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The blow Suhrawardi Shuvo took on the neck during a DPL game on Saturday has raised concerns about Bangladesh players’ attitude towards safety

Mohammad Isam18-Jun-2016The blow Suhrawadi Shuvo took on the neck during a Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League (DPL) game on Saturday has raised concerns about Bangladesh players’ attitude towards safety. The BCB had, last year, circulated the ICC’s latest memo on safety, but several of the country’s professional players have failed to upgrade to helmets with stem guards due to various reasons, mostly related to comfort levels.The stem guard is made of a material called impact-modified thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), a rubbery plastic. It is a clip-on that attaches to the side of the grille. Shuvo wasn’t wearing a helmet with a stem guard which, while not mandatory as per safety standards, would have softened the blow to his neck.Batsman Marshall Ayub, who played for Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club in the DPL this season, said Shuvo’s injury would push many players to review their helmets. “I have ordered one [helmet with a stem guard] from Melbourne recently,” Marshall told ESPNcricinfo. “I should have got one sooner. I think now everyone will be keen on getting these helmets given how Shuvo got injured. It is an eye-opener.”This type of helmet is not available commercially in Bangladesh, but the BCB provided it to those playing for representative sides like the national team and Bangladesh A.Soumya Sarkar, one of those using the stem guard, said players often did not want to compromise on comfort. “Using the helmet with the stem guard depends on the person,” Soumya told . “I felt comfortable with it, so I started using the type. It is very rare to find a batsman who compromises the comfort of his helmet. Then again, it has only been some time that this guard has been in the market. I do think the cricketers are much more aware now when it comes to safety.”Soumya also said the conditions in Bangladesh, with the tracks’ relative lack of bounce and pace, might have contributed to the casual attitude towards upgrading helmets. “The types of wickets we play on in our domestic cricket can be one good reason behind the cricketers not using the stem guard. Also, not all the teams have good pacers in their side. But because we had an accident today, I hope the cricketers will take note of it and start to ensure safety.”Stem guard aside, the professional players’ helmets in Bangladesh meet safety standards. But that does little to protect the back of the head and the neck, and many of the recent cases where a batsman had got hit on the head have featured blows to the neck region that can be protected using the stem guard.Some cricketers have said the unavailability of stem-guard helmets in the local market is a reason for not being interested in getting one. The counter to this would be that some of these same cricketers order top-quality cricket gear from abroad, but have not sought out these helmets.During the Bangladesh Premier League in 2015, several of the six teams in the tournament had provided the guard to their players, only to see it not being used. Again, players pointed to the comfort factor being a reason for that.Perhaps, after Shuvo’s injury, most cricketers will attach as much importance to safety as comfort.

Andre Russell is set to face an anti-doping disciplinary panel on July 20 in Jamaica for a preliminary hearing over alleged whereabouts-clause violations

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Jul-2016West Indies allrounder Andre Russell is set to face an independent anti-doping disciplinary panel on July 20 in Jamaica for a preliminary hearing over alleged whereabouts-clause violations, his lawyer Patrick Foster has said.”The matter is set for hearing next week Wednesday at 10am,” Foster told . “The hearing will deal with preliminary matters, but evidence will begin on another date.”In March this year, the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) said Russell had reportedly missed three dope tests in a 12-month period, which equated to a failed test under doping laws. Athletes are required make their whereabouts known to local anti-doping agencies to facilitate testing under the WADA code and face a ban of up to two years if found guilty of repeatedly missing them.”We received notification of Russell’s violation about two weeks ago and I’ve appointed a panel to hear his case,” JADCO independent disciplinary panel chairman Kent Pantry had told Reuters around March 2.Russell, 27, has been a leading player in the T20 format in recent times. He played a crucial role in West Indies winning the 2016 World T20 title in March and April, and is a key performer in domestic leagues around the world.Russell was part of winning campaigns for Sydney Thunder in the 2015-16 Big Bash League and for Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League in February. He is also part of the Kolkata Knight Riders squad in the IPL and is currently playing for Jamaica Tallawahs in the Caribbean Premier League.

