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Nottinghamshire replaced Somerset at the top of Group C with a three-wicket victory under the Duckworth-Lewis system

15-Aug-2011
ScorecardNottinghamshire replaced Somerset at the top of Group C with a three-wicket victory under the Duckworth-Lewis system in the Clydesdale Bank 40 floodlit match at Taunton.The visitors reached a twice revised target of 143 in 19 overs with one ball to spare thanks largely to Steve Mullaney’s 50 off 30 balls, with five fours and three sixes, and 42 from Chris Read.Somerset had posted 156 for 6 off 19.2 overs when a shower ended their innings prematurely after the match had been initially reduced to 25 overs per side, Jos Buttler scoring 34 and Nick Compton 34 not out.A further 55 minutes were lost, resulting in the revised target for Notts of 163 from 19 overs under the Duckworth-Lewis system. But after just one over the rain returned and there was another break in play.With the visitors on three without loss, another revised target of 143 off 16 overs was announced. It meant Notts required a further 140 from 90 balls at more than nine an over. Although they lost wickets steadily, Mullaney’s big hitting, having been promoted to opener in the absence of Alex Hales kept them in sight of the required rate.And after he was brilliantly run out by Marcus Trescothick’s direct hit at the bowler’s end from backward point Read took over to see his side to the brink of victory, with a slice of luck in the penultimate over when he was dropped by George Dockrell at long-off off Steve Kirby.Former Somerset player Ben Phillips provided the killer blows with successive boundaries in the final over sent down by Alfonso Thomas.Phillips had earlier taken the key wicket of Trescothick after the Somerset captain had hit 30 off 19 balls. Craig Kieswetter’s bright 23 had helped the hosts to a brisk start, but they slipped to 94 for five before a stand of 62 in eight overs between Buttler and Compton.Both hit towering sixes over long-off when Samit Patel gave the ball some air. When Buttler was caught at long-on off Luke Fletcher the rain which had fallen steadily for much of the innings got harder, forcing the umpires to take the players off.Read was named Man of the Match, but it was Mullaney’s clean hitting that put Nottinghamshire in with a realistic chance. They now lead Group C with 15 points, while Somerset lie second on 13, having played two fewer games.

A Marcus Trescothick cameo helped Somerset maintain their 100% record in this season’s Clydesdale Bank 40 with a crushing 94-run victory over Surrey to stay top of Group A after six matches

25-Jul-2010
Scorecard
Zander De Bruyn top scored for Somerset with 89•PA Photos

A Marcus Trescothick cameo helped Somerset maintain their 100% record in this season’s Clydesdale Bank 40 with a crushing 94-run victory over Surrey to stay top of Group A after six matches.Batting first on a magnificent pitch at The Oval, the Sabres posted a massive 303 for five thanks to a whirlwind 69 off 47 balls from Trescothick and a stand of 145 in 19 overs between Zander de Bruyn and James Hildreth – a Somerset record for the fourth wicket in one-day cricket against Surrey.Trescothick was in blistering form, hitting seven fours in the space of eight deliveries at one point, as the visitors raced to 97 without loss inside 12 overs. Craig Kieswetter, who was forced to play second fiddle to Trescothick, was the first man to go when Gareth Batty had him caught at long-on for 21. Two balls later, Trescothick top-edged Matthew Spriegel to deep backward square.After Nick Compton was stumped off a wide in the 19th over, De Bruyn and Hildreth put their side in a commanding position without taking any obvious risks. De Bruyn, whose fifty came off 53 deliveries, lifted Jade Dernbach over wide long-on for sixes in the 33rd and 37th overs. At the other end, Hildreth, playing the reverse sweep to perfection, went to a 47-ball half-century in the 35th.Having taken the batting powerplay at the start of the 32nd over, 102 runs came off the last nine overs of the Somerset innings. Hildreth made 68 before deflecting Chris Tremlett straight to Mark Ramprakash at short fine leg. In the next over, De Bruyn lost his off stump attempting to paddle sweep Tim Linley. The South African finished with 89 off 78 balls, including seven fours and two sixes.Peter Trego and Jos Butler then took their side past 300 with an unbeaten partnership of 24 in just 10 deliveries for the sixth wicket. Surrey lost Rory Hamilton-Brown in the first over of their reply, when the Lions’ skipper lobbed a catch to mid-off off the bowling of Alfonso Thomas. Five overs later, Steven Davies went for 25, caught low down at mid-on off Trego.Jason Roy had a let-off when he chopped a no-ball from De Bruyn onto his stumps in the seventh over. The resulting free-hit disappeared over long-on. But, four overs later, the 19-year-old, sweeping, was caught on the square-leg boundary.A leaden sky prompted the use of the floodlights. But Surrey’s hopes of pulling off a grandstand finish were extinguished when Murali Kartik had Ramprakash caught at long-on for 42 and Stewart Walters taken behind by Kieswetter for a first-ball duck to make it 110 for five with 22 overs remaining. Spriegel contributed a valiant 53 from 59 balls as Surrey were dismissed for 209, with Kartik taking three for 40.

