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Match facts

Saturday, February 14, 2015
Start time 14.30 local (03.30 GMT)1:12

Australia takes England sledging to new heights

Big Picture

A full house crowd in excess of 90,000 is expected at the MCG to see these old enemies start their World Cup campaigns.Most will be expecting a Valentine’s day massacre. With Australia having won all three of the ODIs between the sides in the preceding tri-series, there is a sense not so much of two teams battling it out as much as one team being thrown to the lions.You can see why. Australia have won 11 of their last 12 ODIs – including a 4-1 victory over highly-rated South Africa; they have a battling line-up that extends beyond the horizon – their likely No. 10 here, Mitchell Starc, has scored 99 in a Test Match; and a battery of bowlers that contains, arguably, the three quickest seamers in the tournament in Mitchell Johnson, Pat Cummins and Starc.Perhaps that expectation may weigh heavy on their shoulders, but they are rated No. 1 in the ICC ODI table for a reason. Their batsmen can tear apart any attack and they have two men in the top 10 of the bowling rankings. Playing in conditions in which they are familiar and suit them and cheered on by a home crowd, they remain strong favourites for this match and the tournament.England, meanwhile, are unburdened by expectation. Having recently changed their captain, not won an ODI series for almost a year and failed to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup since 1992, little is expected of them. Their recent record against Australia in Australia – they have lost 13 of the last 15 ODIs – provides further evidence towards the same conclusion.Their new look side promises to be undaunted by the cauldron in which they will start. And, if the ball swings for James Anderson, if they can somehow contain better in the last 40 overs of the opposition innings, if they get off to a good start with the bat, then perhaps they could cause a shock. But it would be a surprise if they ruined the Valentine’s day of 100,000 Australians.

Form guide

(last five matches, most recent first)

Australia:WWWWEngland:LWLWL

In the spotlight

Australia’s captain, George Bailey, openly admitted that he would almost certainly not be in the side if Michael Clarke were considered fit to play. Bailey, who has failed to pass 25 in his last seven ODIs and only once passed 32 in his last 14, is therefore in desperate need of runs to secure his place for the second match against Bangladesh in a week.This way or that, Eoin Morgan needs runs•Getty Images

England’s skipper, Eoin Morgan, can empathise with Bailey. While his place is not in serious jeopardy, he knows that his side desperately need him to contribute more if they are going to challenge. He has been dismissed five times from the last 19 balls he has faced and, while he scored a fine century against this opposition just four ODIs ago, that performance was the aberration: he has passed 40 only twice in his last 23 ODI innings. Including warm-up matches, he has scored two runs in his last four games. Having sacked Alastair Cook for his poor form in the run-up to the tournament, the last thing England want is more concerns about the personal performance of the captain.

Teams news

James Faulkner and Michael Clarke will sit out through injury and spinner Xavier Doherty is unlikely to be used in this game. That leaves Josh Hazlewood/Pat Cummins as the main selection decision, and Hazlewood’s control and consistency might give him the edge. The balance is hurt by Faulkner’s injury, though, and 20 overs would need to be found between Glenn Maxwell, Shane Watson and Mitchell Marsh. The alternative is playing both Cummins and Hazlewood and leaving Marsh out.Australia (possible) 1 David Warner, 2 Aaron Finch, 3 Shane Watson, 4 Steven Smith, 5 George Bailey (capt), 6 Glenn Maxwell, 7 Mitchell Marsh, 8 Brad Haddin (wk), 9 Mitchell Johnson, 10 Mitchell Starc, 11 Josh Hazlewood.Over the last few weeks, England have settled on a preferred XI which is likely to be utilised here. Chris Woakes is likely to share the new ball with James Anderson, with Steve Finn and Stuart Broad offering support. While England retain the option of playing a second spinner in James Tredwell depending on a last look at the pitch, it is more likely that Moeen Ali will be the sole slow bowler. The only real selection dilemma is whether to stick with Ravi Bopara as the middle-order finisher and insurance seamer ahead of the extra batsman in Gary Ballance. Bopara looks likely to play this time, but is coming under increasing pressure.England (probable): 1 Ian Bell, 2 Moeen Ali, 3 James Taylor, 4, 5 Eoin Morgan (capt), 6 Ravi Bopara,  7 Jos Buttler, 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Stuart Broad, 10 Steve Finn, 11 James Anderson.