The ability to adapt quickly to unfamiliar conditions was crucial to New Zealand’s victory in the first Test over Zimbabwe, according to coach Mike Hesson

Firdose Moonda in Bulawayo01-Aug-2016The ability to adapt quickly to unfamiliar conditions was crucial to New Zealand’s victory in the first Test over Zimbabwe, according to coach Mike Hesson. He praised Neil Wagner and BJ Watling for assessing the Bulawayo surface, which did not offer much pace or bounce but grew abrasive as the game went on, and working out how to succeed on it.Wagner’s career-best 6 for 41 was headlined by his short-ball barrage, an unusual sight at Queens, where most seamers stick to simple plans and wait for a mistake. But Wagner bent his back and attacked Zimbabwe’s line-up in the first innings and the early parts of the second, before adjusting his strategy and searching for reverse-swing as the ball aged.Although his second-innings returns were a third of his first innings, it showed his dual use as a wicket-taker, with both new and old ball, something that has come with being more certain of his game.”When he came up three or four years ago he was excited and keen to make an impression. He probably didn’t stick to his gameplan for too long but he’s a lot more experienced now and he’s certainly got the confidence of the captain,” Hesson said. “He’s able to change his game, as we saw. He can swing the new ball if he’s given it. He can certainly reverse the old one and we know he can bowl bumpers. Especially on unresponsive surfaces, he’s a good bowler.”Equally good but less celebrated was Watling, whose century did not get the same attention as Tom Latham’s or Ross Taylor’s, perhaps because it came after theirs. Watling’s was the fastest of the three hundreds and ensured the game did not drift at a time when Zimbabwe’s wearing bowlers were focused on containing. Watling tired them out even more, pierced the gaps and rotated strike with intent.”He is incredibly perceptive. He is one of the few players that can adapt technique mid-game,” Hesson said. “He makes subtle changes to his grip. He is a very talented and very hard-working cricketer.”Some conversations around the match spoke of Watling being the best wicket-keeper batsman in Test cricket at the moment, a label Hesson would not mind endorsing. “His keeping in very tough conditions, in the subcontinent, in England, has been exceptional for us. He often bats with the tail and he has an ability to eke out as many runs as possible. We’re not going to trade him for anyone,” Hesson said.Overall, Hesson assessed New Zealand’s performance as “very thorough,” with both batsmen and bowlers executing the patience plan as intended. “We talked about playing the long game. We did that. We also showed how important the new ball was. We can be a little bit impatient with the ball at times but I am clutching to find some work-ons. Before hand, we said 20 wickets would be tough to take so we’re pleased that we did it.”New Zealand will have Monday off before spending a night at Heath Streak’s farm outside Bulawayo and will then return to training on Thursday in preparation for the second Test which starts on Saturday. Doubtless, they will be eyeing a clean sweep in Zimbabwe before moving on to South Africa, where they will face a tougher challenge in their bid to keep climbing the rankings.”These two series are a chance for us as a group to gain some of the ground that we lost a few months ago against Australia,” Hesson said. “We had gone eight series without a loss before we faced them at home and away. Before that, we had gained a lot of ground and then we lost some.”

Gareth Berg took his first five-wicket haul in five years as Hampshire’s attack made the best of favourable conditions to reduce the champions to 275 for 9

Freddie Wilde at the Ageas Bowl31-Aug-2016
ScorecardJake Lehmann anchored Yorkshire’s first innings (file photo)•Getty Images

“Don’t look down, look up” goes the old Yorkshire adage about whether to bat or bowl first at Headingley. A few hundred miles south at the Ageas Bowl the proverb is ever-more appropriate, as overhead conditions appear to be shaping the game at Hampshire’s ground with increasing regularity.Upon winning the toss in this crucial match, with repercussions for the top and bottom of the Championship table, Yorkshire captain Andrew Gale looked up, saw a cloudless blue sky and opted to bat. With the two most recent first-innings scores at this ground being 637 for 7 and 548 for 6 Hampshire would have been forgiven for preparing themselves for another long stint in the field, having last week been run ragged for 137.4 overs in their most recent Championship match at Taunton.In a season in which fortune has frequently frowned on Hampshire, with injuries and illness robbing them of some of their best players, they could probably hardly believe their luck when after just 20 minutes of play, in which Yorkshire’s openers had looked relatively untroubled, the sky was suddenly choked by dense and leaden clouds. Five minutes later the floodlights were on, a couple of balls jagged sharply past the outside edge and the whole feeling of the occasion had been transformed.