Sri Lanka captain Asalanka had earlier this year called for better batting tracks but now defended the pitches, saying turning tracks suited their strengths

Madushka Balasuriya18-Oct-20243:17

Sammy: West Indies sent a strong message

West Indies head coach Daren Sammy has declared a “moral victory” for his side in the aftermath of the 2-1 T20I series defeat to Sri Lanka, and questioned the wisdom of the home side pivoting to turning tracks for the final two games, both must-wins for Sri Lanka.In a fairly scathing assessment, Sammy argued that while the next T20 World Cup – in 2026 – was going to be co-hosted by Sri Lanka, such turning tracks would not be the norm with the ICC having primary input over the curation of the wickets.”For us, to see the last two games, and the nature of the wicket from what it was at the start, I thought we actually won the contest,” Sammy said following the third T20I which Sri Lanka won by nine wickets. “Because we were the away team and in conditions set before us, we challenged them with a squad that was not our full squad, and they had to react to that.Related

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“So I told the guys, ‘yes, when the World Cup comes we won’t get these conditions – the ICC will make sure the pitches are good’. So it was a moral victory for us from the first game to the second game.”While Sri Lanka may no doubt contest Sammy’s views, it wasn’t long ago that many within Sri Lanka’s camp were themselves clamouring for more batter-friendly pitches. The calls had followed Sri Lanka’s dismal display in the 2023 World Cup in India, where their batters struggled to match the attacking approach of the top sides. This plan seemed to have taken root, to a fair amount of success, in the early part of the year where high scores were seen more frequently – particularly during the series against Afghanistan, where Sri Lanka narrowly failed to chase down a target of 210.Fast forward to the present, and Sri Lanka have just enjoyed their first-ever T20I bilateral series win against West Indies, which itself followed an ODI series win against India. Both triumphs have, however, taken place on turning tracks, which has brought up the uncomfortable question: are short-term results being prioritised in place of long-term gains?Sri Lankan captain Charith Asalanka – who had been one of those calling for better batting tracks – doesn’t think so, as he instead opted to focus on Sri Lanka’s strengths, in this case their spin bowling.”Sri Lanka’s strength has always been spin, and we still believe that it’s with spin that we will be able to win the most,” he said following Sri Lanka’s win in the third T20I. “So we made pitches to support that strength. When that’s working for us, I think it’s a lot easier for us to win.”Asalanka’s point is a valid one in many ways. In Maheesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga and Dunith Wellalage, Sri Lanka boast a spin attack that would be the envy of most sides in the world, and so playing to those strengths makes sense. Sammy, though, believes this could be to the detriment of their fast-bowling contingent.”When you have pacers, like the two slingers (Nuwan Thushara and Matheesha Pathirana) not getting an opportunity to bowl on good wickets, when the true test comes that’s where you really test your team.”I mean, there’s home advantage, but what good does that make for the development of your squad, especially your fast bowlers, in being able to bowl and have an impact on the game?”Charith Asalanka: “As a team, our goal is that if we get a good wicket abroad, we should be able to score 200-250″•AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala

