the opening two matches, but when they found their feet, it was a sight to behold. England, in the end, won the series with key stars out, but their selections, as well as performances of certain players, left a bit to be desired.
Here are five talking points from the England vs Ireland ODI series.
1. See what happens when opportunities are given?
See what happens when the lesser-experienced nations get more opportunities? The three-match series, rather than a one-off ODI, gave Ireland the opportunity to improve as the series went on.
And that they did.
Ireland got progressively better in each ODI. The first was a poor one, but that is understandable given the inexperience in their side. In the second, they reduced England to 137/6 chasing 213. In the third, they chased down a 300+ score; the second time they have achieved this against England, after the classic Bangalore match in the 2011 World Cup.
As mentioned, the class and ability of Paul Stirling and Andy Balbirnie shone through. The bowlers had the better of England’s top order for the most part of the series. If we want cricket to be a truly global game, it is important that teams like Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands are given proper opportunities. A 10-team World Cup is not the answer.
If you provide Ireland, Scotland, NED and other teams more opportunities, they will improve. Give them opportunities…#ENGvIRE
ENG vs IRE ODI series: These teams deserve the opportunity.
2. The emergence of Curtis Campher
However, Ireland’s biggest positive this series was the rise of Curtis Campher. With 127 runs in two innings and five wickets in three, Campher was well in contention for the man of the series award, which was eventually awarded to David Willey.
However, it was more than just the numbers that impressed everyone. It was the context and the manner in which Campher went about his work. In the first ODI, Campher came in with Ireland reeling at 28/5, with their lowest ever ODI score of 80 under threat. He displayed excellent technique and temperament on his way to 59*. The challenge was then backing up his effort two days later, which he did, scoring 68 to elevate Ireland from the depths of 78/5 to the respectability of 212/9.
Campher’s rise gives Ireland hope that they can rediscover their glory days of 2007-2011. He plays the ball nice and late with the bat, and can touch 85mph with the ball. The sky is the limit as Ireland will get more games during the ODI World Cup Super League.
ENG vs IRE ODI series: Curtis Campher a huge positive
3. What’s going on with Jason Roy and Moeen Ali?
To suggest that Jason Roy should be dropped is a little far-fetched. After all, he is part of an opening combination that has the best run rate of any partnership in ODI history (min. 2,000 runs) and averages over 41 in 90 ODIs.
However, there are concerns. Jason Roy has now been dismissed in the first over 15 times since the 2015 World Cup, with Martin Guptill next with six. Also, Roy continues to look fragile against the moving ball. So, how England manage Roy will be interesting to see. Given the way they play, they will surely encourage him to continue going hard, but what happens if there is movement on offer for the bowlers?
Also struggling was Moeen Ali, who took no wickets in the series with only one run to his name. As England’s vice-captain, and with ability on his side, England will need him to discover the form that made him a regular member of their Test and ODI sides.
4. Superb Morgan and Billings overshadow England’s worries. The end of James Vince’s ODI career?
Sam Billings held firm in precarious situations in the opening two ODIs. Eoin Morgan produced a gem of a hundred in the third game after the top three were out cheaply. These were excellent performances, but one can’t help but wonder if England missed an opportunity or two.
England selected James Vince, a player who has struggled to go on with starts for his entire career. His scores this series read 25, 16 and 16, with both his inside and outside edges under serious threat. The crisp, gorgeous cover drives are soon met with frustration, as Vince’s ODI career now hangs by a thread.
So, the question must be asked: was it worth giving Vince this opportunity, over players such as Phil Salt and Sam Hain? The latter has a List A average of 59.78 in 58 matches, and in a time where split squads are a necessity, it looked the perfect opportunity to give him a run in the team. Now, England will have to find another time to play this promising batsman, while James Vince’s ODI career looks all-but-done.
Just over a year ago, David Willey was left heartbroken at missing out on England’s World Cup squad. He was a key contributor in England’s ODI rise since 2015, which made the news all-the-more hard to take. However, he wished the team well.
A year later, Willey has made a successful return to the side, winning man of the series. He was instrumental in England’s two wins, taking 5/30 in the first ODI before taking 2/48 and scoring a crucial 47* to see England home in the second.
What this series has shown that Willey can still contribute when needed, which gives England an excellent option moving forward, should a first-choice seamer not play. Better, he is a team man, and such players are a joy to have in your side.
