ESPNcricinfo charts the highs and lows of Steve Harmison’s 17-year career

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Oct-2013September 12, 1996: Steve Harmison makes his first-class debut against Leicestershire, going wicketless and scoring 10 runs in an innings defeat.September 2000: Aged 22, selected in the England A squad for the tour of West Indies but has to be replaced after sustaining a shin injury.August 8, 2002: Makes his Test debut for England in a drawn match against India at Trent Bridge. Picks up five wickets during the game, including that of Sourav Ganguly on 99.December 17, 2002: Harmison plays his first ODI, dismissing Kumar Sangakkara and Marvan Atapattu in quick succession to help England beat Sri Lanka by 43 runs in the VB Series in Brisbane.October 21, 2003: Takes his first five-wicket haul for England in the first Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka. He is named Man of the Match after finishing with 9 for 79.March 11, 2004: A notoriously poor traveller, Harmison’s fitness and commitment for the tour of the Caribbean were questioned after breaking down in Bangladesh. However, he removes any doubts by blowing West Indies away runs in the second innings of the first Test, picking up seven wickets for just 12 runs. England captain Michael Vaughan calls it “one of the greatest spells of bowling by an England player”. He follows it up with six wickets in the first innings of the second Test, and ends the series as the highest wicket-taker with 23 scalps from four matches.August 2004: Harmison continues his fine form, taking eight wickets against New Zealand in the first Test at Lord’s and, following another impressive showing against West Indies, he moves to the top of the Test bowling rankings, leapfrogging Muttiah Muralitharan and Shaun Pollock to become the first English bowler in two decades to hold the No. 1 position.April 2005: Following a poor series against South Africa where he took just nine wickets, Harmison drops to eighth in the world Test bowling rankings. More eyebrows are raised when Harmison admits that he may end his career early due to homesickness, saying “I will never overcome it because I never really want to be away.”June 19, 2005: Despite recent struggles, Harmison shows his class in the third ODI against Australia, dismissing Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting and Damien Martyn in a single over, before also sending back Matthew Hayden and Michael Hussey to finish with an ODI-best 5 for 33 and seal a three-wicket win for England.July 21-24, 2005: Harmison makes his mark on Australia’s batsmen early in the Ashes, striking Justin Langer with a painful blow on the elbow and bloodying Ponting with a rising delivery on to his helmet. Harmison takes eight wickets in the first Test at Lord’s, but can’t prevent a 239-run defeat for England.September 12, 2005: England regain the Ashes for the first time in 16 years, as a thrilling series comes to a close with a draw at The Oval. Harmison has a vital part to play in the team’s success, picking up 17 wickets from five matches at an average of 32.29.July-August 2006: Injury rules him out of the first part of the following summer but Harmison shines in the home series against Pakistan with 20 wickets, including 11 in the second Test in Manchester. The series would ultimately be overshadowed by a ball-tampering row in the fourth Test.Harmison was Durham’s leading wicket-taker in their Championship title wins of 2008 and 2009•Getty ImagesNovember 23, 2006: However, Harmison’s nerve betrays him during the 2006-07 Ashes, as he sends the opening delivery of the series in Brisbane straight to Andrew Flintoff at second slip. It sets the tone for what proves to be a dismal outing for Harmison, who picks up 10 wickets at 61.40, and for England, who are whitewashed by the hosts.December 2006: Having been left out of England’s squad for the post-Ashes ODI series, Harmison announces his retirement from the format, three months before the start of the World Cup.May-June 2007: Harmison notches 16 wickets from four matches during the home series against West Indies, including six in the third Test in Manchester, but he suffers a setback with a back injury that keeps him out of action for four months.March 2008: After returning to the England squad for Sri Lanka, where he bowls well on unresponsive pitches, he picks up just one wicket in the first New Zealand Test, a 189-run thrashing in Hamilton. He and Matthew Hoggard are subsequently axed from the team.August 22, 2008: Harmison is persuaded back to ODI cricket by England’s new captain, Kevin Pietersen, after nearly two years in self-imposed exile. He makes his return against South Africa in Leeds, taking two wickets.September 27, 2008: Harmison takes the final three Kent wickets to fall as Durham wrap up their maiden Championship title – 16 years after they became a first-class county – at Canterbury.April 3, 2009: Having never quite reached the heights of his Test exploits, he plays his last ODI against West Indies in St Lucia, finishing without a wicket.August 20, 2009: Despite doubts remaining over his fitness, Harmison is involved in two Tests of the 2009 Ashes and plays what would turn out to be his final match at The Oval. Harmison takes three tail-end wickets in the second innings to help England secure a 197-run win and regain the urn once again.September 12, 2009: Again Harmison takes the final wicket – and again he finishes as the club’s leading wicket-taker – as Durham defend their Championship title with victory over Nottinghamshire at Chester-le-Street.January, 2012: During a BBC radio documentary presented by his former team-mate Flintoff, Harmison reveals he had suffered from depression during his international career.October 6, 2013: Harmison announces his retirement from competitive cricket, aged 34.