Pitch and conditions

The MCG’s drop-in pitches can be a little unpredictable; early in the season Australia played on a quick and bouncy surface, but their warm-up game against the UAE this week was on a slower pitch. “I think it’ll be more for the quicks here,” Australia’s captain George Bailey said. The forecast for Saturday is for a humid day with a top of 31C and likely showers and thunderstorms in the morning and perhaps in the afternoon.

Stats and trivia

• The record cricket crowd at the MCG is 91,112, set on Boxing Day in 2013 during Australia’s Ashes clean sweep
• England have been bowled out in 11 of their last 17 ODIs; Australia have been bowled out once in their last 17
• Australia have won nine of their last 11 ODIs at Melbourne. England have lost eight of their last 11 against Australia at the venue
• Brad Haddin needs four runs to become the 18th player to score 3,000 ODI runs for Australia.
• Eoin Morgan has been dismissed by his last three deliveries in ODIs against Australia.
• Australia have lost their last two World Cup matches, after winning 32 of their preceding 33 (one tie). They have not lost three consecutive World Cup games since the 1970s, when they lost the final of the 1975 tournament followed by their first two games in 1979.

Quote

“I’d love to say it would count for something but I honestly don’t think it does. I think England have made some really positive changes to the way they chance and their structure. I personally think they look really dangerous.”
“That’s rich coming from him.”

Cricket will remain the property of pay-television consumers in South Africa, after CSA renewed their deal with SuperSport for the next six years. The new deal will run until the end of April 2021 and includes the broadcaster’s hosting rights for all home internationals matches played in this period.Fans without access to the channel should still be able to watch the South African team’s home matches because SuperSport provides the state broadcaster, SABC, with a live feed. The same does not apply when South Africa play abroad or to domestic matches, which are only available to watch on SuperSport. SuperSport will broadcast a minimum of 60% of matches in the domestic one-day cup and 20-over tournament but no live first-class cricket.Despite that, television viewership of cricket in South Africa is growing according to sports marketing agency Repucom. In Johannesburg last week, the agency revealed that the viewing time of the average South African cricket fan has increased by 21%, helped, no doubt, by the availability of cricket to watch.Last October, SuperSport launched a temporary 24-hour news channel which ran until the end of the World Cup and broadcast series including India’s tour of Australia and the triangular competition which followed, as well as Sri Lanka’s trip to New Zealand. South African pay-television users also have every match of the IPL shown live but for the first time in many years, they do not have any coverage of the series between West Indies and England. SuperSport has not acquired the rights for that series.