In the end, England took out the series 2-1, but Ireland can take many positives from their showings. A great way to end the series.
After some ODI action, Test cricket returns as England takes on Pakistan in a three-match series. England will be confident on the back of their series win against the Windies after falling behind in the first Test. Pakistan, as usual, will be the unpredictable side.
Read our match preview so that you already have all the stats and records about the match.
Your victory in Dream11 will depend on the batters you pick and to an extent, on your Captain and Vice-Captain choices as there are quite a few options in this game. You may also face some credit issues in this game. So what can you do to be different from others? Let’s see:
Picking more Bowlers will be a good option despite Old Trafford being a good ground for the batters. Pakistan has an excellent bowling attack which can give some tough times to the English batters. Bowlers like Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah, and Yasir Shah have been selected by a very few numbers of fantasy players and can give you an edge over your opponents. Also, there is a possibility that Pakistan can play two spinners in Yasir and Shadab and they will be important if Pakistan bats first. They are handy with the bat too.
Their batting will be the main concern on this tour and Babar Azam looks like the sole warrior in the batting department for them. So, you can pick the English bowlers who can give you some good points in this match. Jofra Archer and James Anderson have a very selection percentage and we don’t need to tell what they are capable of on their home soil.
Also, the Pakistan batter(s) that you will pick other than Babar Azam will be a very crucial pick in your fantasy team and can win you one-sided if you get it right.
ENG vs PAK 1st Test: Babar Azam is crucial for Pakistan
Round the Wicket Picks:
Some differential picks that you can pick to be different from others:
Mohammad Abbas
Yasir Shah
Naseem Shah
Shan Masood
Jofra Archer
James Anderson
Captain and Vice-Captain
Many good players are being ignored in this match on Dream11 and these players can give you an advantage over other players. Ben Stokes and Babar Azam are the most popular choices as of now. But, Stokes’ record against Pakistan isn’t great and unsure whether he’ll bowl, so you can take the risk and not consider him for C or VC roles.
Joe Root has a great record at Old Trafford and he is a great choice too. Stuart Broad is another good choice considering his form against the Windies. Other risky choices are Rory Burns, James Anderson, etc.
ENG vs PAK 1st Test: Big runs coming for Joe Root?
Some differential choices for Captain and Vice-Captain are:
Joe Root
Stuart Broad
Rory Burns
Jos Buttler (Very Risky)
This is the first of the series so there are good chances of winning by going Round the Wicket while picking your team. There are many differential picks that allow you to be different from the others and increase your chances of winning.
This was our preview for this game. Hope it helps. Follow us on Twitter for some last-minute updates and tips. Good Luck!
ENG vs PAK 1st Test Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs PAK 1st Test Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs Pakistan 1st Test Dream11 | ENG vs PAK 1st Test Key Players | Old Trafford Pitch Report
After the glorious return of international cricket just under a month ago, the action continues as a very interesting and unpredictable Test series is about to get underway.
Pakistan have had some journey to get to this point. Positive COVID-19 cases, testing and extended quarantine/preparation has made the lead up a challenging one. Now, they can look forward to finally getting on the field, and build on the success they have had in England since 2010. However, their success has been in London, so can they replicate that at Old Trafford, against a side who already have three Tests under their belt this season?
That factor as well as home ground advantage makes England favourites. After a poor opening Test against West Indies, the return of Stuart Broad, class of Ben Stokes and doggedness of the England openers saw them roar back in the series. However, while they have good things going for them, they must be on high alert against a Pakistan side that can produce magnificent cricket on their day.
Key Players to Watch/Key Stats
Pakistan’s batsmen found the going tough in their most recent practice match last month. Shan Masood (49) and Fawad Alam (43) top scored in the match.
What a huge series this is for Babar Azam. There is currently a “big four”, but if Babar can deliver here, it’s time to name it the “big five”.
Babar has been superb since the beginning of 2018 (1,375 runs, avg. 65.48). Also, Babar was strong in South Africa (202 runs, avg. 36.83) and Australia (210 runs, avg. 52.50).
Dominic Sibley and Rory Burns: the second coming of Cook and Strauss? Perhaps too early to tell, but they were solid in the recent Test series vs West Indies (Sibley 226 runs avg. 45.20. Burns 234 avg. 46.80).