South Africa’s dressing-room environment is said to be at all time high and the current crop of players credit a team culture based on respect, friendship and family-values for much of their recent success

Firdose Moonda in Johannesburg17-Dec-2013There was only one other place Ricky Ponting felt that had the same team spirit he experienced when Australia won the World Cup in 1999: the South African camp of 2012.”In Ricky’s book, he said when Australia won their first World Cup, the team spirit was at its greatest and that was never recreated,” Graeme Smith said. “What he felt at that stage, Ricky said he felt in our change-room when we won in Australia last year. It was something he knew was special because he had seen it in Australian cricket for a while.”The dressing-room environment is the least public but most telling barometer of a team’s health. South Africa’s is said to be at an all time high. The current crop of players credit a team culture based on respect, friendship and family-values for much of their recent success, but few ever get to see what goes in their private work area.Two days before the Wanderers Test, some supporters got a rare glimpse of the room at the top of the tunnel. Graeme Smith, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Jacques Rudolph and Paul Harris hosted a group in the Bullring’s home change-room.Fresh from a practice session, the area was littered with kit. JP Duminy’s bats were stacked up, AB de Villiers’ boots were on show and thigh pads were strewn across the floor. The only person’s area that was relatively organised was Jacques Kallis’ and the guests were asked not to touch anything. “He is very picky about his stuff,” Harris informed them.There’s nothing fancy about the actual space. The walls are lined by wooden-paneled lockers, there are benches in the middle and one flat-screen television overhead. A short walk down some stairs leads to an adjoining room where there is a fridge – only half-filled with a selection of soft and energy drinks – and an inter-leading door to the bathroom. The most attractive part of the place is the balcony, from where the players observe the on-field activity. “This is a work space,” Smith clarified, perhaps for those who were expecting a little more.The life of a dressing room comes from its inhabitants and the culture they choose to infuse it with. South Africa’s is a balance between strict rules and occasionally bending them for fun. The one thing that never gets messed with is the over-riding order of things.Everyone has a set place in any change room. Vernon Philander pointed out the preferred positions at the Wanderers. Smith’s is first on the right-hand side, closest to the stairs. AB de Villiers is at the back. Next to Smith is Faf du Plessis, who once made the mistake of trying to claim territory that wasn’t his.”We were playing at SuperSport Park and Daryll Cullinan was our coach. He had the locker next to the captain but Faf decided he would sit next to the captain because he was trying to be a head-boy,” Harris said. “Needless to say when Daryll found out whose stuff was there, Faf got crapped on from a dizzy height. There is a hierarchy in the change room as there is in the bus. In the bus, four seats to the left is Kallis and that’s the way it is.”Someone else who maintains rigid rules is Neil McKenzie – the man to whom the Wanderers dressing room has been home for the better part of two decades. McKenzie’s international days are gone but Smith spent many a year with him at that level and remembered the obsession McKenzie had with order.”There was a Test match in 2003 and we had the usual minutes to pad up. That time is always hectic for openers. You have to get out of your fielding gear and into batting gear and get your brain ready,” Smith said. “Both Neil and I are sponsored by Gunn and Moore and I remember him taking out his pads and he touched the ‘o’ on Moore. Then I saw him packing his kit up and zipping it and starting all over again. He said he didn’t want to get a 0.”While the change room was a private space for McKenzie to indulge in superstition, for others it’s a safe space to vent frustration. Smith said there are certain players “you have to slide away from” when they get out, and Mark Boucher was one of them. “We were playing at Eden Park and I had just got out and I was un-padding. Bouch got out straight after me and also came into the dressing room. He lobbed his bat, maybe not that