India’s ODI captain MS Dhoni has strongly criticised the state associations’ handling of India’s fast-bowling resources, suggesting they have used the fast bowlers “without checks and balances”, and sometimes against the wishes of the said bowlers. His comments, following India’s defeat in the semi-final of the World Cup in Sydney, mark the first time a member of the leadership group in Indian cricket has come close to identifying a reason for the continued mediocrity in their fast bowling, especially away from home.During India’s ordinary performances overseas, it is usually their quick bowlers’ inability to maintain intensity and pressure that has let them down. Another worrying trend has been that their fast bowlers lose their pace after one successful season to come back as trundlers. None of India’s bowling coaches in the past – Eric Simons, Joe Dawes, their current bowling coach B Arun – Dhoni himself, new Test captain Virat Kohli has ever spoken publicly of what ails them. Instead there have been the usual catchphrases of the need for consistency, patience, right areas, and adjusting to conditions. Now that the bowlers have enjoyed a good run, with Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami in the top five wicket-takers in the World Cup, Dhoni has unloaded on state associations.When asked what was needed to nurture and protect the likes of Yadav and Shami, Dhoni said: “This is a problem that we have had for quite some time now in our set-up,” Dhoni said at his post-match press conference. “Once a fast bowler completes his international assignment he is then asked by his local state associations to come and bowl in domestic cricket. However, there are no checks and balances on the number of overs they are being asked to bowl.”Without naming any bowler, Dhoni suggested there was undue pressure on them to keep their state association happy. “If the fast bowler refuses to play domestic matches, then the local association gets annoyed and would grumble that, ‘Now that you are playing for India means that you won’t play for us.’ So problems are there.”Dhoni insisted on a proper log of the workload of the fast bowlers not just when they are with the team but throughout the year. “If we want to look at the interests of Indian cricket, we have to monitor the progress of fast bowlers as to how many overs they are sending down and what’s the amount of workload they are taking,” he said. “At the same time, our bowlers shouldn’t play too many matches in Indian domestic cricket. They should play on and off.”He did not, however, mention the bowlers’ workload during the IPL or Champions League T20, at which time they are managed by the franchises. Indeed, the grouse of domestic coaches has been completely opposite to Dhoni’s contention. They complain that India players are rarely available during the domestic season. They have also noticed extra caution and resistance to diving in the field towards the end of the season lest the players injure themselves just before the IPL. The statistics, too, don’t bear much evidence of India quicks’ being over-bowled by their state teams when compared against the overs bowled by them for their IPL teams.Since the end of the 2007-08 home season, Ishant Sharma, for example, has sent down only 226.1 overs for Delhi in first-class cricket. Over the same period he has bowled 247.5 overs in IPL and Champions League T20. Shami made his India debut in January 2013. Since then he has bowled 83.3 overs across formats for his state association Bengal to go with 53 overs for Delhi Daredevils and Kolkata Knight Riders. Since making his India debut Bhuvneshwar Kumar has not bowled at all for Uttar Pradesh, but has sent down 110.1 overs for his IPL teams.A mini era before these quicks, RP Singh played somewhat regularly for India from September 2005 to September 2009. His comeback in 2011 was a one-off shock. Between 2005 and 2009 he bowled 482.5 overs across formats for Uttar Pradesh, but also 111 overs for his IPL sides even though the tournament only began in April 2008. Praveen Kumar did bowl 736.4 overs for Uttar Pradesh while being an India bowler as opposed to 215.2 for his IPL teams, but that had to do with his being a limited-overs specialist for India: he played only six Tests.Similarly Mohit Sharma, who doesn’t play Tests, can claim to have bowled significantly more overs for his state association than his IPL franchise: 372.5 for Haryana since his India debut and 84.5 for Chennai Super Kings.

The last 15 days have been quite difficult for Pakistan, who lost all their limited-over matches to Bangladesh, and in the process, their first ever series against them. The result was celebrated like a festival in Bangladesh, while in Pakistan, it made headlines as one of the country’s most embarrassing sporting moments.Pakistan are now in Khulna for the Test series, a different ball game with a different captain inMisbah-ul-Haq. Misbah’s calm is much like the Khulna town, and in complete contrast to the to hustle and bustle of Dhaka, one of the world’s most densely populated cities. With Misbah around, Pakistan’s Test side has enjoyed stability and performed consistently over the past few years.Misbah has been a regular rescuer for Pakistan since 2010, pulling them out of several difficult situations. On his retirement from ODI cricket, he said: “now I can relax,” bearing the burden of batting for long stretches. In the past, he has had to revive Pakistan from scores like 18 for 3, 33 for 3, 15 for 3, 32 for 3, 32 for 2, and 48 for 3.Much like the situation when he comes in to bat, Misbah has lots of repair and rebuilding work to do ahead of the Tests.When asked if he ever thought of finding himself in a similar situation even after quitting the shorter format, Misbah said: “It’s the part of life and you have to play in pressure, which is the reason you are surviving at such a level. You don’t have to look behind as what has happened in the past but think positive and take everything positively.”There is always a pressure in international cricket and obviously the opposition is playing good and you have to be at your best. We are aware about them and we have to respect the opposition as they are good at their home condition and are coming with the high confidence since World Cup.”At the press conference ahead of the Test series, Misbah was bombarded with questions about the ODI and T20 series loss. Usually one to tackle the media with ease, Misbah seemed to be irked by the barrage of questions from journalists.He did not want to be reminded of the past, and kept reiterating the importance of a fresh start. He was busy convincing everyone that Pakistan in whites were a completely different prospect.Misbah – “Our Test side is quite experienced with this combination and has been consistently performing well for quite a long time now. It’s a different ball game”•Getty Images