Of course, it is a must to mention Ben Stokes. He was superb with both and ball in the recent series vs West Indies (363 runs, 9 wickets). Also, Stokes has been immense since the start of 2019. In this period, he has scored 1,453 runs at 51.89 and taken 39 wickets at 28.85. He may not bowl too much, but he is still key.
Of course, the key question is whether Stokes can improve on his batting average of 18.78 in five Tests vs Pakistan.
Will this be a big series for Joe Root? He enjoys playing Pakistan: 9 Tests, 916 runs, avg. 61.06. Also, Root has a strong Test record at Old Trafford: 7 Tests, 725 runs, avg. 72.50.
It is also a big series for Pakistan captain Azhar Ali, who has been under par in the past few years. He did enjoy a solid series in England in 2016 (295 runs, avg. 42.14). Haris Sohail was Pakistan’s leading run-scorer in their last Test series in England, in 2018 (114 runs, avg. 38.00).
Ollie Pope is coming off an excellent 91 vs West Indies.
Mohammad Abbas, one of the world’s underrated Test bowlers, has a big role to play. He was superb in England in 2018, as conditions suit him: 2 Tests, 10 wickets, avg. 14.80.
Stuart Broad. Need we say more? He went past 500 Test wickets and completely dominated the last two Tests vs West Indies, after being left out.
Broad and Anderson perform superbly vs Pakistan. Anderson has 63 wickets in 15 Tests vs Pakistan 18.58. Broad has 54 wickets in 16 Tests at 24.00.
Can youngsters Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi deliver the goods for Pakistan throughout the series? Sohail Khan will be keen for a run, after performing well in the recent tour game (5/39).
Yasir Shahbelieves the pitches will turn. And the tracks have had some turn so far this season. Also, Yasir could contribute with the bat – he scored a century in Australia late last year.
Chris Woakes is superb at home (81 career wickets, avg. 22.53). So too Jofra Archer (26 wickets, 24.92).
ENG vs PAK 1st TestL Babar Azam will be crucial for Pakistan.
Stats and Facts
Old Trafford is usually a good ground for batting first. The average first innings score in the last six Tests is 416.
However, all their victories have been in London (Lord’s and The Oval). They lost by 330 runs in Manchester in 2016.
Pakistan have won their past two Tests, beating Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at home earlier in 2020.
England have a superb record at Old Trafford in Manchester, winning 11 of their past 15 Tests there since 2000.
Possible Playing 11
England have named an unchanged 14-man squad. But, Dom Bess did not bowl a single over in England’s last Test. So, could they leave him out and play the extra batsman in Zak Crawley?
England possible XI: 1. Rory Burns, 2. Dominic Sibley, 3. Zak Crawley, 4. Joe Root (c), 5. Ben Stokes, 6. Ollie Pope, 7. Jos Buttler (wk), 8. Chris Woakes, 9. Jofra Archer, 10. Stuart Broad, 11. James Anderson
It will be interesting to see the make up of Pakistan’s bowling attack. Do they play both their exciting youngsters straight away? There is a good chance that Pakistan will pick two spinners as the surface is expected to be dry.
Pakistan possible XI: 1. Shan Masood, 2. Abid Ali, 3. Azhar Ali (c), 4. Babar Azam, 5. Asad Shafiq, 6. Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 7. Shadab Khan, 8. Yasir Shah, 9. Shaheen Shah Afridi, 10. Naseem Shah, 11. Mohammad Abbas
Old Trafford Pitch Report and Conditions
Old Trafford provided assistance to the bowlers in both Tests against West Indies. However, runs were on offer for those who showed patience and determination. It will be interesting to see what decision the winning captain makes at the toss, after West Indies bowled first twice with no success. A dry pitch is expected.
The weather forecast is pretty good for the match, except for a possible morning shower on the first day.
Dream11 Prediction
Looking for further fantasy cricket tips for this match? Check out CricBlog’s dedicated article here.
Option 1:
ENG vs PAK 1st Test Dream11 Prediction
Option 2:
ENG vs PAK 1st Test Dream11 Prediction
Dream11 and Fantasy Cricket content for you to enjoy on CricBlog:
Pakistan certainly have the ability to cause England an issue or two. However, England, with matches under their belt already, hold the aces. They look good for a first up win.
