He also credits motivational speaker Mike Horn for getting better at embracing failure

Sreshth Shah30-Aug-2020Kolkata Knight Riders have had four captains in the IPL, and Nitish Rana grew up idolising two of them. His father was a fan of Sachin Tendulkar, his brother a fan of Rahul Dravid and as a budding left-hand batsman, Rana became a fan of Sourav Ganguly, copying his style in street cricket and crying in his room when his idol disappointed with the bat.But the man who had an even greater influence on Rana was Gautam Gambhir. Rana and Gambhir played club cricket together in Delhi, and Gambhir was Rana’s first captain when he first played in the Ranji Trophy for Delhi. They never got to play together for the Knight Riders, though, with Rana joining the team in 2018, the same year Gambhir left for the Delhi Capitals.”Where I stayed, everyone said I could mimic cricketers’ actions really well. So people started saying, ‘Act like , act like ‘, so playing like him in my early days, copying his style back then, Ganguly’s style got ingrained in my game,” Rana told “But when I started playing seriously then it was Gambhir, because I grew up watching him bat from close quarters at the club. So just from seeing him bat in the flesh, I have picked up a lot from him.”I don’t think our batting styles match, but people say that. And even if they say that, I have absolutely no problem with that because I have witnessed his batting so much from such close quarters for the last 12 years, that if there’s even a little glimpse of him in me, I will consider myself lucky.”When Gambhir stepped down as Delhi captain in 2018, it was Rana who took over.”If you ask me about the biggest achievement of my career, I will say it was being appointed Delhi captain,” Rana said. “The best feeling was to see Gambhir playing his last year [of domestic cricket] while I was captain. I played my first year under him and he played his last year under me. Gambhir had said that I was the right candidate to lead Delhi. Imagine such statements coming from your idol. This had to be one of the biggest moments of my life.”Nitish Rana plays a pull•BCCIWhile he’s now a mainstay of the Knight Riders line-up, Rana’s breakthrough IPL performance came against them: a 29-ball half century for Mumbai Indians in 2017, which he believes played a role in the Knight Riders signing him for INR 3.40 crore at the 2018 auction. He’s scored four fifties for them over the last two seasons, but his favourite performance in a Knight Riders jersey was one where he grabbed headlines with the ball.”My favourite Knight Riders match is my debut match – against RCB – when I got Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers out in one over. Made 34 too in our win,” Rana said. “I was out that day playing a poor shot, and Dinesh Karthik told me that day that if you want to be a big player, you need to finish games, and that has stayed with me. It was an important game for me, coming into a brand-new side, that performance was comforting.”ALSO READ: Back in ‘full rhythm’, Shivam Mavi hopes to make up for lost timeRana says he has become better at embracing failure, and he credits that to motivational speaker Mike Horn, who worked closely with the India team that won the 2011 World Cup and the Germany football team that won the 2014 World Cup. Over the years, Horn has also worked with the Knight Riders.”I have been following Mike Horn on Instagram for a long time, even before I joined KKR,” Rana said. “I looked up to him and often wondered how he managed to do so many things. When I was young, I used to get scared of pace and had doubts if I could ever face 140-plus kph fast bowling. When I personally met him and attended his lectures, I realised he was just not afraid of failures. He knows only how to gain [from them]. I tried to absorb this quality from him. If you take up anything with this mindset that you have nothing to lose, you can only gain and perform better.”There are two more mantras that Rana has imbibed into his batting, beliefs that allow him to draw the distinct line between being aggressive and over aggressive.”A friend once told me, ‘whenever you feel like hitting a six in the next ball, just delay your plan’,” Rana said. “He also said, ‘the time we need to focus the most is when you’re batting like a dream. Because this is the time you get complacent or overconfident.’ When we chase a target with the required rate of eight or ten in an over, I can deliver easily if I show my aggression. But I stop myself many times because understanding the situation and batting accordingly is needed. It’s a technique that comes with practice. It took me a lot of time to learn the art.”