“Our Test side is quite experienced with this combination and has been consistently performing well for quite a long time now,” he said. “It’s a different ball game and these players have a better understanding of Test cricket and everybody is in good shape and in the best of his form. Also, the condition here is similar to Abu Dhabi and Dubai and we are hoping to carry on the form we have in the format.”Apart from all the confidence Bangladesh have, we have to our focus on our strengths, concentrate at our basics which is the factor for success we’ve had in this particular format for many years. It’s important for us to break the confidence of the Bangladesh team and for this we have to play our best cricket.”Pakistan were struck by quite a few injuries during the Bangladesh series but for the Tests, their attack seems a lot more settled – Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan, Imran Khan, Saeed Ajmal, Zulfiqar Babar and Yasir Shah. Misbah felt that the spinners would have a crucial role to play in Khulna, and that perhaps three fast bowlers were not required.Ajmal, who has been far less effective after his remodeled bowling action, could be left out for the first Test, but both Yasir Shah and Zulfiqar Babar were seen making the most of the time during training.”Obviously everybody knows he (Ajmal) is back after a long time and definitely he needs some time to adjust,” Misbah said. “He has only played three games after remodeling his action so he is definitely going to take little bit of time. He actually needs time to adjust with his new action and he’s definitely is going to improve.”

ScorecardAshwell Prince closed unbeaten with a big century•PA Photos

One of the most famous photographs in Lancashire’s recent history captures the moment when the 2011 County Championship was won. It shows two graduates of the Old Trafford’s Academy, Karl Brown and Steven Croft, embracing on the Taunton square in the moment of triumph.But it is already clear that if the Division Two title is to be won this year, the achievement will not be solely, or even largely, the work of homegrown talent. Some diehards object to this. Then again, if supporters are treated to deeply professional batsmanship of the type exhibited by Ashwell Prince and Alviro Petersen in their record breaking 258-run third-wicket stand on the second day of this game at Southport, they may not mind if their title-winners come from Port Elizabeth rather than Preston.Prince joined Petersen at the crease at 12.10pm just after Karl Brown had been caught at the wicket playing a rather limp shot to the Derbyshire seamer Tom Taylor. Lancashire were 18 for 2, having lost Paul Horton three overs previously when the in-form opener was beaten by a good ball from Mark Footitt and nicked a catch to Chesney Hughes.The home side’s predicament was compounded by the 28 runs Mark Critchley had carved and clipped through the first half-hour of the day in making 41. Derbyshire’s total of 370 looked a decent effort, especially on a wicket that is gradually taking more spin. With both of Steven Croft’s openers back in the hutch, it looked even bigger.But Petersen and Prince are used to such apparent crises and the next five hours or so belonged to them. First they neutralised the threat of the new ball; then they attacked judiciously, taking especially heavy toll of Derbyshire’s three spinners, David Wainwright, Scott Elstone and Critchley.Lancashire were 69 for 2 at lunch with the immediate emergency averted. By tea the home side had got to 210 without further loss and the afternoon had been bejewelled with excellent batting. At times it looked a little like a Staff v Boys game with the masters intent on brutal revenge. Then again, since Prince is 38 years old and Matt Critchley is 18, the comparison is not absurd. So the master hit the apprentice for a big six and a four, forcing Billy Godleman to bring back Wainwright.Petersen then straight drove the offspinner to bring up his fifty off 82 balls, his compatriot having reached the same mark off 18 balls fewer. Prince then played a sublime shot, cover driving one of Shiv Thakor’s medium pacers to the Late Cut bar boundary; Godleman trotted after the ball but it was more an act of obeisance than pursuit.Prince cut Footitt twice in the same over, first square, then late, both for four. So it continued, deep into the afternoon. The crowd felt the warmth of the sun more fully and one could sense their pleasure. The bars did good business and there was a babble of happinessAt tea, Prince was unbeaten on 99 and reached his century immediately after the resumption. It had taken 138 balls and had included 15 fours and a six. Petersen reached the same landmark soon afterwards off 18 more balls, not that it mattered a brass bean. Indeed, it seemed that the pair were intent on building something to send the statisticians into major raptures when, having made 113, Petersen was beautifully pouched by Harvey Hosein, standing up to the stumps off the ever willing Taylor. The stand had established a new record for first-class matches on the ground and for Championship games between Lancashire and Derbyshire.”With them getting over 300 runs we were under pressure so Ashwell and I knew we had to get a partnership together,” Petersen said. “We communicated, we knew which bowlers to put under pressure and which areas to score in. We have played a lot of cricket together and we understand each other. It all came together and, more importantly, it puts the team in a good position.”Ashwell is playing good cricket. It is his last season and sometimes that means there is no pressure on you and you can just go out and express yourself. He is like a good red wine, the older he gets the better he gets.”Still the entertainment was not at an end. Steven Croft came in and hit both Wainwright and Critchley for sixes so huge and powerful that they severed tree branches and sent them tumbling onto the railway line and a Harrod Drive garden. Taylor responded by having Croft leg before for 22 but the batsman seemed to think he had hit the ball. A dressing room door slammed as the Lancashire skipper continued his War on Wood.Prince and Alex Davies guided their team to the close, thus preparing the ground for a further assault. One barely noticed that Davies, all cuts and punches, had made 28 not out when the players came into the pavilion. Prince was 156 not out, his runs made off 229 balls.Godleman was quietly spoken and generous at the end of what had been a difficult day for him and his bowlers. “I had a few more decisions to make today but I really enjoyed the experience,” he said”We did well to take a couple of wickets with the new ball and then I think we saw two fine hundreds from two outstanding international players. They put the bad ball away and the way they rotated the strike on a pitch which is starting to turn a little more was high quality.”Yes, it was, you know. These are the days we wait for through the lukewarm soup of an English winter.