hard, but because they had dry walling, his bat went straight through and left a hole in the wall. He had to end up paying for the change room to be repaired.”South Africa’s angriest cricketer at the moment appears to be Steyn. Whether it’s an on-field tantrum, a barrage of words or just the evil eye, Steyn can scare anyone. Harris confirmed his temper has let him down in the past. “Dale is a bit of an axe-murderer and when he does snap, it’s chaos,” he joked, before Steyn insisted on taking over the story because “Haromat,” as he called Harris, a nickname referring to the seasoning Aromat, “spices everything.”Steyn recalled his time at Warwickshire when he “went through a phase of 40 overs without a wicket.” Eventually he thought he had one. “I nicked this one guy off and he was given not out. While I was appealing when I saw he was given not out, I just carried on running straight back to the change room. In there, they have a gym and a section with stretch mats and a punching bag.”I was so angry, I just wanted to punch this punching bag. There was a stump there so I thought I would take the stump and knock the s**t out of the punching bag. Harro and all of them were watching it. I ran up to this this punching bag but I had my spikes on so I fell flat on my ass and everyone laughed at me.”Ultimately, good times are what the South African dressing room has become about and with their successes, especially in the Test format over the last 18 months, there are good times to be had. At the end of a series, whether home or away, the team likes to spend the time celebrating with their loved ones.With most of the current South African crop having moved out of the bachelor phase, they have tried to make their set-up accommodating to families. Smith remembered Gary Kirsten telling him stories of the wives and girlfriends staying in a separate hotel and “guys sneaking out at 10 at night to visit them,” and said “a more modern mentality,” prevails now.Partners travel as often as possible and they are involved when the team wins. “We have a time when the family comes and joins the team after a big match,” Smith said. “Our families sacrifice a lot so we try as much as possible to get them involved with what we are doing. After a game they will come in to the change room, have a drink, the kids will run around and play and then the guys have an hour or two to themselves.”The opposition is also welcome to join. Australians and South Africans are known to share post-match celebrations with Smith mentioning Adam Gilchrist and Brett Lee as two people who always went around for a drink “no matter what the result.” Steyn has become friends with Brendon McCullum and Virat Kohli over time while Rudolph has formed a bond with Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jawaywardene.Sometimes they even exchange shirts, like footballers “You go through stages where you collect memorabilia. I have stuff that guys personalise,” he said. Smith has shirts with messages from Brian Lara, Viv Richards and Michael Vaughan in his home as well as the bats he used to score the double-hundreds in England.Apart from Kallis, Smith has occupied the South African change-room the longest and in different roles. He was a youngster only briefly before becoming captain, and more recently he has given up the leadership in two of the three formats. Because of that, he has seen the dressing room with different eyes in the ODI set-up.”Initially it took me a bit more time to find my feet but I’ve realised I’ve got a lot more time to mess about when I am not captain,” he said. “I can have a bit of a longer lunch because I don’t have to walk out to the toss while everyone is doing their thing and I have some more time to interact, chill out and enjoy the company of my team-mates.”According to Steyn, there is much to enjoy. Morne Morkel is “the clown,” of the group. Whether he is taping extra pieces onto the back of his shoe to not bowl no-balls or putting on the wrong shoes – De Villiers’ in one case because there are sponsored by the same company – he gives them reason to laugh.South Africa have become the type of group Ponting associated so closely with success. They treat each other as people first, and team-mates, colleagues and competitors for the same spot in an XI second. Even Rudolph, whose hopes of being part of the group now must be gone, has reason to feel comfortable around them. An hour in the Wanderers change room explains why.