How RCB, Sunrisers, Mumbai and KKR stack up ahead of the auction

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Jan-2021Royal Challengers BangaloreMain Talking Point:
Royal Challengers Bangalore have offloaded three big-ticket overseas signings: Chris Morris, Moeen Ali and Aaron Finch. Morris came with a price tag of INR 10 crores. The franchise revealed in a video after his signing that they were ready to shell out more. Now, he finds himself out after one season where he picked up 11 wickets in nine matches at a more-than-acceptable economy of 6.63, due to his history of injuries and lack of cricket since IPL 2020.Moeen played all of three matches last season, while Shivam Dube, among their Indian players to be let go, couldn’t quite make an impact down the order with the bat, and was sparingly used with the ball. The franchise has filled in the allrounders’ void by securing Harshal Patel and Daniel Sams through trades from Delhi Capitals.ESPNcricinfo LtdHarshal was one of the best seam-bowling allrounders in India’s domestic circuit across formats in 2019-20 and is a much improved bowler to the one who represented the Royal Challengers from 2012-17, having increased his pace and developed the potential to become a finisher.Meanwhile, Australia’s white-ball captain Finch will be searching for a ninth IPL team after being released. Finch didn’t have a great run with the bat in IPL 2020, tallying just one half-century in 12 innings, and lost his place towards the end of the group phase. His poor run for Melbourne Renegades in the BBL season – 169 runs in 11 innings without a half-century – may have not helped his cause.What they need:
A strong Indian middle-order batsman who can tonk the ball, and one back-up seamer to strengthen a strong bowling line-up consisting of Navdeep Saini, Mohammed Siraj, Kane Richardson, Sams and Harshal.Balance purse: INR 35.90 crore, the second biggest purse after Kings XI PunjabWhat they said:
Morris did really well for us, but the thing is he had injuries. He missed a bit of cricket [during the IPL] and hasn’t played since then, so there’s a bit of a risk for us there [with the INR 10 crore purse]. Finch was a great addition from a leadership perspective, whether he played or not, but we decided to go a slightly different way. Josh Phillipe gives us that top order cover.”
Mike Hesson, RCB’s Director of Cricket
Sunrisers HyderabadESPNcricinfo LtdMain talking point:
Fabian Allen and Billy Stanlake were the two big names released by Sunrisers Hyderabad. They also let go of Sanjay Yadav, B Sandeep and Prithvi Raj. None of the five released players got a game last season.The fact that captain David Warner, Rashid Khan and Kane Williamson/Jonny Bairstow are automatic picks in the XI makes it difficult for other overseas players to break through. Last year, Allen was contesting with Mohammed Nabi for the allrounder’s spot but once Bhuvneshwar got injured, they found the best balance with Jason Holder in the side.Holder was drafted as an injury replacement for Mitchell Marsh, and the Sunrisers decided to retain both. They also showed faith in their young brigade, comprising Abdul Samad, Priyam Garg, Abhishek Sharma and Virat Singh.Balance purse: INR 10.75 croreWhat they need:
If all their players are available, the Sunrisers have most bases covered. What they are missing is an experienced, Indian middle-order batsman.What they said:
“The thing is the Sunrisers can play only four overseas players and they would want to play five ideally. They have to make a choice between Bairstow and Kane Williamson every day. So I don’t think they need any more overseas players.”
Mumbai IndiansESPNcricinfo LtdMain talking point:
Mumbai Indians all but emptied their overseas fast-bowling contingent by releasing Nathan Coulter-Nile, James Pattinson and Mitchell McClenaghan. Earlier this month, Lasith Malinga also informed the team management about his decision to retire from franchise cricket.Sherfane Rutherford, Prince Balwant Rai and Digvijay Deshmukh were the others with whom Mumbai parted ways.While McClenaghan might have been let go because he doesn’t fit into the franchise’s long-term plans, Coulter-Nile and Pattinson’s removals come as a surprise since both of them were impressive as third seamers to Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult. Pattinson picked up 11 wickets from ten games at an economy of 9.04 while Coulter-Nile bagged five from seven at 7.92. Both could contribute with bat as well.Balance purse: INR 15.35 croreWhat they need:
With Bumrah, Boult and Dhawal Kulkarni being the only fast bowlers with international experience in the squad, expect Mumbai to go big on pacers, especially the overseas kind, and fast-bowling allrounders. They may also try to rope in a legspinner as back-up for Rahul Chahar.What they said:
“Lasith Malinga has been at the core of Mumbai Indians for 12 years. We respect his decision, even though I would have liked to him to be part of our bowling attack for another five years. Malinga is an MI legend. We will miss the Wankhede chant for him.”
Mumbai Indians owner Akash AmbaniKolkata Knight RidersESPNcricinfo Ltd Main Talking point:
Despite two poor IPL seasons, the two-time champions have retained left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav. Dinesh Karthik, who quit as captain after seven games in IPL 2020, has been retained as well, along with Sunil Narine, Pat Cummins and the 2018 Under-19 World Cup trio of Shubman Gill, Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Shivam Mavi.Their core squad remains untouched, and the players released – Tom Banton, Chris Green, Ali Khan, Harry Gurney, M Siddharth, Nikhil Naik and Siddhesh Lad – have never really been starters. The list of low-profile player releases, though, means that their available budget – the second-lowest among all teams – is roughly 20% of what Kings XI Punjab have. Balance purse: INR 10.85 crore What they need:
A capped Indian fast bowler will be high on their priority since they have none. They also need a back-up wicketkeeper for Karthik with Banton and Naik released. What they said:
“I was enjoying the rumours that were floating around, rather than the reality. Challenging taking some calls because you’re shooting in the dark about the location of IPL 2021 – India or the UAE. Our think tank felt we have a balanced squad. Over the years, we’ve had small squads and go into mini-auctions looking to do small fine-tuning. We don’t need too many significant changes. Eoin Morgan will have a full season.”In our set-up, we don’t put players back into auctions to try and buy them back cheaper. Auction dynamics are demand-and-supply, and particularly in mini-auctions there’s no logic when pricing goes. Price tag as we are concerned doesn’t matter at all. First four years, Russell was at an INR 60 lac contract, so these things balance each other out. Was more a matter of squad composition and balance. We forget about the money honestly.”
KKR CEO Venky Mysore By Sreshth ShahWhere teams standESPNcricinfo Ltd

Playing only in his 24th first-class match, the 22-year-old showed impressive maturity and aggression

Andrew McGlashan07-Jan-20211:28

Hussey: Pucovski looked very composed at the crease

It felt like a moment the game had waited a long time for: Will Pucovski presented with the baggy green cap. In fact, it has been only four years since he made his first-class debut and three since his maiden century. This Test against India is his 24th first-class match.Even from before he played for Victoria, it has felt a matter of when, not if, for Pucovski, although there have been plenty of obstacles put in his way. There have been nine concussions, the most recent of which was last month and delayed his debut by two Tests. He has taken multiple breaks away from the game to manage his mental health.Related

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In normal circumstances, the morning of a Test debut is also one to savour of friends and family, but these are not normal times. Cameron Green was fortunate early in the series to have family in Adelaide, but the closed border between Victoria and New South Wales has prevented Pucovski’s from being here. Andrew McDonald, Australia’s assistant coach and Pucovski’s first coach at Victoria, presented the cap.”It was very special. We’ve been through a lot together,” Pucovski said. “One of those moments where it was nice to share it with someone with someone I do have such a close connection with.”I would have loved mum and dad and my girlfriend to be up here to celebrate with me and my mates, but they obviously couldn’t make it with the Covid restrictions but other than that, obviously it was still a very, very special moment. I was a tiny bit sad, especially dad who has just been there the whole way and been a massive support to me. A bit disappointed that he couldn’t make it up, but only give that one per cent. It was 99 percent elation.”And so, shortly before 10.30am, Pucovski walked out to the middle alongside David Warner with the task of reinvigorating Australia’s batting after two Tests of struggle. He took first strike, his opening delivery in Test cricket from Jasprit Bumrah wide enough for him to watch go by, and comfortably saw out a maiden. Next over he was off the mark with a tuck to fine leg – no duck to start with, which has been the fate for three Australians in their first Test innings.Will Pucovski punches one off the back foot•Getty ImagesHe soon lost Warner, edging a booming drive to slip, and his first boundary was a top-edge hook but well away from the field. The next stroke was a push straight off mid-on, summing up the simplicity and compact that is a hallmark of his shot selection.Then came three hours to contemplate those early exchanges as steady drizzle cut into the day. Two balls into the resumption there was an appeal for lbw that looked reasonably close with Pucovski coming well across his crease from a leg-stump guard. The next delivery was an elegant push through mid-off.For the next hour, he and Marnus Labuschagne steadily laid a foundation but things livened up in the period into tea. Pucovski’s two clear-cut lives courtesy of Rishhab Pant – the thin edge off R Ashwin and gloved pull against Mohammed Siraj – were moments of fortune few outside of the India team would have begrudged him. A better piece of fielding by Bumrah might have seen him run out on 38 as well.Pucovski started the final over of the session on 45 with fellow debutant Navdeep Saini finally given a bowl in the 31st over. The first delivery was short and wide, dispatched through the covers, and then he pulled a short delivery wide of mid-on to reach his half-century to an ovation from the socially distanced SCG crowd.As he moved into the 60s early in the final session, thoughts were just turning to what might be. And then Saini pitched one up at the stumps which Pucovski tried to flick away but missed. It looked stone dead at first glance although the impact would prove to be umpire’s call. It therefore wouldn’t have wasted a review had Pucovski chosen to, but to his credit he was not talked into it.He had also been involved in the first period of the series India lost control of the scoreboard, runs coming at over four-an-over, and in no little part down to Pucovski.”On the back of a little bit of a momentum shift from Pucovski before the tea break, [Steve] Smith has come out and been ultra aggressive,” Ricky Ponting said on . “This is much more like the Australian way to play. They had to get back and play the Australian way, which is to be aggressive, which is to put pressure back on the bowlers. I think they’ve done that for long periods of today.”The last three Australia openers to make a half-century on debut are Aaron Finch, Cameron Bancroft and Ed Cowan. Each, for a variety of reasons, have very interesting career stories. But there is no need to think ahead to where Pucovski’s career might go despite the overriding view that he has what it takes to make it. This was a young man who has dealt with more in 23 years than some do in a lifetime to reach the pinnacle of the game. And for one day, that’s what mattered.