ScorecardJames Harris’ productive season continued with four wickets on the day he was awarded his county cap•Getty Images

Toby Roland-Jones and James Harris took four wickets apiece as Middlesex dismissed Hampshire for 176 on the opening day of their LV= County Championship Division One match at Lord’s, fully justifying the decision to bowl first.Only Joe Gatting, with a combative unbeaten 64, held up Middlesex for long as Roland-Jones, Harris and Tim Murtagh, who took the other two wickets, worked their way steadily through the Hampshire batting order.By the close Middlesex had replied with 59 without loss in 13 overs, with Paul Stirling the chief aggressor against the new ball with 36 from 34 balls, with seven fours, and Sam Robson also unbeaten on 17. They are already well-placed to press for a fourth Championship win of the campaign.Roland-Jones took four of the first seven Hampshire wickets to fall, for figures of 4 for 60, and Harris polished off the tail to earn himself a return of 4 for 48.Harris, who was awarded his Middlesex county cap during the tea interval, now has 49 first-class wickets this season, with only Lancashire’s Kyle Jarvis and Durham’s Chris Rushworth ahead of him on the national wicket-taking list.Eighteen overs were lost when rain swept in at noon to hold up play until 2.20pm but Hampshire, who were 30 for 2 when the players took an early lunch, then declined further during the afternoon and evening sessions.Roland-Jones took three of the six wickets to fall by tea, at which Hampshire were struggling at 111 for 6 on a well-grassed pitch that offered just enough seam movement to the quicker bowlers.Afterwards, although he lost partners at regular intervals, Gatting decided to counter-attack and he completed a spirited half-century with a six swung effortlessly into the Grandstand off Harris.Gatting, only making his first Championship appearance of the season because of injury to Sean Ervine, faced 86 balls in all and struck seven fours besides. Gatting’s efforts aside, though, it was otherwise pretty much all Middlesex on the opening dayMurtagh made the initial incision with the fourth ball of the match to have out-of-form Hampshire captain Jimmy Adams caught at the wicket for a duck.Sean Terry battled hard to reach 23 before Roland-Jones made one go up the Lord’s slope just enough to have the right-handed opener also caught by John Simpson behind the stumps.In the fourth over after the restart Michael Carberry, offering no stroke on 15, was leg-before to Roland-Jones as he thrust out his front pad to another delivery which seamed back up the slope, and Hampshire were 55 for 4 when James Vince was bowled for 13 driving loosely at Harris in the 21st over.Adam Wheater played a couple of nice shots but on 17 he was bowled shouldering arms to Murtagh, who made one nip back at him – again up the slope.Will Smith was leg-before for 18 pushing half-forward at Roland-Jones in the 40th over as third-placed Middlesex kept up the pressure on the team currently in joint last place alongside Nottinghamshire in the first division table.Gareth Berg, playing against the county he served for seven seasons from 2008, made it to 10 before being brilliantly caught off Roland-Jones by Nick Compton, who flung himself to his left from gully.Danny Briggs edged behind, fencing at Harris, and the same bowler then bowled Brad Wheal for three before ending the Hampshire first innings by having Jackson Bird caught at second slip for 1.