Sometimes your team’s incompetence affects you profoundly

Fahmim Ferdous29-Jan-2014Choice of game
This was the first international fixture of 2014 in Dhaka, and I wanted to get started on the right foot. Also, the second day of the match coincided with my weekly day off from work. With all the clouds and mist shrouding Bangladesh’s Test cricket future, I believed the best way to protest that was by being in the stands to watch a Test match, to let the cricketing world know that we love Test cricket just as much as other formats.Team supported
Bangladesh, far too obviously.Key performer
Kaushal Silva demonstrated what proper Test match batting was for about 70 overs on the day. The word “Kaushal” means technique in Bangla, and boy, did he display good technique! Yes, he got lucky on a few occasions but not because he played rash shots. The calm and composure he showed was exemplary, especially to his top-order counterparts.One thing I’d have changed
When your team has been on the mat for most of the day, there are quite a few things you wish had happened differently. Mushy had a rare off day. Had he made the most of all the chances that came his way, things would have been brighter.Close shave
Al-Amin Hossain, the workhorse of the day for the Tigers, got one to snort past Silva and a clear edge to Mushfiqur Rahim’s glove, and even after the umpires asked a walking Silva to wait while the front foot was checked, the first sideways replay of the foot showed him within the lines. But then another angle showed his back foot had knocked over a bail, turning that into a newly stipulated no-ball. Silva rode his luck, adding another added 99 runs to his tally.The interplay I enjoyed
Al-Amin’s burst with the second new ball, where he troubled both a very set Kaushal and the vastly experienced Kumar Sangakkara. I also enjoyed the brief period after tea when Mushy gave his fast bowlers a break – the new ball was due shortly – by bowling a six-over period with his part-timers, Nasir and Mominul, who both kept it tight.Filling the gaps
We realised we were sitting in the wrong gallery (where students were given free entry) throughout the first session, and that the one we were supposed to sit in was a lot more quiet. So we went there and took photos of ourselves on the empty seats. We took turns to wear one of our friends’ hoodie that matched the colour of the seats so it looked like a planned photo shoot.Wow moment
After a chanceless knock, Sangakkara finally edged one to the cordon off Al-Amin. Nasir fumbled, juggled and got his feet in a tangle, but held on to the catch on the third attempt. The second slip fielder was in anticipation of catching a rebound, and from a distance, it wasn’t clear whether Nasir had eventually held on. But then he got up and kicked the ball in the air and the crowd stirred.Close encounter
With not much boundary patrol in Test matches, we had the pleasure of having Shakib Al Hasan, rather unusually, on the fine-leg ropes. No exciting fielding opportunity came to him during his stint, but the crowd shouted out words of encouragement to him.Shot of the day
It was Sangakkara’s first cover drive of the day. And then it was his second. And after a while, it got impossible to choose. Whether he stroked a dipping offbreak on off stump or punched a seamer on the back foot, I’ve never seen off drives this exquisite. This image of Ron Burgundy, from the film Anchorman kept coming to mind.Crowd meter
The numbers were not great, considering it was mid-week, but the gallery where students were given free access remained quite full, as did the Eastern Gallery. The third session saw the crowd most cheerful, with the wickets falling. But the crowd was as vibrant as any on a Test match.Entertainment
Much like my countrymen on the field, I had a rough day holding on to things, dropping a cup of tea and then a glass of water, which the people in my gallery – not to mention my friends – thought was hysterical. The food on offer was the usual burgers, sandwiches, chips and soda, all of which we consumed happily.Tests v limited-overs
ODIs and T20s are fast-paced, no doubt, but I’ve always felt Test cricket is a much more nuanced game. There’s not a lot of adrenaline rush. It’s a game of skills and the mind. It’s not “entertainment” per say, but Test matches are fulfilling in their very own way. If ODI cricket is like a movie, a Test cricket is like a reading a book. I enjoy both.Banner of the day
I took three posters citing how much we love Test cricket and want our country to keep playing (because the two-tier Test system in the “Big Three” draft was still very much a concern when we walked in through the stadium gates), but the officials at the gates said we could not bring in anything like that.Overall
It was a fun day. Though things didn’t quite go our way, especially for the first two sessions, Bangladesh didn’t give up. Some chances were grassed, but Nasir took two fantastic catches, Shakib showed why he is one of the best cricketers of his generation, and Sangakkara’s batting was a treat. The weather remained pleasant throughout the day, and I was in good company.Marks out of ten
7.5.

Two days after being dropped from the list of contracted players, Dean Elgar demonstrated the technique and composure needed to face down Mitchell Johnson and co

Firdose Moonda in Port Elizabeth20-Feb-20140:00

Cullinan: SA gifted wickets to Australia

After surviving a hostile first spell from Mitchell Johnson, who bowled the first 12 balls he faced, waiting 20 deliveries and 42 minutes to get his first run, seeing Faf du Plessis accelerate past him but not caring as he perfected his own timing and placement and finding the space to bat with relative freedom, Dean Elgar finally ran out of patience. Who could blame him after the week he has had.On Sunday, Elgar would have started dreaming of a Test recall after hearing Ryan McLaren was ruled out of the Port Elizabeth match. By Monday, he may even have sent his whites to get washed in anticipation of playing when he heard Andrew Hudson, the convener of selectors, say the No. 7 position could be filled by an extra batsman and that person would come from within the squad. Elgar was the only extra batsman in the original 15.On Tuesday, he would have shelved all thoughts of that, or of playing for South Africa in the near future. That was the day he learned that from April, he will no longer receive a salary from Cricket South Africa. Elgar was one of two players in the Test squad, the other being Thami Tsolekile, who were cut from the contract list.Elgar makes most of good news