He was early to pick the length, used the sweep judiciously, and had a good sense of when and whom to attack

Aakash Chopra11-Feb-20219:14

Runorder: Joe Root – back in the ‘Fab Four’ now?

Joe Root was a little circumspect when he walked in to bat in the Chennai Test. England were 63 for 2; R Ashwin had just removed Rory Burns. Root started his innings expecting the ball to turn and bounce.Judging the length the moment the ball leaves the bowler’s hand and trusting in your own defensive game are keys to starting a new innings on Indian pitches. At least in the first innings of a Test match. Perhaps you could also go on the offensive from the start and build an innings but that option is more risky.Even the most aggressive batsmen against spin need a tight defence to survive against it in India. Even if you were to score a run-a-ball century in a Test, you won’t play more than about 30 scoring shots on average. The remaining 70-odd balls are to be played with caution.Related

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Root makes the extraordinary look simple in waltz into record books

Back to Root and how he started: for that was as critical as the wide range of strokes he displayed in his double-century (and his 32-ball 40 in the second innings). The ball hadn’t started turning viciously by then and the bounce wasn’t alarming either. A couple of times he played Ashwin’s deliveries for turn but found the leading edge, which took it towards covers. He also went back to a couple of deliveries that were fairly full but eventually, and wisely, played them defensively. Coaches advise that a batsman must never commit two mistakes on the same ball: if you have misread the length, don’t follow it up with an attacking shot. Playing it defensively is your best response after committing the first error. Root did just that.The other thing Root did was, he didn’t go on from where he’d left off in Sri Lanka. He had swept his way to back-to-back hundreds (including a double) there only a couple of weeks before. For a batsman to have scored the number of runs he did in that series, one might have been lulled into believing the new innings didn’t require the same process and hard work.The most striking feature of the first 30 or 40 balls Root played in Chennai was how he stopped himself from using the sweep. It was important to understand the pace and bounce of the surface, for only then would he know if the sweep was the only scoring option. Of course, the stroke wasn’t necessary in the first innings but it was critical for success in the second. Root bided his time in the first innings and imposed himself only on the inexperienced duo of Shahbaz Nadeem and Washington Sundar, but in the second innings, he went after Ashwin straightaway. The knowledge of when, how and against whom to score was the heartbeat of Root’s batting in the Test.Root has a number of sweeps in his bag, but he restrained himself from using them at the start of his innings in Chennai•Saikat Das/BCCIAfter the cautious start in the first innings, he showed how robust his game plan was against both spin and pace, and that he was totally committed to it. In his knock of 218 runs, he hit only three boundaries against the fast bowlers. He understood that most deliveries would end within the stumps, and so he ensured his head never went too far outside off when playing his strokes. His front-foot stride was negligible but very straight, with the toe pointing down the pitch, allowing the bat a free path to meet incoming deliveries. While a long forward stride is advisable to negotiate conventional swing, it’s counterproductive when you’re tackling high-quality reverse swing; Ajinkya Rahane’s dismissal in the second innings is a fine example of this. Sometimes less is more.Barring the first half hour, Root hardly ever misjudged the length. He went forward to everything that was fuller but was quick to use the depth of the crease to create scoring opportunities off the back foot. He did that a lot against Nadeem and Sundar, sweeping frequently. He did acknowledge the Ashwin threat and treated him with due respect (though not too much) but he didn’t miss out on a scoring opportunity against him either.A lot of overseas batsmen are guilty of playing with hard hands and going too low, or both, in India, but Root has been exceptional on those counts, playing with soft hands while defending and never going too low – for that leads to the ball potentially hitting the splice of the bat or the gloves).His wide range of sweeps are a result of him picking the right length quickly, for sweeping is all about first choosing the right length and then bringing the bat down on top of the bounce to keep the ball along the ground. Root rarely found himself too close to or too far from the ball while going down to sweep. And he didn’t hesitate to play the reverse sweep too, when he grew in confidence.India need to look for weaknesses in his armour, if any. For starters, I feel that they will prepare a pitch that is spin-ready from day one for the upcoming Test, for that will pretty much nullify the advantage of winning the toss. Secondly, the Indian fast bowlers must bowl the fourth- and fifth-stump line more often, for someone who is prepared to play inside the line all the time is a little vulnerable against deliveries outside off. That plan might also drag him towards the off stump, and that in turn might open up the chances of an lbw a little more. As for spin, he seems to have a good measure of the conditions and all the Indian spinners already, so it would seem to call for just sticking to the basics for as long as possible. If you can’t prise out a batsman tactically, you must tire him out with control and discipline.