Pakistan coach Waqar Younis has offered to step down after the side’s poor performance at the World T20 2016 but has warned that cosmetic changes will be insufficient to address the deeper issues within Pakistan cricket. Speaking to the media in Lahore before meeting with a committee set up to look into the side’s performance, Waqar also apologised to the fans for the poor World T20 result.Pakistan won only one of the four group matches in the World T20, after a debacle in the Asia Cup in Bangladesh last month where they failed to qualify for the final. Following the team’s early exit in the Asia Cup, PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan had hinted at sweeping changes, and the board formed a special committee to monitor Pakistan’s performance. This committee is expected to submit its recommendations to the PCB chairman later this week. Waqar’s two-year contract ends in June but it is learnt that his tenure with the side is unlikely to be extended.”I apologise to the whole nation, to all of you and to all the people who were at the airport chanting against us, all the people at the NCA [National Cricket Academy] who look after us,” Waqar said. “I apologise to everyone. Literally, I fold my hands and request all of you to forgive us for the way we performed, it should not have been this way. Our performance should have been better, but unfortunately that didn’t happen.”This is Waqar’s second stint as coach, after he had guided the side in 2010-11. He had parted ways with the team in 2011 due to a rift with captain Shahid Afridi. With Waqar and Misbah-ul-Haq at the helm, Pakistan had climbed to No. 2 in the ICC Test rankings, and are currently at No. 4. Their position in the limited-overs rankings, however, has been weak. They are currently ranked No. 8 among ODI sides and No. 7 in the T20I format. The side’s last win in a T20I series came in September 2015 against Zimbabwe, and they subsequently lost series to England and New Zealand in the lead-up to the Asia Cup and the World T20.Waqar refrained from blaming individuals, and instead urged the PCB to address the deeper issues in the system.”These days there is a notion being discussed to dismiss the chairman, selectors or the coaches, but the point is whether the problems are really being understood. Are we really getting down to the problem in our country and mending it? Are we really correcting the system which needs to be rectified?”So cosmetic changes will not help. This might bring temporary relief, might make you feel that things have changed and everything is fine but I think we should think about this deeply and mark the problems,” he said. “We know where the problems are and we have to open our eyes, eradicate the politics from cricket and get things right. I had mentioned these problems in 2015 and have put them up again. I can hope the PCB can deal with them.”We don’t need to hide anything, everything is in front of us, they way we played. It’s not like I am hiding anything. In fact, the time to sweep things under the rug is over. It is time to step up and solve problems. People have blamed me. That’s not an issue. I will go home but the problem remains. If the problem is solved by sacking me, then sack me. Not tomorrow, but today. But the problem is deeper than that.”Waqar also chose to play down the uncertainty surrounding his future in the role.”My future as coach isn’t relevant. Why is there a sense that Pakistan cricket is linked with my future? It is definitely not. I had a stint previously as well and I am here again but I may not be there in the future and someone else may come in. The point is, I am not the problem. We have to find the real problem.”Waqar has submitted his report of the tournament to the PCB chairman and it is learnt that the report covers a wide range of issues, from selection matters to the players’ capacities and the issues he has faced in last two years. While he refused to divulge information about the report, he said that most of the issues facing Pakistan cricket were in the public domain, prime among them being the lack of international cricket in country.”It’s not that roots have always been weak in the country … cricket not being played here in Pakistan is one of the many problems but we have to take care of our stadiums and domestic cricket to get it going.”Yes not having international cricket in Pakistan did make an impact and disturbed the roots of cricket. Whatever you have made in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, a home away from home, isn’t really a solution. India and other countries are producing cricketers by playing at home grounds. Cricket the game isn’t for stars, it’s a game for heroes. We often mix it as you may see a star doing TV ads but cricket is played by heroes and those who play the game don’t see other things around. So we want heroes and not the stars.”