‘Family comes first’ – Gillespie

Jason Gillespie has reiterated that his decision to leave his position as Yorkshire head coach was due to a desire to spend more time with his family.
“This decision hasn’t come around as quickly as it may have seemed. It’s been in the pipeline for a little while,” Gillespie said. “I didn’t want to make any snap decisions but considering all things I’m sure it is the right time. Family is the most important thing and the brutal reality is that seven or eight months away from the family just doesn’t work. And that’s just the honest truth. It was a difficult decision to stand down because I love it.
“I feel that we have made some great strides and there is more for this group of players to achieve but it’s time for someone else to take the team further forward.
“My main job is as a husband and a father. Cricket’s my hobby and my second job so to speak. I have to be true to that, and that’s why I’ve made this decision.”

What followed was an engrossingly competitive day that ebbed and flowed as readily as the clouds rolled in and out, in which ball dominated bat for large swathes of it and ended with Hampshire in a decidedly better position than perhaps even they would have envisaged at 11am.If Hampshire are indeed relegated this season, which remains likely, the locals are unlikely to see cricket bearing the intensity and meaning of that which they witnessed in the morning session for some time. The air was heavy with import as Ryan McLaren, Brad Wheal and Gareth Berg stared the top order of county cricket’s northern powerhouse straight in the eyes and matched them blow for blow, beating the edge by getting the ball to spit, bounce, seam and swing.As well as Hampshire bowled in that opening session it was the catching of Will Smith that could be largely credited with the wickets of Yorkshire’s left-handed openers. Both Alex Lees, against McLaren, and Adam Lyth, against Wheal, tried to force balls through the off side delivered from round the wicket that were arguably not wide enough to do so too, and on both occasions Smith, diving to his right at a wide gully, first with two hands and then spectacularly with one, was there to intercept the ball inches above the turf.The brilliance of Smith did not rub off on to James Vince, whose catching struggles continued as he dropped England team-mate and possible rival for a winter tour spot, Gary Ballance, twice in less than 15 minutes at third slip. It was third time unlucky for Ballance however when wicketkeeper Lewis McManus did not make the same mistake as his captain when a hint of swing extracted a fine edge to leave Yorkshire teetering at 57 for 3.It was then that the pendulum began to swing back towards Yorkshire as Gale and Jake Lehmann combined in a 62-run partnership either side of lunch that arrested their slide. Lehmann’s counter-attacking innings of 58 from 73 balls made for enjoyable viewing. He is a punchy player, unafraid to play his shots and his quickness to pick up length is an enticing trait.After Gale was squared up by McLaren and Lehmann brilliantly caught by Jimmy Adams playing one cut shot too many, the game swung towards Hampshire again only for Tim Bresnan to wrest it back with a typically tough fifty from No. 6.It was after tea with the floodlights on and dark skies above that Hampshire built on the foundations of their strong first two sessions. A superb spell by Berg, in which he took 3 for 13 from five overs and got the ball to move wickedly off the pitch, gutted Yorkshire’s lower order, instigating a dramatic collapse from 212 for 5 to 234 for 9. The three wickets sealed Berg his first five wicket-haul since September 2011. He, like Hampshire more generally, were assisted by the conditions but it took skill to utilise them.Just how important Yorkshire’s unbeaten tenth wicket partnership of 41 between Jack Brooks and Ryan Sidebottom was will become apparent after Hampshire have batted. This felt like a good day for Hampshire, especially after being put into the field, but batting was not easy and Yorkshire have the bowlers to cause real damage if helpful conditions persist.

The Lodha Committee has suggested a “panel of administrators” take charge of the BCCI to oversee the implementation of the recommendations contained in the Lodha report

Nagraj Gollapudi28-Sep-20164:26

‘BCCI’s conduct indicates that it must have a plan’