New Zealand’s bowling coach on the quality of the pace attack and his favourite matches

Interview by Mohammad Isam06-May-2021Shane Jurgensen is the quiet but meaningful presence behind New Zealand’s pace battery. He was 32 when he was first appointed as the team’s bowling coach in 2008. He served for three years before taking on the same role with Bangladesh, and then returned in 2016, when the New Zealand pace attack was gathering steam. With his contract now extended to 2022, he is New Zealand’s longest-serving coach. We spoke to Jurgensen about how he has helped shape arguably the best bowling attack in New Zealand history.You have witnessed real change within the team over the last 13 years as the longest-serving coach in New Zealand cricket history.
It all comes down to the players, really. From around 2009, it started with Daniel Vettori wanting to constantly improve and push outside the comfort zone. The attitude to work hard and get uncomfortable are some of the small improvements over the last ten or 11 years.The systems in place, not just around the team but also in selection, have been a strong asset for this side.In terms of performances on the field, I think another big area is the foundation built around the success of the Test side for a number of years. With that success in the toughest format, you have the opportunity to create depth. An important factor has also been that a lot of the players really challenge each other to get better.Given their quality, how much of your work involves offering technical help to Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Neil Wagner?
My role constantly changes around understanding their technique and what drives their success [technically]. It can be from the simple bowling action they have, what they do when they are performing well, and how it looks when they have challenging days. My role is to understand them individually as bowlers.Related

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It also includes their physical preparation around how many overs they will bowl and how they prepare for not just a match or series but the whole home summer. There’s a lot of planning that goes on behind the scenes, working with other members of the support staff and head coach Gary Stead.For example, how does their bowling action look for certain deliveries? Tim [Southee] and Trent [Boult] are outstanding outswing bowlers, so we are ensuring they are executing that as well as they can, ensuring the little technical things they do before delivering the ball and getting it right.How hesitant or not are you to introduce changes in their bowling action when, for example, you spot something that needs attention?
We play a lot of international cricket at a very high intensity. The guys probably play ten months of the year for New Zealand and in the IPL. So slight little errors might creep into their bowling. Or it might be that they are coming back from a bit of a break. So little things, like a bowling action might be starting too early in relation to their run-up. A front arm isn’t operating as powerfully as they normally would. Or they are not following-through in a certain manner to deliver an outswinger, a yorker or a slower ball.A major part of my role is to identity those things. More importantly, work with the player so they trust I have their best interest at heart to ensure they are executing [their skills].

“We pride ourselves in being a threat to the opposition regardless of the situation of the game. We are trying to be consistent all the time, challenging ourselves and pushing our limits as a bowling unit”

How does Trent Boult manage to switch between formats so often?
With his success in the three formats, he has developed a lot of self-belief in his skills. Trent can basically [switch] very quickly through keeping things quite specific and simple. He has been able to stay in the game for a long period because he is extremely fit. He has a huge focus on his fitness. It has enabled him to bowl long spells in Tests and then adapt to ODI and T20 cricket. He is always a threat. His wicket-taking ability has been a major reason why he has consistently played and done very well in the three formats. What’s your approach with Neil Wagner, who can sustain high-intensity bowling all day long in Tests?
Wags has certainly been very successful over a long period at challenging the batter’s footwork. He works closely with the senior team-mates, like Kane [Williamson]. When he starts to really challenge the batter, it is about the timing of it and making subtle adjustments in the field.To his credit, a lot of wickets in the last 12 months have been through his desire to constantly improve and evolve as a bowler. Along with his attack of banging it in, particularly this summer, he has taken a lot of wickets with his outswingers to left-handers and inswingers to right-handers. That’s down to Neil constantly wanting to improve.I try to manage him with his overs because he loves to bowl. I try to ensure that his bowling action is solid through all those overs. Make sure he is nice and strong, which is a key asset to his overall balance when he delivers the ball.”Along with his attack of banging it in, particularly this summer, Wagner has taken a lot of wickets with his outswingers to left-handers and inswingers to right-handers”•Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images Tim Southee, a bowler you encountered as a youngster in your first stint as coach, is now the senior statesman of the side. How has he managed his role in the bowling attack?
He has certainly evolved as a cricketer and person over a long period to complement his bowling. Recently you have seen him fill the role as T20I captain. He is a very good leader in the bowling group with his experience and success over a long period. He provides some really good messages to the side.A lot of Tim’s success comes down to his resilience and overcoming adversities. He is extremely fit. He is able to adapt and find ways to take wickets. To complement his very good outswinger, now he is well adapted to T20 cricket with various slower balls. He always had a very good yorker. He is extremely accurate at challenging the batsman. He is a very skilful bowler.You have this habit of walking around the ground and speaking to the bowlers from the boundary line. What sort of things are you saying?
We are obviously providing water, but another part is to provide a sounding board for certain players if they are a little frustrated at things when it may not have gone to plan. I might ask them a question about whether they have considered something in particular in their attack – a type of delivery or a field placing.Honestly, it can simply be supporting the player and being someone who listens. A lot of the ideas come from the player, so they talk it through. All of a sudden, they think of something. Or it might be to ensure that they have confidence in what they are trying to achieve. I am just there to provide that support.

“The 2019 World Cup semi-final against India was a unique situation played over two days. I was really proud of the way the bowlers challenged India in defending a 240-odd total”

Does having Boult, Southee, Kyle Jamieson and Wagner, and the string of other fast bowlers around the country make it feel a bit like the West Indies attack of the 1980s?
I saw the four-pronged West Indies pace attack when I was a very young man. I think Boult, Southee, Jamieson and Wagner are similar. It is a real testament to them as a group. They really work hard together. They talk a lot of things through. They have a lot of trust and bonding among themselves.I think they are four different types of bowlers. A batsman is challenged by Kyle Jamieson’s height and length, the swing of Tim and Trent, one being a right-armer and the other a left-armer, Neil’s ability to adapt between being an aggressive hit-the-wicket bowler and constantly improving as a swing bowler. They certainly bring four very different challenges, which puts a lot of pressure on the opposition batter.How does Mitchell Santner fit into this bowling attack, especially at home? Do you work a lot with him as well?
During the first innings of a Test match, he can certainly flick the switch between providing a period of support when the bowlers need a rest and in the second innings when there’s a bit of turn. He is extremely accurate, which is why he has had his success.I was really impressed by his role in our Test win over Pakistan [in December last year]. It was late in the game and we really needed him. He bowled very well.I think he has a very important role. I get a lot of support from head coach Gary Stead and Paul Wiseman with the spinners, as it is a big job with a number of different bowlers.”The bowlers really work hard together. They talk a lot of things through. They have a lot of trust and bonding among themselves”•Kai Schwoerer/Getty ImagesNew Zealand’s pace stocks are probably at an all-time high. How do you assess the spin department? Santner is No. 1, but do you see it as a bit of a concern looking ahead to the T20 World Cup?
There are no concerns about the spin stock. We have quite an established bowling group. A number of players have put their hands up for a while. We have had Ish [Sodhi] and Santner. They have been really good T20 bowlers over the last two years. Todd [Astle] has taken his opportunities and done well.In domestic cricket, we have also had success with a number of young players. We have had success with Will Somerville and Ajaz Patel in the Tests in Abu Dhabi against Pakistan in 2018.During the season, Stead singled out Scott Kuggeleijn for special praise after he filled in as the hit-the-deck bowler for Lockie Ferguson. Similarly there was praise for Blair Tickner. But they were relegated to the bench again when the main bowlers returned. How do you deal with those bowlers on the fringe?
I think it is a real credit to the players themselves for coming in and executing the role given. They understand the situation, having been brought in when players are injured or rested. The guys take it really well. They look to do everything that supports the team. Credit also goes to the system in place that supports the players.Where do you rate the New Zealand pace pack currently, compared to India, England, Australia and Pakistan?
The New Zealand bowling unit has been consistent for a number of years in all the formats. We pride ourselves in being a threat to the opposition regardless of the situation of the game. We want to focus on being a threat to all teams. We are trying to be consistent all the time, challenging ourselves and pushing our limits as a bowling unit. If we keep improving, we can be a threat to all teams around the world.