Sammy’s point holds some merit. In the final T20I, both Pathirana and Thushara bowled just two overs each, with the former being introduced as a seventh bowling option – after both part-time spinners Asalanka and Kamindu Mendis. In contrast, in Sri Lanka’s series win earlier in the year against Afghanistan, only two spinners had been used in each game.And this might be where Asalanka and Sammy perhaps can find some common ground. While Asalanka has championed Sri Lanka’s spinners, he too acknowledges that they need to bolster their fast-bowling ranks.”We have a lot of fast bowlers on our bench. Today you saw Nuwan Thushara and Matheesha Pathirana, and they bowled well when called upon. As a team, however, we need our fast bowlers to improve a little more. Aside from those currently in the side, we need more coming in. That’s how we will be able to play well in any conditions.”Bowling and pitches aside, one immutable fact is that Sri Lanka’s batters turned up more often than did those of West Indies. Sammy, who had stated ahead of the series that he was looking to test their squad depth, is keenly aware of the improvements that need to be made on that front.”We came here with the T20 World Cup I think less than 20 months away. Having seen the way we played on a typical Dambulla wicket – what we expected from what all the stats said – I thought we dominated.”We started the series with a squad looking to see the depth, and the home side had to change the whole set-up to make sure that their spinners got the advantage. Ideally, yes, our men did not respond well to the spin. However, with the mindset that we have in our team being a championship winning team, we must be able to play in different conditions. You know, by letting [our] bowlers be challenged and also our batters be challenged.”Asalanka, for his part, had no such qualms about his batters. Indeed, the scores over the course of the West Indies T20Is indicate that Sri Lanka’s batting has been performing well – they scored at least 160 in each game – despite the nature of the tracks.”We were expecting a spinning wicket in the first game as well, but it didn’t play as we expected,” Asalanka said. “Then in the second game it turned a lot more, but we still managed to score 162, and in this game we chased down 163 in 18 overs. I think, if you look at the scores you can’t really say it’s a bad wicket.”But what about on better tracks? While that is a question that can only be answered definitively once Sri Lanka have to deal with such conditions, Asalanka is confident that their batting line-up is primed to deal with whatever challenges are put before them.”As a team, our goal is that if we get a good wicket abroad, we should be able to score 200-250, but if it’s a harder wicket then we should be able to score 160-170 or in that range.”Against India, we were chasing 200 or so, but after a good start we were unable to finish it off. Even in the last game, we were on the verge of winning but then our set batters were unable to finish the game. On pitches like this it’s important that the batter that is set, as much as possible, takes the game long or finishes it off.”

Ten months on from career-threatening injury, bristling innings answers critics in emphatic style

Andrew Miller21-Jul-2023For some cricketers, the agony of missing out on an Ashes century would be hard to endure. For Jonny Bairstow, however, the raw emotion that went into his stunning innings of 99 not out from 81 balls on the third afternoon at Old Trafford meant that his final numbers mattered not a jot. For Bairstow has fought back from genuine, career-threatening agony in the past year, and at the close of play he let it all pour out in a heartfelt pitch-side interview.”You just don’t know how bad it’s going to be. It could have ended my career,” Bairstow told Sky Sports’ Ian Ward, as he recalled the horrific slip on a golf course last September that brought an abrupt end to the most extraordinary season of his career, and left him instead with a leg that was broken in three places, plus a dislocated ankle and associated ligament damage.A less bloodyminded cricketer than Bairstow might not have even contemplated such a hard-fought comeback, let alone succeed in returning to action in time to take part in one of the most hotly anticipated Ashes series of recent memory. The fact that he did so as wicketkeeper, after the stunning impact of his batting replacement Harry Brook, was an extra burden.At times in the series, it has visibly weighed him down, with a succession of missed chances behind the stumps leading to speculation about his place for this Test. But, after plucking an outstanding one-handed chance off Mitchell Marsh in Australia’s first innings, he rode that confidence into a formidable display of power-hitting at the back-end of England’s reply, with his ten fours and four sixes helping to extend their lead to a daunting 275.”I’ve got nine pins, and a wire that goes through my ankle, and I’ve had nine months out,” he said. “I’m still only 10 months post-operation right now. So when you speak to the surgeon and he says ‘I’m surprised you’re walking and running, never mind playing professional sport’, I’m delighted to be where I’m at.”There’s times when there’s aches and pains and people are saying you’re limping, well, yeah, I am at times, because there’s a lot going on in the ankle, and other bits that people won’t understand. It’s been a rollercoaster. There’s been a lot that’s happened in those nine months. And to come out and take the field again, with a group of boys that I care a heck of a lot about, is a special place for me to be.”Asked about his struggles behind the stumps, Bairstow acknowledged that his lack of playing time had been a massive factor.”There’s been a couple I’ve put down. I’ve not kept wicket for three years,” he said. “I played a couple of games for Yorkshire, then straight into an Ashes series. I didn’t bat against Ireland because the boys played unbelievably well. I’m delighted as to where I am. From a physical point of view, it’s taken a heck of a lot of graft.”But you know what I’m like, you know my personality. It’s not for a lack of trying. I’m very, very proud of every time that I walk out and put on an England shirt, whether it be in a Test match or an ODI or a T20. I’m a proud, proud guy and it means a lot to me, and to get back and be available for selection for the Ashes is something that makes me immensely proud.”I couldn’t have done it without my friends and family, and all the support that they’ve given me throughout the winter. I’m just pleased to be playing. That’s exactly what it’s about. The people that have got your back, the people that are there through thick and thin.”That dressing room is so solid,” he said, gesturing at the England balcony. “We’ve got a special group of players in there, and a group of players that’ll fight tooth and nail for each other, and we’ve seen over the last 12-18 months, the direction that we want to go as a group.”I don’t think that’s changed throughout the series. Our approach has been questioned at times by you guys, but we’ve stuck to our guns all the way through. That’s exactly how we played our cricket ever since Ben [Stokes] came in charge of the side, and that’s what we’re sticking by. We’ve not taken a backward step, no matter who we’ve come up against. Whether that’s right or wrong, we’ll continue to do that because, there’s a bigger picture that’s been spoken about, with the game of Test cricket.”On his tactics on the day, Bairstow acknowledged that his own experience of being a wicketkeeper had helped him to judge which deliveries he could safely steal a bye and get his partner James Anderson off strike, and added of his own hitting options with Australia’s fielders set back on the rope: “When you’re downwind, you’ve got to go up.”With the squares as they are the moment, you’ve got to try and hit it as hard as you can across the square and let the rest happen. We’re fortunate to play on good pitches and the outfield has been quick, so it’s just a case of trying to pick the biggest gap and trying to hit it as hard as you can.”Related