Victoria’s bowling coach Mick Lewis is on his last behavioural warning from the Bushrangers after being fined $2,266 for tampering with the ball on day three of the Sheffield Shield final against South Australia at Glenelg Oval.In the 10th over of SA’s second innings Mark Cosgrove struck a boundary, and a Cricket Australia video camera captured Lewis kicked the match ball into the gutter beyond the boundary rope before he scraped the ball across the concrete when retrieving it.When the ball was returned to the field after another boundary in the 12th over, it was inspected by the umpires, Paul Wilson and Mick Martell. They decided that the ball’s condition had been changed illegally and added five runs to South Australia’s second innings score. A substitute ball was then called for. After play Lewis admitted to his offence and the match referee Steve Bernard imposed the fine without needing to hold a code of conduct hearing.”Ball tampering is a very serious offence and simply won’t be tolerated at any level of the game,” CA head of cricket operations Sean Cary said. “Match Referee Steve Bernard addressed the matter as soon as it was brought to his attention, spoke at length to Mick Lewis about it and has handed down the subsequent penalty.”We acknowledge that he has apologised to the South Australian team and the match officials and hope the matter deters others from doing anything like this in the future.”Lewis, who had a mixed disciplinary record during his time as a pace bowler for Victoria and occasionally Australia, was also spoken to by the CV chief executive Tony Dodemaide and the chairman Russell Thomas. Dodemaide said Lewis would be in serious trouble if he transgressed again.”Cricket Victoria does not condone any action to gain an unfair advantage in any form, we’re committed to playing fair cricket in the spirit of the game,” Dodemaide said. “Myself and Cricket Victoria chairman Russell Thomas immediately spoke to Mick and he has apologised unreservedly and understands that this reflects unfairly on the Bushrangers and all of Victorian cricket.”Mick pleaded guilty to Cricket Australia’s code of behaviour breach and has also accepted a severe reprimand, imposed upon him as a Cricket Victoria employee, and assured us that actions such as this will not happen again. Mick also went personally to South Australian coach Jamie Siddons and apologised after the day’s play.”Victorian coach David Saker was extremely disappointed in Mick’s actions and also that he cost the side five runs in what could be a very close match. We believe that Mick will learn a valuable lesson from this and understands this type of behaviour will not be tolerated.”Both sides have been penalised for ball tampering in recent years. In 2010, Aaron Finch was fined and the Bushrangers penalised for an instance of tampering against South Australia at Adelaide Oval. The umpires found markings on the ball at the end of the second day’s play and initially reported the entire Victoria team before it was concluded that Finch had been responsible.In 2014, the then Redbacks captain Johan Botha was suspended for one match after he pleaded guilty to “repeated inappropriate conduct relating to the condition of the match ball” during a drawn match with New South Wales, also in Adelaide.