“The systems in place, not just around the team but also in selection, have been a strong asset for this side”

How much of your coaching is data-driven and how much is experience-driven?
We look to use the combination of data and our experiences together with the players’ strengths. Data is always useful and we use as much as we can. If you only have a small amount of information, that’s not really useful unless it is something that really stands out.I think that’s the key with data. You want to pick up on trends and match-ups and anything that really stands out. You balance it out with your experience and the skill set of the bowlers and what we are trying to achieve as a cricket team, and formulate it into one package.What would you say are your top three matches from your time as New Zealand bowling coach, ones where you were really proud of the work put out by the pace attack?
I think three games stand out straight away.First is the 2019 World Cup semi-final against India. It was a unique situation played over two days due to rain interruptions. We had some specific plans and options for the bowlers. I was just really proud of the way they adapted and really challenged India in defending a 240-odd total.The second game is the home series against India in 2020. They are a superb cricket team over a long period, so to defeat them 2-0 in the Test series was amazing. Particularly in the second match, in Christchurch, we executed beautifully for two innings. It is a very special memory.The third one goes back to the 2010 T20 World Cup, against Pakistan in Barbados. I think Pakistan needed two runs to win and we took the wicket off the last ball. It was just a heart-stopping thriller of a game. It was a hard-fought victory. Little things that happened throughout that game and how the guys just hung in there. They put pressure on Pakistan and got over them by just one run. Back then I was just a young bowling coach who had worked a couple of years at the international level.”There are no concerns about the spin stock. A number of players have put their hands up. Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner have been really good T20 bowlers over the last two years”•Kai Schwoerer/Getty ImagesHow much has your experience with Bangladesh shaped your general point of view as a coach?
Coaching in Bangladesh gave me such amazing and valuable experiences. It gave me a different angle, and respect for the international game. I saw the game from a different point of view, in terms of the different styles of the players that I was working with.It was extremely helpful in my development as a coach. I really enjoyed the successful times there. The guys were very talented and worked really hard to overcome so many different backgrounds to become international players.How do you think have you grown as a bowling coach?
Mike Hesson and Gary Stead trusted me, empowered me, and gave me the opportunity to develop a bowling programme. It is an honour and a special opportunity for me to have such a flexible work environment where I can develop the bowling plans. I am working closely with Kane and the senior bowlers to develop systems and programmes around our bowling.I get to work with bowlers at a number of different levels, which means I get to know them before they are in a position for selection for international cricket. It has helped me to develop good working relationships over a long period. It is such a privilege.

The Delhi Capitals batter hit six fours in an over and went on to ‘shell-shock’ Kolkata Knight Riders

Saurabh Somani30-Apr-20214:07

Steyn: Prithvi Shaw’s six fours in first over off Mavi took the steam out of KKR

The first time Prithvi Shaw batted in a senior competitive match after his much-dissected failure on India’s tour of Australia, he hit 105* off 89 for Mumbai against Delhi in the 50-overs Vijay Hazare competition. Since then, including that knock, Shaw has gone on an absolute tear: 105* off 89, 34 off 38, 227* off 152, 36 off 30, 2 off 5, 185* off 123, 165 off 122, 73 off 39, 72 off 38, 2 off 5, 32 off 17, 7 off 5, 53 off 39, 21 off 18, and 82 off 41.Apart from the number of balls faced on certain occasions, you almost can’t make out whether those scores came in a T20 match or a 50 overs one. It’s been about half and half, eight List A games and seven IPL matches, with Shaw having reeled off 1000-plus runs in two months. Since that Australia tour, his tally across formats stands at 1096 in 15 innings from just 761 balls. All the worries about the incoming ball, his trigger movement, and his poor form in Australia have been left behind in a blaze of runs, first for Mumbai and then for Delhi Capitals.Related