The Lodha Committee has significantly raised the pressure on the BCCI by asking the Supreme Court to “supersede” the board’s top brass with “immediate effect” because its officials have not complied with various timelines set by the Committee to implement its recommendations.The Committee suggested that a “panel of administrators” take charge of the BCCI to oversee the implementation of the Lodha report’s recommendations that were ratified by the Supreme Court on July 18.In the status report submitted to the court on Wednesday, September 28, Lodha elaborated on the BCCI’s transgressions.”While the Office Bearers of the BCCI gave assurances to the SC Committee on August 9, August 25 and September 20, 2016 that they would cooperate with the Committee towards fulfilling the directions of this Hon’ble Court (subject to any modification or review), the events over the past weeks have shown that this is not the case,” Lodha said in the status report. “Directions of this Hon’ble Court have been ignored, actions have been taken to present a fait accompli to the Committee, the directives of the Committee have been breached, and member associations have not been duly intimated about the directions of the Committee and the timelines fixed by it.”With as many as seven of the timelines to be complied with by September 30, 2016, it is now clear that the BCCI is in no position to ensure that the timelines mandated to be laid down by this Hon’ble Court are complied with. The conduct of the office bearers of the BCCI in not following the direction of the SC Committee has created serious impediments in the implementation of the directions of this Hon’ble Court.”According to the Lodha Committee, the decisions taken by the BCCI at its AGM on September 21 were “contrary” to the court order issued on July 18 by TS Thakur, the Chief Justice of India, and Supreme Court judge Ibrahim Kallifulla.”In view of all the above, the Committee seeks the following directions from this Hon’ble Court: Supersede the present Office Bearers of the BCCI with immediate effect; and appoint in their place a Panel of Administrators of the BCCI to ensure the smooth transition from the old to the new system recommended by the Committee,” Lodha said in the status report.”Direct that all decisions of the BCCI taken after July 18, 2016, which are contrary to the judgment dated July 18, 2016, of this Hon’ble Court and/or the directives of the SC Committee for implementing the same are  and ineffective; and any other direction as may be deemed fit for the implementation of the judgement dated 18.7.2016.”Drawing up a timeline of events since the Supreme Court’s order on July 18, Lodha said the BCCI had remained unresponsive when reminded about various issues.The Committee said it had received the agenda for the BCCI AGM on September 17, four days before the meeting, through other sources and not from the board. Upon perusal it had found that “almost all items” on the agenda were violations of the directions given by the Committee to BCCI chief executive Rahul Johri in an email on August 31.The Committee had reminded Johri “to limit” the AGM’s agenda to routine business for the year 2015-16. “The purpose of this direction was to ensure that the recommendations which had to be implemented are not circumvented by delaying the formal adoption of the MoA and Rules & Regulations by the BCCI by creating fait accompli,” Lodha said.Providing an example of the BCCI not following instructions at the AGM, Lodha said Ajay Shirke, the lone nominee for the secretary’s post, had failed to mention whether he was eligible for the post. “The Nomination Form for the Secretary’s post requires an undertaking to be given by the candidate that he possesses the requisite eligibility for continuing till 2017.”The BCCI elected Shirke as the secretary at the AGM, appointed five-member selection panels for the men, women and junior teams, appointed its president Anurag Thakur and former president Sharad Pawar as representatives to ICC Board meetings, and Shirke for the ICC’s chief executives’ meeting, and also approved the budget for 2016-17.The Lodha Committee has still not been provided with the minutes of the AGM by the BCCI.The Committee also took exception to the BCCI announcing a special general meeting (SGM) on September 30. The BCCI, Lodha said, was supposed to hold an executive general body meeting (EGM) by September 28, when it would adopt the new Memorandum of Association and Rules (MoA), the first step needed to adopt the recommendations of the Lodha Committee. Instead Shirke had written to the Committee on September 22 stating the BCCI would “consider” the amendments suggested at the SGM.The Lodha Committee – comprising Lodha and retired Supreme Court judges Ashok Bhan and R Raveendran – was formed in January 2015 to determine appropriate punishments for some of the officials involved in the 2013 IPL corruption scandal, and also to propose changes to streamline the BCCI, reform its functioning, prevent sporting fraud and conflict of interest.