Using a Dukes ball in Australian domestic competition will not make much difference to the nation’s Ashes chances unless it is possible to also import English weather and pitches to the other side of the world.That’s the view of South Australia’s coach Jamie Siddons. A similar sentiment was expressed by Victoria’s captain and sometime Australia gloveman Matthew Wade, who in his moment of victory was also dismissive of a proposal to only award the Sheffield Shield to the outright winner of the final.Cricket Australia brainstorms have abounded over the past two days, with the revelation that Dukes balls will be used in rounds 6-10 of the Shield next season arriving at the same time that ESPNcricinfo reported discussions around ensuring the final was played in the right spirit by putting a premium on an outright result. Wade did not take long to poke holes in both ideas.The Dukes ball to be used in Australia will be a harder-wearing version than England’s, in recognition of firmer Antipodean pitches. Siddons said pitch and weather conditions were as much of a factor as the ball itself.”I can see the logic in it and from what our players say there isn’t much difference – we will get the Dukes out and try and win games of cricket,” Siddons said of balls that have been already used in Futures League matches this season. “For me it doesn’t relate to what will happen in England as it is different conditions. At least the bowlers will get a good look at Dukes ball which is a positive.”Wade argued that the version used in the West Indies, also more durable, bore little resemblance to the English model. “I’ve played with the hard-wicket ones in the West Indies and they don’t do anything close to what the ones in the UK do,” Wade said, “because they are obviously made to take a little bit more abrasiveness off the wicket.”So it’ll be interesting to see how it goes but I don’t think it will make a huge difference going to a Duke. I don’t know the ins and outs of the two different balls, what the differences are, but I don’t think it will be a huge difference.”CA’s team performance manager Pat Howard explained the reasons for the idea. “In recent times Australian teams travelling to England haven’t adjusted well to local conditions and the swinging Dukes ball,” Howard said. “We have been on record saying that we will look at ways to address this deficiency and believe giving players greater experience with the Dukes ball is one way of doing just that.”Some people might think changing a brand of cricket ball is a minor consideration, but as we have seen from past Ashes campaigns in England, it can be a significant factor. During the first half of the Sheffield Shield season we will continue using Kookaburra balls, as they are used for all international cricket here in Australia.”Once our home Test matches are finished we will switch to Dukes balls for Sheffield Shield cricket as we begin focusing on winter tours, including the Ashes in 2019. We have had agreement from all state associations about this change which recognises Australian cricket’s combined determination to win an away Ashes series.”The concept of a Shield only being awarded to the outright winner of the final has been discussed at CA management and board levels while also being run past numerous states and players. Wade said this season’s final was as good an argument as any against trying to micromanage the way it is played.”I don’t like it. I don’t like that at all,” Wade said, shaking his head. “I understand if there is a reason or if there is a logical way to go to change the Shield final. I’m all for that. But at the moment there’s no clear-cut decisive way that we should go, so just leave it how it is. I know everyone has spoken about how you can’t win from second, they produce flat wickets. The team just bats and bats.”Well this game of cricket is as good as any game of cricket you’re ever going to watch. It to-and-froed for three or four days and we weren’t home until we managed to get a few over the rope this afternoon. We’ve just proven that you can win from second and it was terrific game of cricket. People who came out to watch this game of cricket would be more than happy when they went home that they had seen a great game.”The greater factor, Wade said, was the preparation of an equitable pitch. He paid tribute to the ground staff at Glenelg Oval for preparing just such a wicket for this match, where batsmen, pacemen and spin bowlers all had a reasonable chance of succeeding over five days.”That was a great pitch, an unbelievable pitch,” he said. “I had no idea what it was going to do to be honest. The grass was thatchy and I thought that it would swing and seam a little bit, which it did. But I didn’t know if it would break up on the sides. At club grounds you think it might but if you can produce that cricket more than not in Shield cricket then I think you will see some great games.”It gives you the opportunity to play spin, like we’ve been to Alice Springs a few times and played two spinners and it’s a good game of cricket. If we’re talking about experience for younger players as well, then there’s no better experience than playing fifth day on a wicket that is spinning against quality spinners. So I would love to see more pitches like that.”

Chris Adams, the former England batsman, has been appointed manager of Cricket Ireland’s National Academy.Adams, 45, who played county cricket for Derbyshire and Sussex – helping bring regular silverware to the latter – and has since had coaching roles with Sri Lanka and Netherlands after a spell as Surrey coach will take up his role at the Shapoorji Pallonji National Academy in June. He replaces Australian Craig Hogan who is returning home.”I am really looking forward to starting in my new role,” Adams said. “It’s a fantastic opportunity to work with Ireland’s emerging talent, and I hope my experience and knowledge will help all the players and academy coaching staff achieve their potential.”The goal will most definitely be to ensure that Ireland head coach John Bracewell has the very best talent supply over the next few years, to ensure we remain on course to be competitive across all three forms of the game at the highest level.”The appointment of Adams was welcomed by Cricket Ireland Performance Director Richard Holdsworth who said: “We are very pleased to secure the services of Chris. We see him as an integral part of overseeing the development of our most talented young players and those on the fringes of the national team over the coming years.”We are now looking to develop our talent into world class players who are capable of performing against the best in the world in all three formats.”With Chris’ experience of coaching internationally, not to mention as a player in the Test arena with England, he will bring great understanding of what it takes to perform at the highest level.”Our one-day international fixture list is increasing all the time, and with more multi-day and T20 cricket in the pipeline, we need to ensure we have young players who are challenging the established senior players for places and ready to compete on the world stage.”