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In their season opener, against Chennai Super Kings, after Shaw flattened them with a 38-ball 72, Ricky Ponting had asked him in the change-room whether he had ever batted better in an IPL game. The question was rhetorical, the Capitals coach believed that was the best he’d seen Shaw bat in the tournament. Then he went on to ask what Shaw was thinking during the innings. “Nothing,” was the answer – an answer Ponting liked because it told him there was clarity in Shaw’s mind and he wasn’t thinking of anything else when in the middle. Three weeks since that knock, Ponting might have to revise his opinion on Shaw’s best IPL innings, because the 82 off 41 against Kolkata Knight Riders had to be right up there too.This was a Shaw throwback to his prodigy days, a comparison made more apt because the bowler who started against him was the man he had captained often at Under-19 level, Shivam Mavi. Shaw seemed to be able to read the bowler’s mind, even as Mavi looked bereft of ideas in a 25-run opening over. It might be the only time a bowler looks back fondly at a wide, because his first ball was so far down legside, Shaw couldn’t get bat on it. He got bat on each of the other six, and each one flew to the boundary.”I wasn’t thinking anything to be honest,” Shaw told after the game. “I was just waiting for the loose balls, because even if it’s the first ball, I’m going to hit it. I knew where Shivam is going to bowl because we have played for four-five years now, so I knew exactly where he is going to bowl to me. So I was ready for it and with my instincts I just went for it.”Prithvi Shaw launched six fours in the first over of the chase•ESPNcricinfo LtdNot thinking extraneous thoughts. Going on instinct. Preternatural awareness of what the bowler would do. And the skill to pull it off. This was an innings that started off with the best of Shaw, and continued in that vein.It left Brendon McCullum gushing too. The Knight riders coach, who at his best played with a similar mindset and skillset, spoke of how Shaw’s innings was “the perfect template” for what he wanted his side to do. He also acknowledged how a 25-run first over in the Capitals’ chase had knocked the wind out of his team.”It was a huge psychological blow from Prithvi Shaw,” McCullum said. “I have an immense amount of respect for Prithvi because not too many people in world cricket play the game with that sort of approach. You’ve got to give kudos as well to Rishabh Pant and Ricky Ponting and the Delhi Capitals management that they’ve been able to ask a player to bat like that, and for him to buy into it. He’s a rare talent, he put us under an immense amount of pressure early.”It was a big blow for us but we should have still been able to come back. You shouldn’t be shell-shocked in one over and not be able to respond to it, but we were tonight. And that’s going to ask some tough questions of us. But I won’t stress, I thought Prithvi Shaw was outstanding, played a wonderful innings and he deserves the accolades.”In between his Australia tour and the return to runs, Shaw spent a well-documented few days with Pravin Amre to rediscover his touch. Along with his bat swing though, Shaw seems to have found a balance in his mind too.”I feel my dad has supported me very well. After getting dropped from the Australia tour, I was really not happy with myself, that ‘What am I doing?’ And my dad just said to play my natural game, work hard on it,” Shaw said. “When talent is not getting you what you want, just work hard and get that back again. These words really set a target for me and I worked hard after that. Obviously, in cricket, the graph is going to be up and down for sure. Lots of failures are going to come in my career, but I’m not really thinking about that. Just going day by day.”That batters fail more than they succeed is a fact of cricketing life. It’s even more stark in T20 cricket. If Shaw can hold on to that balanced process of treating triumph and disaster just the same even when the lows arrive, you’d venture to say that the failures may come, but they won’t stay.

He might not be seen as a big-hitter, but the numbers show he’s been doing the job for the Super Kings

Deivarayan Muthu24-Apr-2021The Kolkata Knight Riders are bowling to the Chennai Super Kings. Mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy flicks out a carrom ball in the powerplay. It’s only fractionally short and wide, but Faf du Plessis rocks into a back-foot cut, bringing his fast hands into play and scything it away past the right of Andre Russell at backward point for four.Then, in the 19th over of the Super Kings’ innings, Pat Cummins bangs a hard-length offcutter wide of off. The Australia seamer does well to cut his pace down to 123kph and take it away from du Plessis’ swinging arc. However, the batter makes it look worse than pineapple on pizza by pumping it in the air to the left of extra-cover and right of wide long-off for six. du Plessis’ weight is on the back foot, but the hands – and the front shoulder – generate all the power. Even Russell, among the elite T20 hitters, is amused.du Plessis isn’t bracketed with those hitters, but he does the job by piercing the gaps in the infield and hitting over the top. Speaking to his former opening partner at the Super Kings and good friend Shane Watson on the T20 Stars podcast last year, du Plessis revealed that almost every coach tried to push him away from his usual technique, saying his hands were too far from his body. During his first season at the Super Kings in 2011, even Steve Rixon pointed out the same, telling du Plessis he’d “struggle to hit through the off side”.Related

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“Oh! It’s actually one of my strengths is to hit through the off side,” du Plessis had responded back in the day. “For me, it’s possible. I’ve found a way over the years to work with what I’ve got in my technique to get the best out of technique. To change it – and to be like someone else – would’ve been the wrong this for me to do. I think the coaching manual is becoming less and less important. It’s about seeing what someone has and working with that to maximise in their own unique way.”The “hands-only” technique has had du Plessis nicking off in Test cricket, where the red ball swings for extended periods, but in limited-overs cricket, where the white ball doesn’t do so for as long, he has found a way to use it to up the ante. He isn’t just fluent on the off side, but can also access the “V” in front of and behind the wicket. Also, when he’s batting at the top, he often dashes out of the crease or away from leg stump to mess with the lines and lengths of bowlers. All of this was on display during his unbeaten 95 off 60 balls against the Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium.Thirty of those runs were rattled off in the powerplay, a phase in which the Super Kings struggled last season. In isolation, du Plessis had adapted well to the UAE conditions in the powerplay in IPL 2020, but lacked enough support from those batting behind him. The addition of a similarly free-flowing Moeen Ali and the return of Suresh Raina this season has allowed du Plessis to bat with greater freedom at the top. Plus, the Super Kings have two other big-hitting left-handers in Sam Curran and Ravindra Jadeja to close out the innings.ESPNcricinfo LtdSure, the Super Kings bat all the way down to No. 11 now, but they couldn’t utilise their depth in their season-opener against the Delhi Capitals. Then, in a slim chase against the Punjab Kings, CSK needed only a subdued effort from du Plessis (36 off 33 balls). Against the Rajasthan Royals, du Plessis provided his side a faster start with 33 off 17 balls and set them up for 200. But Dhoni and Raina couldn’t sustain the momentum as they ended up with 188 for 9. Then, against the Knight Riders, du Plessis batted through the innings, showing off his gears and embodying the Super Kings’ bold approach.Since the start of IPL 2020, du Plessis has struck at 139.26 in the powerplay, averaging 33.25. Among batters who have faced at least 50 balls during this phase, only Suryakumar Yadav (150.37), Manish Pandey (144.75) and Ben Stokes (139.37) have had a better strike rate than du Plessis in the first six overs. In all, he has faced 191 balls in the powerplay since the start of the last season, and, according to data logged by ESPNcricinfo’s scorers, he has been defensive against only 21 of those.du Plessis’ hands have given the Super Kings a big leg-up, so much so that their coach Stephen Fleming believes that they’ve already exceeded early expectations at the Wankhede Stadium. The Super Kings, though, need supporting hands if they are to re-establish themselves as bona fide title contenders. On Sunday afternoon, they run into a Royal Challengers Bangalore team that already looks like one. The winner will go top of the points table.