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Speaking afterwards on Sky Sports, Nasser Hussain remarked that Bairstow had been “ticking” throughout his innings, and credited Stokes for reading the situation perfectly after lunch. Instead of declaring with England nine-down and Bairstow unbeaten on 49 from 50 balls, he trusted his team-mate to keep attacking a tiring Australian attack and building England’s lead with the sort of statement innings that he tends to produce when he’s got a point to prove.”Everyone thinks that I play better when people go at me, it gets a bit tiresome to be honest with you,” Bairstow insisted. “I’ve played a lot of cricket now and to be keep being told that you’re rubbish. Well, if I was that was that rubbish. I wouldn’t have played 94 games …”I’ve been happy [with my form],” he added, obliquely referencing the controversy at Lord’s where his stumping on the final day of the match opened the door for Australia’s second victory. “There’s been a couple of interesting dismissals during the series … but it’s only a couple games ago that I got 70-odd, so it is what it is.”That’s part and parcel of the way that I want to play my cricket. I want to go out and enjoy it. I want to go out and entertain. People will have comments on the way that I bat, they always have done. That’ll carry on, but you can leave them to their comments, and I’ll just keep on doing what I’ll do in the middle.”On the Lord’s controversy, Bairstow stated: “I don’t have a view”. However, he acknowledged he had been extra mindful of staying in his crease throughout his innings at Old Trafford. “I’ve done that all series since that happened,” he added. “You’ve just got to be careful on those things, haven’t you.”It wasn’t the way that I wanted to be out down at Lord’s, but that’s part and parcel. We’ve seen it on other occasions, and I’ve even heard about it now in club cricket. That’s not necessarily what you want to be hearing about, when you’re looking at young kids coming up. You play it tough, you play it fair, and on a different day, it doesn’t happen but it is what it is.”