Sam Billings says he is flattered to have been talked up by Michael Vaughan as a potential reinforcement for the Test tour of India, but insists that he remains a work in progress

Andrew Miller02-Nov-2016Sam Billings, the Kent batsman whose technique against spin bowling is considered one of the best among England’s coming generation of batsmen, says he is flattered to have been talked up by Michael Vaughan as a potential reinforcement for the Test tour of India, but insists that he remains a work in progress in first-class cricket.Billings has been on the fringes of the one-day squad for several months without being able to secure a regular berth, but he gave an indication of his aptitude in Asian conditions in the ODI series against Bangladesh last month, when he was drafted in to open the batting in the series decider in Chittagong, and swept his way to a vital 62 from 69 balls in a stiff run-chase.”It was great to contribute,” said Billings during a Chance to Shine event in West London. “I should have got 120 not out to win the game but that’s life and I would have taken 60 at the start. To be involved in another series win in difficult conditions shows how far we are coming along as a group.”Everyone knew that Bangladesh had won their last six home series, including against India and South Africa, so it was no mean feat to win. People think it is only Bangladesh so you should just smack them around but, with Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes, they’ve got a seriously good side in their own conditions.”Bangladesh backed up that assertion in no uncertain terms in the subsequent Test series and, speaking in the aftermath of England’s shocking collapse in the second Test at Dhaka, Vaughan argued strongly for Billings’ inclusion for the five-Test series against India that gets underway in Rajkot next week – not least because, as a right-hander, he will be better placed to combat the offspin of India’s attack leader, Ravi Ashwin.”Obviously that is flattering,” Billings said, “Playing spin is one of my strengths. Manoeuvring the ball around and putting spinners under pressure is one of my strengths, but the guys who are there have done it regularly in first-class cricket and are there for a reason.”Billings had his moments in first-class cricket for Kent last season, most notably a career-best 171 against Gloucestershire in Bristol in August but, having missed the early weeks of the summer during his IPL stint with Delhi Daredevils, he played just seven Division Two matches and was unable to put together the weight of runs that earned Ben Duckett and Haseeb Hameed their call-ups.”Haseeb hasn’t had an opportunity yet, and to have a long run at it too,” he said. “These guys have done it over and over in first-class cricket. But any time England calls you just get on a plane and try and get the job done.”While the prospect of Billings joining the England squad remains, for the time being, a pundit’s pipedream, there is no diluting either his confidence or his eagerness to get involved if the chance should arise. And, having sampled the atmosphere of modern Indian cricket during his IPL stint, Billings believes he has been granted a fascinating insight into what it takes to succeed in conditions that previous generations might have regarded as alien.”The IPL was huge for that,” he said. “It is different to a Test match but the basics don’t change: your footwork is paramount.”I was very fortunate to work with Rahul Dravid in the IPL and pick his brains on playing spin. At some points we moved the stumps back and had the used crease to play with and he said, ‘if you can bat on that you can bat on anything’.”This is one of the reasons [Trevor] Bayliss and [Andrew] Strauss are pushing us to go over there. Yes it is T20 cricket but it is about the environment and learning how those guys go about it.”Billings’ grounding sounds somewhat counter to Alastair Cook’s assertion in the aftermath of the Dhaka defeat, that England’s batsmen were inexperienced in Asian conditions. And certainly, given the resources made available by the ECB on their recent Lions tours, and the coaching expertise that has been drafted in to prepare England’s next generation, the scale of the collapse in Dhaka – 10 wickets for 64 runs in 22.3 overs – was extreme.And if the talking point coming out of the Bangladesh tour is the vulnerability of England’s batsmen to the ball turning away from the bat – particularly the left-handers to the offspin of Mehedi Hasan – then Billings gives the impression that such a challenge shouldn’t have come as quite such a surprise, especially given the identity of two of the lead coaches in the Lions set-up.”Graham Thorpe and Andy Flower may be two left-handers, but they were great players of spin, especially against offspin with the turning away from the bat,” he said. “The basics don’t change, you have to get as close to the ball as possible or as far away from it as possible using the depth of the crease.”For me, I identified two years ago that left-arm spin was a really big area I needed to work on,” he said. “The ball going away or sliding on is generally more difficult for a batter when it is turning.”In the UAE last winter, he was able to pick the brains of New Zealand’s left-arm spinner, Daniel Vettori, who was drafted in as a consultant on the England Performance Programme. “We had a hybrid pitch that was ragging square. He was bowling at a good pace, it was seriously tough, and that’s when you work out what’s good for you.”As a consequence of the grounding that he and his fellow batsmen have been given, and given the experienced heads they can call upon during the India tour, Billings remains confident that England will find a means to battle back from their Dhaka ignominy and put up a fight in the coming weeks.”[Alastair] Cook, in his debut Test, got a hundred in India, so they’ve got no better bloke to pick the brains of – although, of course, he does it a different way. Stokesy [Ben Stokes] is still one of the younger lads, even though it feels he’s been around for years, and in terms of his game against spin, he’s come on leaps and bounds and will only get better. We’ll all get better, the more we are exposed to it.”It’s finding different ways all over the place. I’ve got no doubt there are some seriously good players of spin there. It’s a different kettle of fish against [Ravi] Jadeja and Ashwin, but it’s been great to have had these two Test matches. We got out unscathed – yeah we drew, I know we wanted to win – but we’ll go into the India tour with preparation time. I’ve got full faith in the boys and they are definitely good enough to win.”ECB will double its investment in cricket charity Chance to Shine, from 2017, to inspire millions of young people to play and learn through cricket. Visit chancetoshine.org