Shortly after Dean Elgar found out he was cut from CSA’s central contract list, he was told he would probably play in the Test match. “It was the bad news first and then soften the blow with some good news,” Elgar said. “It was disappointing news ahead of a big Test but there was added motivation to show people that maybe they made the wrong choice.”
Elgar was even more pleased that his Test comeback allowed him to bat where he is most comfortable. “I’m more at home opening the batting, I’ve done it for 90-odd first-class games,” he said. And he focused on that rather than his record against Australia – a pair on debut. “That wasn’t at the back of my mind. A lot of positives came out of what happened. I have a learnt a lot and developed into a more experienced cricketer.”
His absorbing of pressure was the clearest sign of that and Elgar said he expects the pitch to become tougher to bat on as the match goes on. “At one stage, it was like I couldn’t get sand in the desert,” he said. “It was hard graft. PE plays like this – low and slow. It’s a patience game. This is the slowest I’ve seen PE play in a while but it’s also credit to the Australian bowlers. They identified the conditions and adapted.”
South Africa’s total, while not substantial yet, could still be handy. “First innings runs are golden at St George’s,” he said.
Almost as valuable as a central contract? Elgar wouldn’t say other than that he is certain he will find some employment from April. “I’m sure some franchise will sign me up,” he said.
Before that he has another job to do with the ball here. “Smithy likes to use a few pie-chuckers like myself,” he said. “I will definitely put my hand up to do a job.”

On Wednesday morning, Elgar would not have known what to think. Graeme Smith appeared worn down by the timing of the contracts announcement, called it a “curveball” and said if a player had been left off it and got the opportunity to play, they should use it to prove they are worthy. By the afternoon, Elgar would have known he was playing and may have thought the captain’s words were an instruction to him to show defiance.But it was only much later in the day that Elgar would have been sure not only that he would be in the XI but that he would be batting in his preferred position at the top of the order. He would also have known that the only other time he has played against Australia in a Test, his debut, he recorded a pair and that just last week he dropped David Warner when he came on as a substitute fielder in Centurion. It was a chance he should have taken. So was this one, which is why it was so important that he did not fumble.Even if Elgar’s confidence was at its highest, he would still have been nervous given that he was tasked with the most difficult job of the day: to see off the man who decimated the top order at SuperSport Park. Elgar may not have thought it would be that tricky when the first delivery Johnson served up was off target and went down leg.From the next one, he would have been sure what he was up against. It was full and straight and although not very quick at 137 kph, Elgar instinctively tried to flick it away on the leg side and hit it to short leg. The traps were all set and Elgar would have known the only way to win the battle was to stay patient.For the next three-quarters of an hour, Elgar showed what it takes to see off Johnson and proved he has the temperament to play Test cricket. He fronted up the way a Test opener should, got behind the line of Johnson’s deliveries and defended with the determination of a man whose livelihood was on the line.The St George’s Park surface did not offer Johnson as much in terms of bounce and carry but he was still quick, his bouncer was still fearsome and his fuller delivery threatened to sneak through Elgar’s stronghold at any moment. Elgar didn’t let it. He kept out the ones that looked like they would break his toes, left anything wide outside off and slowly trusted himself to start moving forward to deliveries instead of hanging back in his crease.After five overs, which included Smith’s dismissal, he had a ball trickle away off his hip for a leg bye. After two more deliveries, he saw Hashim Amla pinned on the pads by one that, on first glance, looked like it had pitched outside leg. Amla was given out and went to consult Elgar about reviewing. Given the stature of the man at the other end, there might have been pressure on Elgar to encourage Amla to seek a second opinion, but he stuck to his guns. Elgar told Amla he thought it was out. He was right.Dean Elgar’s composure showed how the Australia attack – Mitchell Johnson included – could be dealt with•Getty ImagesAll this happened before he had scored a run. South Africa were two down with only 11 on the board. None of those runs belonged to the two men at the crease. Things could have unravelled very quickly but Elgar ensured they did not.Du Plessis tried a few things, Elgar did not. He just presented his best impression of an impenetrable wall and left it there. When du Plessis got a short ball, despite the square leg in place, he pulled. When Elgar did, he either left it or ducked. When du Plessis got a half volley from Peter Siddle on the pads, he put it away. When Elgar got a similar length from Nathan Lyon, he defended.And then, after 11-and-a-half overs that seemed like a lifetime, Elgar brought out his slog-sweep. He sent Lyon over midwicket in a moment of aggression that took everyone by surprise but announced Elgar’s arrival. Then he disappeared back into his concentration zone and kept going.His concentration was impeccable despite the chirping from the Australians, which may have been about his employment status, and the one he wore on the shoulder from Johnson, which raced to him at 145kph and thundered into him as he realised he was in a bad position to do anything other than get hit. He did as AB de Villiers said and did not show any fear.He valued his wicket enough not to make any mistakes and with his caution came confidence. Elgar is a classy player with a range of elegant shots that he brought out as the afternoon went on. He played a little more away from his body to drive through the covers, pushed another one wide of mid-off, beat the cover fielder later on and tucked one off his hips to square leg.Although his half-century came up with an edge past the slips, other than that, he looked a man in control of what he was doing. He placed the ball where he wanted it to go, he threaded the fielders, he was on his way to a hundred and he should have got there.And then all that hard work disappeared when he decided to hit Lyon over midwicket and skied it. His magic number is 83 now. On Friday morning, Elgar will still not have a national contract but he has given those who issue the documents a reason to wonder whether they made a mistake.0:00