New Zealander will interchange with Rizwan and Philippe between international commitments

Matt Roller11-May-2022The challenge facing counties regarding the availability of overseas players has been laid bare by Sussex’s announcement that they have signed a third wicketkeeper-batter for the T20 Blast, with New Zealand’s Tim Seifert joining Mohammad Rizwan and Josh Philippe in their squad.Counties are only able to register three overseas players simultaneously and field two in their playing XI. With Rashid Khan expected to be available throughout the season, Seifert, Rizwan and Philippe will effectively share one role in their side, taking it in turns to open the batting and keep wicket around their various international commitments.Sussex initially signed Rizwan on an all-formats deal until the end of the Blast in mid-July but, within hours of their announcement, Pakistan had confirmed that their ODI series against West Indies had been rescheduled for mid-June, ruling him out of several Blast group games.Philippe was drafted in as his replacement but will himself miss a chunk of games after being named in Australia A’s squad to tour Sri Lanka in June. Seifert has now been drafted in while he is unavailable, for what Sussex’s T20 head coach James Kirtley described as “the middle period” of the Blast.”It’s always good to have someone of his calibre, but the fact that he is a batter/keeper means we are really getting two players,” Kirtley said. “By continuing with an overseas player in that role it means we are not seeing any change amongst the rest of the team as Riz, Josh and Tim slot in and out.”It provides consistency without disrupting the structure, which are key elements behind a performing environment. Not only is Tim’s T20 record outstanding, but he has played in the IPL and CPL so will offer great experience, as well as having a very healthy first-class record.”

Having a full-strength squad at his disposal for the first time should help

Mohammad Isam02-Feb-2021Fifteen months into his Test captaincy, Mominul Haque will finally get a full-strength Bangladesh side at his disposal. The return of Shakib Al Hasan, the man he had replaced on the fateful evening of October 29, 2019, has made this possible.In his first series as Test captain, Bangladesh were without Shakib and Tamim Iqbal. For the second, Mushfiqur Rahim didn’t travel to Pakistan for the Rawalpindi Test. Then against Zimbabwe last February, Mominul had both Tamim and Mushfiqur in the line-up; Mushfiqur going on to score the match-winning double-century. But adding Shakib to the mix is certainly a big difference to the captain’s arsenal.Mominul said that the senior players are already supportive of his captaincy, but their presence in the field is going to add a missing dimension in terms of skills, experience and temperament.”It is a good opportunity for a young captain when the full squad is available,” he said. “Shakib’s batting and bowling is going to help me lead the side that will now have a better combination. The senior players have played for around 12 or 13 years.”I have nothing to ask for anything extra. They are all professionals, and they know exactly how to react and contribute. I am happy with their support in telling me how to handle certain situations.”It is likely that Bangladesh will pick all four of their best spinners in the XI – Shakib, Taijul Islam, Mehidy Hasan and Nayeem Hasan. It also seems likely that they will field a rejuvenated Mustafizur Rahman, who has developed the in swinger to the right-hander along with his bag of cutters and other variations.This strength is such a sharp contrast to Mominul’s first two tours as Test captain, where he had to handle a depleted squad. In India, the gap in skills between the two Test sides was starkly evident. Bangladesh were beaten in a little over three days in both Indore and Kolkata, which hosted a huge party to commemorate the country’s first pink-ball Test.Then Bangladesh went down to their third innings defeat in a row against Pakistan in Rawalpindi, even as the country hadn’t fully gotten over their historic triumph at the Under-19 World Cup in South Africa. Then they somehow redeemed themselves against Zimbabwe at home.While having the seniors around is an advantage, Mominul would want to leave his stamp, both as a leader and batsman. While he is an established Test batsman, there have been rumblings on and off about his home and away record. He is regarded highly by senior cricketers, something that was particularly evident when Chandika Hathurusingha had dropped him in 2017, and later had to reinstate him in the squad.Mominul’s captaincy from this point is going to be an interesting period in Bangladesh cricket, where captaincy is often dependent on hierarchy. On perhaps only a couple of occasions, has the BCB chose a captain before his perceived “turn” in terms of seniority.After senior cricketers led the side during its pre-Test status era, the appointment of Naimur Rahman was a bit of a surprise in 2000. Nine years later, the 22-year old Shakib Al Hasan being thrust into the leadership role in the absence of the often injured Mortaza was another “out of turn” appointment.Bangladesh have been led by one of their five senior cricketers since 2009, so Mominul’s hasty ascent during that distressing October evening in Dhaka was a bit of a surprise. He has captained in four Tests but even Mominul would admit that he hasn’t quite become a leader of the team.For that, he would certainly need to lead the side in the presence of Bangladesh’s best cricketers, not just to prove to everyone that he can lead, but to ensure that he gives himself the best opportunity to win a Test match.