Mosaddek Hossain and Subashis Roy were included in Bangladesh’s squad for the second Test against England, in Dhaka from October 28

Mohammad Isam24-Oct-20161:38

Isam: Bangladesh need more from Shakib

Mosaddek Hossain and Subashis Roy have received maiden call-ups to the Bangladesh squad for the second Test against England, which begins on October 28. Shafiul Islam is the only player from the XI that played the first Test in Chittagong to be “rested” for the Dhaka Test.Chief selector Minhazul Abedin said that Shafiul had been given time off while Mosaddek had been added as cover for an unwell Sabbir Rahman.”We have rested Shafiul because he got really tired playing his first Test in a long time,” Minhazul said. “We have called up [Mosaddek Hossain] Saikat as cover for Sabbir, who got sick in Chittagong.”Mosaddek is highly rated as a middle-order batsman in the domestic scene, having scored three double-hundreds last year. He made his ODI debut against Afghanistan, impressing with his ability to rotate the strike, bowl accurately and field well. Subashis has been called up at this level for the first time, having taken 136 wickets in 51 first-class matches.Bangladesh squad for the second Test: Mushfiqur Rahim (capt), Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Mominul Haque, Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan, Shuvagata Hom, Sabbir Rahman, Mehedi Hasan, Taijul Islam, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Mosaddek Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Subashis Roy

Sachin Tendulkar has urged all three match umpires to work together and has suggested a third umpire should intervene to reverse incorrect decisions even when there is no referral

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Nov-20161:25

Compton: Top-order batsmen need to take a chance with DRS

Sachin Tendulkar has called for greater authority to be given to the third umpire to intervene and reverse incorrect decisions even when the player has not opted to refer it under the Decision Review System. He said the idea of the DRS was to ensure correct decisions were made consistently, and suggested the three umpires work together towards that end.”All three umpires should work together as a team and if the third umpire spots something, he should be in a position to tell the on-field umpire, ‘I feel this is not out’ or vice versa,” Tendulkar was quoted as saying by Mid Day. “You can overturn that decision. It’s all about getting correct decisions, so you must go all the way to get it right.”India had mixed fortunes with DRS in the first Test in Rajkot with Cheteshwar Pujara’s dismissal in the second innings coming under the spotlight. Pujara was adjudged lbw on 18, but he didn’t opt to review the decision even as replays revealed Adil Rashid’s delivery had pitched outside leg stump before hitting the batsman’s leg. M Vijay, at the other end, also seemed to concur with the umpire’s decision, and didn’t press Pujara to go for a review.Explaining India’s initial reluctance to DRS, Sachin Tendulkar said they were not convinced of the technology•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Incidentally, Pujara was initially given out lbw for 86 in the first innings when Zafar Ansari struck him on the back leg. Pujara consulted with Vijay, who was the non-striker on that occasion as well, and referred the decision to Rod Tucker, the third umpire. Tucker overturned the decision after replays showed the ball to be going over the stumps.After the second innings, Kohli said the non-striker must stay closer to the stumps and remain more pro-active in helping his partner with DRS referrals, but Tendulkar felt the onus was on the umpires to make the right call.”In spite of Pujara being not out and DRS being there, he still ended up losing his wicket. Should the third umpire have the authority to intervene and correct the decision? I feel, yes,” he said. “See, the batsman at the other end is thinking about his own batting. He is planning how he is going to tackle the bowler. That period [at the non-striker’s end] becomes a breather for the player. He takes some time off and thinks about what he wants to do and in that fraction of a second, he can miss something.”India had played in the first series with umpire reviews, against Sri Lanka in 2008, but the ongoing series against England is their first bilateral contest since then with all the components of the DRS – including ball-tracking technology – in place. Tendulkar called the BCCI’s decision to trial the system a “positive step”, with the technology used in the DRS having improved. However, he stressed on the need to ensure uniformity in the technology used around the world.”There were a few things that we did not like. We were not convinced about the technology and as I said, over a period of time, things changed,” Tendulkar said, explaining India’s initial resistance to the DRS. “The technology is better and there has been more and more research, more consistency in what they are trying to achieve.”We did not agree to certain things because one part of the world was using snickometer. In other parts, there was hotspot. There was a match… I think a Zimbabwe versus Bangladesh Test where no one knew what was being used. The idea is to standardise things for all parts of the world. Laws in cricket must be standardised no matter which part of the world you play in.”