‘Patience game key in PE’ – Elgar

Assurances from the UAE government and cricket officials in the country had convinced the BCCI that the match-fixing cloud over Sharjah in particular had lifted and that the IPL will be corruption-free

Nagraj Gollapudi14-Mar-2014On Wednesday, the IPL announced the first of the three phases of the tournament this year with 16 matches to be played across the three venues in UAE – Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah. The last of those venues grabbed immediate attention and raised a pertinent question: how could Sharjah, once the hub of match-fixing activities, be shortlisted as a venue for IPL especially in the light of the corruption scandal that erupted last season?At the turn of the millennium, even the mention of Sharjah was a taboo: the Indian federal government in 2001 had barred the Indian team from playing at the venue for a period of three years in the light of the findings in the Hansie Cronje match-fixing scandal. Over the years, the BCCI maintained an unwritten rule that Indian teams would not play in UAE. Incidentally, as late as 2010, Kings XI Punjab asked the IPL for permission to play exhibition matches in Dubai considering one of their sponsors then was the Gulf-based airline Emirates. The IPL replied saying the BCCI does not “recognize” the UAE as a venue.So what has changed now for the BCCI to make a U-turn and permit matches at the tainted venue? According to BCCI officials the decision was not taken overnight and should not be looked as a desperate one. They pointed out the IPL had carried out an extensive recce of all the venues in UAE before taking the final decision. Importantly, the officials argued that there was no point singling out only Sharjah because any venue would be equally vulnerable to corrupt elements.”In India the bookies are more active too. Are there not bookies in South Africa? What guarantee do we have anywhere?” a senior BCCI official told ESPNcricinfo. “We can educate the players. We can create a bubble where we can secure the players’ movements and them meeting people. Also, the government of UAE has told us they are going to provide us with the best of security. They have told us if we have any specific information on suspicious elements they will take swift action.”David East, the Emirates Cricket Board chief executive, confirmed the IPL was given all assurances. “The UAE government is entirely supportive of the IPL being here and will do everything to ensure it is a hugely successful tournament,” East said.It is understood that assurance from the UAE government with regards to keeping the event clean, made as late as Wednesday, swung the BCCI’s decision towards staging the IPL in the Middle East. “There are two separate issues at work here and are both at the top of our minds. Going to Sharjah is separate from the IPL events of last year and the Mudgal committee report. Both are on top of our minds and must be dealt with,” the BCCI official said.According to another BCCI insider, the dark clouds of match-fixing that encircled Sharjah in the 1990s had passed long ago. “The main culprit at that point was Dawood Ibrahim, and he is on the run. And things have changed a lot from those days definitely,” the insider said.Kings XI Punjab’s request to play exhibition games in Dubai was turned down some years ago•Indian Premier LeagueHowever, the perception about Dubai still being the core centre for match-fixing and betting in cricket persists. In the Mudgal committee report on corruption in the IPL last year, one of the panel members, Nilay Dutta, noted that the Delhi Police had “intercepted” calls between a couple of Indian bookies, who had mentioned names of two “international-level Indian players”, and their partners in a betting syndicate based in Dubai and Pakistan.However the BCCI insider remained positive. “Now, Dubai and Sharjah are far better managed places by their government who do not tolerate any nonsense anymore,” the insider said.Although many within the BCCI remained tight-lipped, an influential senior member did have a voice of caution. “Let us wait and see. It is too early to say anything,” he said when asked if Sharjah was an appropriate venue.A franchise head said he failed to understand how the BCCI had changed its stance on UAE compared to a few years ago when few teams wanted to play there. “It has been out of bounds of Indian cricket to such an extent that any cricket contact in that region has been discouraged. Few years back some of the IPL teams wanted to play exhibition matches in Dubai and they were told to stay away. You (BCCI) had certain doubts and concerns earlier, and, now suddenly to revoke that and change the stance is a bit odd,” the franchise official said.The Mudgal committee, an independent three-man commission, was set up by the Supreme Court to probe into the allegations of corruption during the last IPL unearthed by the Delhi and Mumbai Police originally. They concluded that the IPL was far from clean.”The folklore of corruption and such other malpractices that has come to surround the game of cricket and in particular, IPL, unfortunately has a ring of truth to it. If unchecked, the same would be damaging for the game of cricket and defeat public confidence in the integrity of the game,” Dutta, who also sits on the IPL Governing Council, said in his conclusion.The insider agreed about the seriousness of the report and pointed out the BCCI would have a “much improved” system this time to fight corrupt elements as it had taken on board most of the recommendations made by Ravi Sawani, the board’s anti-corruption unit chief. “So there were far more robust protocols enforced,” the insider said. One of the major changes will be an anti-corruption officer travelling and staying with the teams. This concept was tried out during the last edition of the Champions League and proved to be useful.”He would accompany the team to every place and stay in the same place. He is not someone who is snooping on players and officials but he is just around to facilitate. He is easily accessible and someone who can be approached for help or any advice if required,” the BCCI insider said.The anti-corruption code of the BCCI has also been revised with “far stricter” provisions being included for any offences committed. A corporate style audit is one of the new things brought on board. “There will be stricter enforcements. Earlier there were no requirements to record players and team and tournament officials receiving gifts. Prior permission would be required in case gifts are above a certain value. There will be more rigid rules about who can visit and not visit players at the team hotels,” the insider said.The presence of the ICC’s watchdog, the Anti-Corruption and Securities Unit (ACSU) is another advantage the BCCI official pointed out would aid Sawani’s team. It is understood that the IPL would utilise the ACSU’s services during the first phase of the IPL. “They have hands-on experience in UAE on plenty of international matches and have liaisons with local authorities. So their presence there is beneficial,” the insider said.