Cathartic moment for player who thought his chance for an England century had gone

George Dobell13-Jul-2021Poor Italy. They’ll never know the joy of winning the Royal London trophy.Okay, so this won’t make up for Sunday. Not in the eyes of most English sports fans, anyway. But, given the circumstances, this has been a deeply impressive performance by an England team that was thrown together at the last minute.Let us not forget: this was effectively an England third XI. They had one training session ahead of this series and they were playing a side which could have risen to second in the World Cup Super League table had they won.And they left their most impressive performance until last. In previous games, England had effectively blown Pakistan’s batting away with a bit of seam movement. But here, having conceded the largest total by an England team in an ODI at this ground, they were forced to demonstrate their temperament as much as their talent. That they were able to pull off a record run-chase in an ODI at Edgbaston – it actually broke the previous record by more than 50 runs – while sustaining a record which leaves them undefeated here in this format since 2016.If you were looking for a symbol for this side, you could do much worse than James Vince. A week ago, he could have been forgiven for thinking his England career was over. But in a matter of days, he’s scored a long-awaited maiden international century and played a key part in a memorable series win in which he was his side’s top-scorer.This was Vince’s 50th international innings, after all. And his 44th international match. He’s 30 now. These chances don’t keep coming.He might have thought his international career was over several times before – at the end of 2016, for instance, when he had played all seven Tests of the home summer but never made more than 42 and averaged under 20. Or at the start of 2018, too, when he was dropped after a further seven Tests which edged that average up to 24.90. And, most of all, after the 2020 ODI series against Ireland when, after his stand-in role at the 2019 World Cup, he failed to pass 25 in three innings.Ben Stokes and his team pose with the series trophy after their 3-0 clean sweep•Getty ImagesYou can see why the selectors keep going back to him, though. So sweetly does he time the ball, so clearly does he have the time to play even the quickest bowling, that it’s hard not to be seduced by the sense of what he could achieve, not what he has so far. He’s the ex with the winning smile.”This time last week I didn’t expect [to be in the squad] at all,” Vince admitted afterwards. “It wasn’t that I had given up [on playing for England]. But I did have a bit of a shift in mindset. I’d had a realisation I wasn’t going to be in the squad and that I wasn’t high up in the pecking order.”I know the opinions people have on my career: that I get starts but don’t go on and make big contributions. And opinions are like that because it’s been the case. This innings is a bit overdue.But hopefully this will give me more confidence. And other people as well. Hopefully some other people in the dressing room will know that I’m capable of doing it now.”While keen not to make excuses, Vince did make the point that many of his white-ball experiences had come as a replacement. As a result, he was generally on borrowed time, knowing he had one or two opportunities to impress. It probably hasn’t helped.”My opportunities have been quite spread out over four or five years,” he said. “I’ve usually been filling in for Alex Hales or Jason Roy. That white-ball team has done so well. I’ve always been on the fringes and playing here and there. Coming into this series and playing three in a row was quite nice.”He is realistic about the future, though. He knows that, with Jos Buttler and Joe Root, among others, to return, the competition for places remains intense. He will be aware of the example of Michael Lumb, who played only one ODI series, made a century in it and was never selected again.Related

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“I don’t know when the next opportunity will be or if there will be another one,” he said. “It’s one innings in white-ball cricket. Hopefully it keeps me on the radar. But I’m not going to get my hopes up. I’ve proved something to myself and hopefully others. But I’m realistic. I know how well the squad have done.”He’s not alone there, either. Despite this success, it’s perfectly possible a few of this squad might not play a lot more international cricket. So John Simpson’s brilliant anticipatory catch at Lord’s, Phil Salt’s bludgeoning half-century in the same match or even Lewis Gregory’s all-round excellence throughout the series could prove cherished memories of brief moments on the biggest stage. For Vince, too, it’s clear that this experience – in front of a celebratory Edgbaston – was very special.”I’ll never forget today,” he said. “It was, without doubt, one of the best days I’ve had.”To be able to score a hundred for my country was one of my dreams growing up. I didn’t know if this moment was ever going to come. It’s very special for me.”The crowd was awesome and to make a contribution to us winning… I don’t normally show too much emotion, but that moment was pretty special.”He was, quite rightly, generous in praise of his colleagues. While Salt may be something of a slugger, he is a selfless one. And his commitment to the cause had ensured England were well ahead of the required run-rate. As a result, Vince had time to play “the ball on its merits” as he put it.Gregory, too, played a vital role. While few would pretend he is a cricketer with the ability of Ben Stokes, here he actually provided a lesson in calm game management to the England captain. Just as at Lord’s, where he lost his off stump attempting an unnecessarily aggressive shot, this was a Stokes innings that suggested he felt he needed to stamp his authority on the chase and the team. He had been dropped twice before he fell.But Gregory, an experienced player in his own right, played it beautifully. Happy to provide a supporting role for Vince, he ran hard and put away the poor ball with style. In a different playing age, he is the sort of cricketer who might have played all formats of the game for England.It’s true, Vince wasn’t quite able to see England home. Indeed, with 38 required from just over seven overs, his dismissal threw the game back in the balance. But Vince wouldn’t be Vince if he didn’t leave you hungry for just that little bit more, would he?

Prowess against legspin could prove critical in first big test of England’s credentials

Matt Roller29-Oct-20211:48

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In theory, England’s players were meant to arrive at the T20 World Cup on the back of a month of limited-overs cricket, spread across the IPL and tours to Bangladesh and Pakistan. In practice, half of their squad landed in Oman for a training camp in early October after a month’s break from the game entirely.With concerns about the prospect of a full winter on the road and uncertainty about their ability to see their families, four players – Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Dawid Malan and Chris Woakes – withdrew from their IPL contracts at relatively short notice. It was the sort of trade-off that multi-format cricketers find themselves making increasingly often, weighing up mental health, family time, financial gain and match practice and attempting to find a conclusion that keeps everyone happy.Related