Daniel Hughes’ 55-ball 85 powered the Sydney Sixers to their third win of the season as they chased down 187 to beat the Brisbane Heat at the Gabba

The Report by Will Macpherson at the Gabba03-Jan-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsDaniel Hughes hit four sixes in his 55-ball 85•Cricket Australia

With just two balls to spare, a top-edged six over the wicketkeeper’s head by Sean Abbott off Ben Cutting saw Sydney Sixers home by three wickets over Brisbane Heat at the Gabba.It did not seem that it would be so close. Sixers needed three from the final over, but Daniel Hughes, who had batted beautifully, was bowled for 85 by its first ball. A scrambled bye was followed by Abbott’s big swing – by hook or by crook they had made it.The Heat always seemed a touch under par, with Brendon McCullum and Chris Lynn – who left their fielding effort with a shoulder injury, but will most likely fly to Perth as scheduled for his team’s next game – failing to kick on. After a fast start, Sixers, led by Abbott – who now has 12 wickets, twice as many as any other bowler in the BBL – pulled it back to limit Heat to 6 for 186.The three stages of Brisbane Heat’s innings
Having been put in (only twice have captains opted to bat first this BBL), the Heat’s innings fell into three distinct sections. They flew out of the blocks, taking 70 for 0 from the Powerplay, with the least-heralded of their powerful top three, Jimmy Peirson, outstripping McCullum with a series of mighty swipes to leg and down the ground.The next six overs were trickier; Abbott’s introduction did for McCullum and Lynn, while Peirson and Alex Ross fell in consecutive overs. As the ball began to hold up and Abbott and co varied their pace, overs seven to 12 read 30 for 4, with four of those overs bringing just three runs each.Fortunately for Heat, Joe Burns anchored the remaining eight overs, reaching a fine half-century in the last over of the innings. In the company of Cutting, who drove lustily and even reverse-swept, Burns struggled, but when Cutting and Jack Wildermuth fell quickly, he opened his shoulders. The last eight overs brought 86 for 2.The comeback kid
Nick Buchanan is just 25 but his is an amazing story. This was the ponytailed paceman’s first Big Bash game since December 20, 2011. That’s 1,841 days. Or four Australian Prime Ministers. In October that year, Matthew Hayden had predicted the Queenslander, son of former national coach John, could become “an Australian Andrew Flintoff”.But since then, he has had an operation on just about every vital joint – hip, groin, ankle – as well as stress fractures in the back and shoulder problems, too. He sought solace in alcohol, then got clean, but with the injuries lingering, he lost his Queensland contract.Here he returned to top-level cricket. He smote the final ball of the innings for a huge six, and bowled well too, with six runs coming from each of his first two overs, the second of which also brought the vital wicket of Moises Henriques. Welcome back, sir!Hughes carries Sixers home – almost
Hughes started the Sixers’ chase by patting back five dot balls off Samuel Badree. He ended that over by driving beautifully through the covers, the first scoring shot of a mini-masterpiece. He milked Badree, the big threat, for 21 off 14 balls, as the West Indian conceded his worst figures of the season (1 for 30) – he also seemed to be afflicted by hamstring issues in his final over – and got after the seamers as his more esteemed colleagues flattered to deceive.Jason Roy was pinned in front, Nic Maddinson was done by a slower ball, Moises Henriques skied slogging and Sam Billings – who, like Roy, was playing his last game for the Sixers – was deceived by Mitchell Swepson’s wrong’un. Brad Haddin was in fine form as he shared 59 with Hughes, which all but sealed the win. After the wickets of Haddin and Johan Botha, Hughes fell to the first ball of the final over, playing on to Cutting, but, with Heat now believing they could pull off an outrageous win, Abbott swung hard to ensure his efforts did not go to waste.The end is nigh
The Sixers recognised that when the bowler was coming from the Vulture Street End, the straight boundary was much shorter than from the Stanley Street End. So they cashed in on those 10 overs, hitting towards the short fence. They took 120 when the bowler was running in from the VSE, and just 71 from the SSE. The last over was bowled from the VSE – meaning Abbott’s six, over the keeper’s head, flew to the long boundary.