Older and more mature than when he first played for England, Samit Patel hopes he can let his bat do all the talking from now on

Jack Wilson11-Feb-2014Cricket is about belief: to get down on one knee and play the Dilscoop, to flight one up after being clattered for six, to charge up the wicket and go over the top. The game is a mental examination as much as a physical one. It is a test of the brain as much as the body. For Samit Patel – the allrounder who England once deemed just too round – belief is no issue.There are 59 caps in Patel’s locker. He is now 29 – and he barely waits for me to finish before interrupting my question of how many he can end up with. “I can play 200 games for England,” he says. “That’s my belief. The older you get, the better you get. I haven’t had my best days. Hopefully now I am beginning to peak.”The remarks are delivered with all the conviction of one of his bludgeoning drives. Patel has never been shy of a word or two, but you sense this is not just talk. He has fallen out with Graeme Swann, who alleged Patel had been spreading some none too kind words around Trent Bridge, before. That rift is now long gone. “We were both naive,” Patel says.Last year Patel remarked that Glamorgan “wouldn’t come anywhere close” to his Nottinghamshire team in their big Lord’s final. He was right but the comments came across as just not cricket, though Patel claims it was blown way out of proportion.He is adamant he is not gobby. Or a wild child. “At times in the past I thought I had it all, but I didn’t,” he admits. Now he wants the words to stop and to let his actions – in a Three Lions shirt – do the talking.Cricket has always been in his blood. A child prodigy, Patel represented England at Under-15, U-17 and U-19 levels. He made his Nottinghamshire 2nd XI debut at the age of 14 and was awarded the Test Match Special Young Cricketer of the Year award in 2000, all while he was still at school.”It was tough, playing at 14, but it put me in good stead. I had to balance school with England tours and Notts matches.” With an air or pride, he adds: “But I didn’t do badly. I still got eight GCSEs and two A Levels.”Using those was never part of the plan.

“My attitude towards training was terrible. I thought cricket would always get me out of trouble. It didn’t”