The Sheffield Shield game against Tasmania is now set to be played at Drummoyne Oval

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Oct-2019New South Wales have been forced to move their first home Sheffield Shield match of the season against Tasmania away from the SCG amid concerns about the surface.The wicket block was damaged when the Sydney Roosters rugby league team trained at the ground a fortnight ago ahead of the NRL Grand Final, and it has been decided the surface is not fit to host first-class cricket. The actual pitch designated for the Shield match would have been playable, but the rest of the square would not have been able to take the traffic of a four-day game.The match will now likely be played at Drummoyne Oval with next week’s Marsh Cup match against Tasmania on October 23 also under threat of being moved.ALSO READ: Everybody loses in Sydney’s turf wars“We were unaware there was a problem until this morning,” Lee Germon, the NSW chief executive, said. “Our cricketers love playing at the SCG, which is the traditional home of NSW cricket. It is a great disappointment to our players and everyone at Cricket NSW that we can no longer play there over the next week.”The increase in domestic fixtures at the SCG had been a significant win for New South Wales when the schedules were announced earlier this season, with four of their five home Sheffield Shield matches set for the Test venue.”Our male players were looking forward to playing four of their five home Shield matches and a one-day match at the SCG this season, something that has rarely happened over the past decade or so,” Germon said. “Our off-season training and planning was based squarely around the fact that most of our matches would be at the SCG this season, creating an extra buzz of excitement.”It is important that our current and future international cricketers have the opportunity to play as much cricket as possible on the SCG. This is particularly so early in the season when many of our senior players are available for the Sheffield Shield ahead of the international season.”There was an increase in the amount of winter sport played at the SCG this year due to the demolition of the Allianz Stadium next door.The SCG has resisted a move to the drop-in pitches which are seen at Adelaide, Melbourne and the new Perth Stadium.The ground hosts its first international of the season on November 3 with a T20I against Pakistan.

Somerset have announced the signing of seamer Jack Brooks on a three-year contract from Yorkshire

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Aug-2018Somerset have announced the signing of seamer Jack Brooks on a three-year contract from Yorkshire. The 34-year-old will move to Taunton at the end of the season.Brooks’ impending departure, first reported by ESPNcricinfo, is a blow to Yorkshire, who face a rebuilding job over the winter. England quick Liam Plunkett has already signed for Surrey – with Mathew Pillans moving in the opposite direction – while opener Alex Lees was granted a switch to Durham.Although Brooks has never quite done enough to win England selection, he is a vastly experienced bowler at county level. A later-starter with Northamptonshire, he soon became a distinctive figure on the circuit, with his long hair, trademark headband and impassioned celebrations. He moved to Yorkshire in 2012, helping the club to win back-to-back Championships in 2014 and 2015. He has also played for England Lions.”I’m extremely excited to be joining Somerset at a time when they are building a special team capable of challenging for trophies,” Brooks said, “I truly believe this Somerset team can create something special.”When I met Andy Hurry, Jason Kerr, Tom Abell and Andrew Cornish I was impressed straightaway with their vision for the team and club. Their togetherness and desire reminded me a lot of Yorkshire when I joined them.”I look forward to continuing my cricketing journey and to the fresh challenges that await. My mum and her family are from Bath and I’ll be nearer to my family in Oxfordshire, so it feels a little bit like I’m coming home. Somerset have a fantastic reputation as a strong family club which I look forward to being a part of.”Although in his mid-30s, Brooks has fine record in red-ball cricket, in particular, taking 291 wickets at 26.56 in six years at Headingley. He claimed 68 wickets to help Yorkshire to their first Championship title since 2001, and was their leading wicket-taker for three seasons in a row between 2014 and 2016.However, while Yorkshire now find themselves battling at the wrong end of the Division One table, Somerset, in their pursuit of a first-ever Championship, have emerged as Surrey’s closest challengers. They also secured a spot in Vitality Blast Finals Day with victory over the holders, Nottinghamshire, on Monday.As well as being closer to home, the prospect of being involved in all three formats was perhaps a factor in Brooks moving to Taunton – he only played in 12 List A and 23 T20 fixtures for Yorkshire.Somerset’s director of cricket, Andy Hurry, said: “We are delighted that we have secured a player of Jack’s proven quality, experience and character to add to one of the most exciting bowling attacks in the country. It’s a great reflection of our ambition, and the progress that the club has made, that a player of his quality sees his ambitions of winning silverware with Somerset CCC.”Alongside his experience of winning silverware, which will add to our ability to achieve our aspirations of winning trophies, he is incredibly competitive, driven and will be a great fit in the changing room. I have no doubt he will become a big favourite with the Somerset membership”.