The Sydney Thunder and the Sydney Sixers could not be separated on runs even after the Super Over. So it all came down to the boundary aggregate

The Report by Will Macpherson at the SCG14-Jan-2017Super Over
ScorecardStafanie Taylor struck her first fifty of the season•Getty Images

In the end, not even a Super Over could separate the Sydney Smash.Having elected to bat, the Sydney Sixers made 138. In reply, the Sydney Thunder managed the same. In the Super Over, the Thunder made eight, then the Sixers did too.Confusion reigned, but the Thunder had won – on the basis that they had hit more boundaries in the 40 overs (16) than the Sixers (14). So, in a game normally won by a number of runs or wickets, the Sydney Thunder had beaten the Sydney Sixers by two boundaries. Eh?The first 40 overs had been an undulating, exciting advert for the Women’s BBL, and the Super Over had the national news on Channel Ten delayed – who knows how many new fans will have stumbled across the game as a result – and as many as 17,000 people watching at the ground.The main event
The 40 overs that were unable to separate the two sides were dominated by fine innings from two top-order batsmen, and the timing of their wickets decided the outcome.First came Ashleigh Gardner, whose stellar competition continued. She came to the crease in the first over with Alyssa Healy gone, and scored a fine 54 from 41 balls, including sixes down the ground and to cow corner. She shared a stand of 65 with Sara McGlashan, who was scratchy early on but grew into her innings. When McGlashan was caught and bowled by Erin Osborne, though, they lost five for 30 from the final 21 balls. Gardner was stumped by Alex Blackwell – making a rare appearance as a wicketkeeper – off Stafanie Taylor (who had earlier taken another key wicket, Elysse Perry), and Sixers hopes of making 150 were over.Ashleigh Gardner continued her fine form•Getty Images

Taylor’s excellent game continued as she made 68, he first half-century of the season, to dominate the chase. Blackwell, who fell to the excellent Kim Garth, then Harmanpreet Kaur chipped in, but Taylor rode her luck (she was dropped three times) to keep her team in it and looked to be guiding them to victory. The late introduction of Lisa Sthalekar in the 15th over put the brakes on the Thunder as she picked up two wickets, then Taylor fell slogging Sarah Aley in the penultimate over. Naomi Stalenberg and Osborne could only manage seven of the eight they needed from the final over; Super Over it was.Super finish
So, how did that Super Over pan out, then? The Thunder batted first. Garth, an Associate rookie and replacement for the absent South African duo Marizanne Kapp and Dane van Niekerk, limited Taylor – who earlier made an excellent 68 before falling in the final over – and Rachael Haynes, who was run out off the last ball, to just eight. Garth, continuing the beautiful line and length she had bowled when taking 17 for 1 earlier) had denied them any boundaries, which was a superb effort.Knowing that they had fewer boundaries in regular tim, the Sixers knew they needed nine to win, but the Thunder knew eight would work for them. Healy smote Rene Farrell down the ground for four, but was then carelessly run out. Perry found two through cover, then was caught at long-on. Needing three off the last two, Angela Reakes was run out turning for a second. Gardner, so brilliant earlier, could only scramble her first ball for a single. No one really understood why, but it was not enough.What it all means
Before the Sydney Smash, the Sixers had won three games (in a run of seven straight victories). The Sixers still sit four points clear at the top of the table, and need to win one of their two remaining fixtures to qualify for a semi-final. The Thunder are sixth, and their hopes of defending their title remain alive.