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While nobody would argue with their decisions, it has been notable that England’s two star performers since the start of their World Cup campaign were both playing regularly for their franchises after the IPL’s resumption: Moeen Ali, whose Powerplay wicket-taking has set up two convincing wins has spoken about the confidence he gained from his senior role at Chennai Super Kings, while Jason Roy has extended his run of form for Sunrisers Hyderabad after a month adjusting to the UAE’s slowish surfaces.By contrast, those coming in off a break have found things slightly tougher since arriving in the Emirates. Buttler hit 73 in the final practice game against New Zealand but has not quite looked at his fluent best since; Malan was scratchy in the warm-ups though will have benefitted from time in the middle in the chase against Bangladesh; and even Woakes, who has impressed in his first two outings, has admitted he “didn’t feel too good” in the lead-in, finding his way back after a while without a game.Perhaps the only man who hit the ground running was Jonny Bairstow, who immediately issued a reminder of his worth in England’s middle order with innings of 49 off 30 against India and 30 off 21 against New Zealand in their warm-up fixtures. He has faced only 10 balls in the tournament itself, out cheaply in pursuit of quick runs against West Indies and pulling the winning boundary against Bangladesh, but there are positive signs with sterner tests to come.Such is his importance to England’s limited-overs set-up, it defies belief that this is Bairstow’s first T20 World Cup since 2012, when he was a 22-year-old floating up and down the order in a side captained by Stuart Broad. He returns nearly a decade later as one of the world’s premier limited-overs batters, and playing a clearly-defined role in this England side that has slipped under the radar.Bairstow hit the winning runs in England’s victory against Bangladesh•ICC/GettyHeading into their series in South Africa last winter, England had a big decision to make about the make-up of their batting line-up: Malan’s form at No. 3 demanded inclusion but Buttler, Roy and Bairstow were ensconced in the first-choice XI and only Buttler had much recent experience batting outside of the top three. But England had faith in Buttler as an opener, giving their best batter the opportunity to face as many balls as possible, and instead moved Bairstow to No. 4.To some it looked like another slight against a player who had been messed around by England’s management throughout his career. In fact, it was a glowing endorsement. There is no tougher position to fill in a T20 batting line-up than No. 4 given the range of situations batters find themselves facing when they come in; in particular, it requires you to face the opposition’s best spinners more often than not.So Bairstow’s success at No. 4 should not be taken for granted: he made 207 runs at 51.75 with a strike rate of 146.80 there across series in South Africa and India last winter, managing to combine consistency with fast-scoring. His role has been more flexible since, with England occasionally experimenting over their home summer, but he has still shown his ability to take down spin through the middle overs, developed over his career but honed through his experiences in the IPL.It is Bairstow’s ability to take down wristspin that has been particularly crucial. Since the start of the 2019 IPL, only two players have scored faster against wristspin in all T20 cricket, and both of them – Moeen and Nicholas Pooran – have the advantage that right-arm legspinners’ stock balls turn into their hitting arc. Bairstow, by contrast, often finds himself hitting against the spin, but his ability to read lengths early means that he can either rock onto the back foot and pull or come forward and time fuller balls into gaps (the vast majority of his runs against wristspin come in front of square on the leg side).That skill will be vital on Saturday night in Dubai, when England come up against an Australia side that have shown some vulnerabilities in their two opening wins but know that victory will put them on the brink of semi-final qualification. Despite their impressive seam stocks, Australia’s key bowler to date has been Adam Zampa, who has taken 4 for 33 across his eight overs; Bairstow’s task will be to take him down.Bairstow’s legacy as one of England’s greatest white-ball batters is already secure, whatever happens in this tournament: without his hundreds against India and New Zealand, their 2019 World Cup win might not have been possible. But if they are to succeed in their bid to hold both trophies simultaneously, it will surely owe much to Bairstow’s versatility, adaptability and skill.

Simmons attacked just five off his 35 balls, leaving Gayle, Hetmyer, Pollard and Russell little time to cover up

Deivarayan Muthu26-Oct-20212:58

Moody: West Indies played too mate dots, were 20 runs short

You are an opener in T20 cricket. Your job is to maximise the powerplay, more so in the UAE, where it is fiendishly difficult to get the ball away in the slog overs. If you are an opener in a line-up that has Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer, Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell and Dwayne Bravo in the middle order, you can give it a no-holds barred whack at the top.Okay, that no-holds barred approach backfired for West Indies in their opener against England at the same venue but holding yourself back so much that you barely attack could also hurt your team as much.Lendl Simmons faced 35 balls – of which he attacked five, including the one off which he was bowled for 16. Nineteen of his 35 balls dots and all of his 16 runs came via singles. According to ESPNcricinfo’s Smart Stats, which lends context to every performance, Simmons’ runs had a negative impact of minus 36.77.Temba Bavuma had thrown the new ball to Aiden Markram, letting the offspinner have a crack at both Simmons and the left-handed Evin Lewis. Simmons fell to offspin, trying to clear the midwicket boundary, in their opening game against England as well in the warm-ups against Afghanistan. Two days out of the match against South Africa, head coach Phil Simmons said the management was wary of similar dismissals and that they had discussed it with the entire group.Perhaps, that was why Simmons was skittish off the four balls he faced against Markram. But then again, Simmons was literally and figuratively slow against the rapid pace of both Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada. He could’ve been dismissed off the 13th ball he faced when Nortje got one to seam away and snag the outside edge near the shoulder of the bat. However, Heinrich Klaasen, who had stepped in for Quinton de Kock, dropped the chance, with the ball wobbling away from his reach.ESPNcricinfo LtdThe chorus for the option to retire out in T20 cricket also got louder. Simmons’ go-slow, however, continued, as did West Indies’ struggles. Lewis had just cracked three sixes in six balls, but was under pressure to raise the tempo further as he holed out. Nicholas Pooran, who was promoted ahead of Chris Gayle, stepped out to his first ball reverse-swept his second for four. He had to take one risk after another to make up for Simmons’ lack of intent and execution. Much like Lewis, Pooran holed out trying to clear the boundary.In the next over, Simmons swung for the hills and was bowled by an in-to-the-pitch offcutter from Rabada. West Indies were 89 for 3 in the 14th over and ended up with an under-par 143 for 8, which South Africa chased down with eight wickets and 13 balls to spare.Pollard refused to blame Simmons alone for West Indies’ batting meltdown and instead put it down to a collective failure. All told, they ate up 54 dots in a pattern that was fairly similar to their opening game of the tournament where they played out 59 dots out of 86.”These things happen,” Pollard said at the post-match presentation. “Yes, he got stuck; after six overs he was there and we wanted to bat a couple of more overs without losing wickets. But, having said that we’re not going to sit here and pinpoint anybody. You’re not going to get me here, throwing my team-mates under the bus.”But, at the end of the day he was out there trying to do a job for us. Yes, he couldn’t get it done. When you look at it, Rassie (van der Dussen) played for them and the only difference is he came out not-out, but the strike rate was low as well. So, you’re not going to get that from me. I thought it was a total disappointing batting effort in terms of not getting 160-plus.”Although Phil Simmons did not go so far as to say he regretted leaving Roston Chase out against England, it is, perhaps, time for West Indies to use him as a failsafe and restore some balance to the line-up. “The man who should be in for the next game brings a helmet on for Pooran,” Ian Bishop said of Chase on the TV commentary when the allrounder was performing the 12th man duties in the chase.West Indies’ next match is against Bangladesh who could potentially have three left-handers in the top five. Chase could line them up with his offspin but for that West Indies first need to line up Chase in their XI.