Virat Kohli “enjoys” playing Pakistan and would not mind being part of more contests, but made it clear that he has no opinion or influence on the resumption of bilateral ties

Nagraj Gollapudi05-Jun-2017India’s dominant recent record might have something to do with it, but captain Virat Kohli “enjoys” playing Pakistan and would not mind being part of more contests. But, in an indication of how thorny an issue bilateral ties between the two countries are, Kohli made it clear he has no influence or opinion on a resumption of cricketing ties.Kohli was speaking after one of India’s more crushing wins over Pakistan in recent years, in Edgbaston. It continued India’s recent dominance over Pakistan as well as their historic hold over them in ICC events. But though the competitiveness of the rivalry is fading, its popularity has not yet dulled. The absence of regular cricket between the countries has added a layer of importance to matches like that played on Sunday: Edgbaston was sold out months in advance.”This one’s done and dusted,” Kohli said, when asked if he enjoyed the contest. “We’ve played the game. It’s been completed fully. And as cricketers, those things are not in our hands. We come here to play the sport. And that’s all we focus on. It’s not my place to speak of any other decisions. The higher officials take care of those decisions. My opinion does not matter and should not matter.”As a player, Kohli said, his job was to enjoy a contest, something he has always done against Pakistan. “But regardless of who you play, you just want to play cricket. At the end of the day, for us, it’s just playing the sport we love. It’s not preferences over opposition. And that’s all I can say to this. You do enjoy playing against them. They’re a very competitive side. The atmosphere is great. From that regard, as a cricketer, we really enjoyed this game, that’s all I can say.”The two countries have not played a full bilateral series – of Tests and limited-overs games – since Pakistan toured India at the end of 2007. Pakistan did travel to India for a limited-overs series at the end of 2012, but it is a far cry from the early years of this century, when there were four series in just over four years. But as political ties have deteriorated, bilateral cricketing contests have been put on hold. And they are unlikely to start anytime soon.Last month, the BCCI secretary Amitabh Choudhary met PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan in Dubai to resume talks. The BCCI was compelled to attend the meeting after the PCB filed a dispute notice claiming the Indian board had not fulfilled an MoU, signed in 2014, for bilateral series in the 2015-23 cycle. A vague media statement was issued by both the boards, which indicated no headway had been made.The BCCI repeated the same line it has for the past five years: without the Indian government’s clearance no bilateral cricket against Pakistan was possible anywhere. Even as Choudhary and Shaharyar were talking in Dubai, the Indian government made it public that no cricket with Pakistan was possible outside of the global tournaments.

Umpire Nadir Shah will return to competitive cricket on Friday, two months after the BCB lifted its 10-year ban on him

Mohammad Isam21-Apr-2016Umpire Nadir Shah will return to competitive cricket on Friday, two months after the BCB lifted its 10-year ban on him. Shah had been banned on charges of corruption alleged by a TV sting operation in October 2012. He had filed a plea of mercy three months later, which prompted plenty of discussion among the board’s policy makers, but it took nearly three years for them to revoke his ban.Shah, who became eligible to work in domestic matches in Bangladesh from February 2016, will be one of the on-field umpires on the first day of the Dhaka Premier League, when Abahani take on Kalabagan Krira Chakra in Fatullah.”I am very excited to be back,” Shah told ESPNcricinfo. “But it is very important to perform well. I have already done two practice matches recently and I feel I am ready to go. The time when I was banned was quite hard for me as people would ask me questions. Now everything is very good and exciting.”In 2012, reporters had claimed to be part of a sports management company and promised umpires from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan assignments in T20 leagues all over the world. The cricket boards of all three countries launched an investigation soon after the sting was broadcast.Shah had umpired in a domestic T20 match a year after his suspension, believing it had been lifted. But a couple of days later, board president Nazmul Hassan said the ban remained in place and Shah had officiated as a result of a “miscommunication”.