Patel was 17 when he made his Nottinghamshire debut. It was no easy bow. As he walked out to bat, off trudged Kevin Pietersen. He’d been clean-bowled by West Indies A paceman Jermaine Lawson. At the other end, Tino Best was steaming in. Patel stuck around for two and a half hours for 35.He had to wait another year to play his first County Championship match. Patel struck a half-century against Lancashire to further show his talent – but it was in 2005 that he made the big breakthrough. The then 20-year-old became an integral part of the Notts one-day side, playing 16 games, averaging close to 40 and impressing with his economical left-arm spin. That one-day form translated into the first-class game in 2006. Big runs came and, in 2008, England came calling.”I was shocked and surprised when Geoff Miller rang. I thought he was calling about the England Lions game against South Africa, not that I was in the full squad,” Patel said. His first cap came against Scotland but taking on the might of South Africa – with Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis and Dale Steyn in their ranks – was the first big test.Patel’s second one-dayer was a winning one. He justified his selection ahead of Swann and accounted for danger man Gibbs in ten tight overs. “It was a pretty good start,” Patel says. “Playing with [Stuart] Broad, [James] Anderson, Freddie Flintoff, [Steve] Harmison as seamers and being picked ahead of Swanny as the spinner was massive. Swanny was a good bowler then – he’s an even better bowler now.”England’s faith in Patel was rewarded. His 5 for 41 in the third ODI earned him the Man-of-the-Match award and England the series. An ECB contract followed but the dream soon turned into a nightmare. The wait for an international chance may have been over – but so was his weight.Patel, included in England’s ODI and T20 squads for the tour of the West Indies in 2009, was axed. The reason: he was not fit for purpose. His fitness levels had gone downhill and he was left in the wilderness.”Embarrassing,” Patel says about it. It would be an easy subject to shy away from, but he isn’t about to do that. “Being told I couldn’t play was absolutely hurtful. I was good enough to play for my country but not fit enough to do the work. That’s pretty bad. If you get dropped for not playing that well, fair enough. But for something else, that’s pretty poor.”There was no quick fix, or at least no quick fix that worked. Despite being picked in the preliminary squad, Patel missed out on the 2009 World Twenty20 because the fitness problems hadn’t been put to bed.Patel knows he was wrong. Wrong that he was out of shape in the first place – and wrong that he didn’t get back into line quick enough: “My attitude towards training was terrible. I thought fitness wasn’t all that. I know what you need to do at the highest level and fitness is a key aspect of that. But I thought cricket would always get me out of trouble. It didn’t.”The yo-yo, body fat and weight tests were letting him down but he had an ally. The coach, Andy Flower, publicly spoke out about Patel and said: “All we were saying was ‘get into reasonable shape’.””Andy Flower wanted me fitter. He was pretty blunt with me and I knew where I stood”•PA PhotosPatel respected the approach: the honesty and the personal contact. “Andy Flower was great with me. He wanted me fitter. He was pretty blunt with me and I knew where I stood,” he said. “The good thing with him was that he was always keeping in contact and getting me to do something about it.” Off Patel trekked to the gym.It wasn’t until 2011, three years after his international bow, that he got another chance. The work had paid off and his international career was back on the right track. Although it was hardly a total thumbs-up from national selector Geoff Miller. “Samit Patel has taken significant steps in the right direction and he has more hard work ahead in order to make further progress,” he said.Patel became a key part of the one-day side and donned the whites for his first Test, against Sri Lanka in 2012. “I got myself fit and went from playing no formats to all formats. The Test call-up was the most surprising. I thought I was going to Sri Lanka for the experience and then I was in the side. It was satisfying but I knew I wanted more,” Patel says.This time it was poor form – on the pitch, not off it – that led to his dropping. The final straw came in a T20 in Hamilton last year where he bowled two fruitless overs for 20, and scored 6. Now, though, there is a chance for more. There is no coach, no established spinner, and question marks over all but three or four spots in the Test side. Patel doesn’t need telling twice.”I haven’t been in contact with anyone. I don’t know how far away from the side I am but it’s a fresh start for everyone,” he says. “Come the start of the season there will be a load of players believing if they get out the traps fast, they could be playing for England.”Before then, Patel could be set for an IPL payday. He pulled out of the auction back in 2011 to concentrate on his England chances. But now he has thrown his name into the hat. Not that he is too keen. There is a downbeat tone to his voice just at the mention of it. Notts will let him go if he sells for $320,000. Hopes are at a minimum.”I probably won’t follow the auction,” Patel says. “I don’t know what franchises are thinking but I would know now if they were interested, I’m sure. If I don’t go, it’s a win-win situation. There’s more chance of me playing for England, which is where I want to be.”

Plays of the Day from the Eliminator between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians

Sidharth Monga28-May-2014The third-umpire call
In the last over of Mumbai Indians’ innings, Ambati Rayudu jumped out of the crease, and hit a half-volley straight down extra cover’s throat. The umpire, though, sought the TV umpire’s help to ascertain it was a fair delivery. The first replay suggested it was a no-ball, but the third umpire opted for another replay. Which was just as well because closer inspection revealed that when the toe landed, the heel – although in the air – was behind the line. Rayudu, who might have had his hopes up, had to walk back.The unnecessary direct hit
Praveen Kumar knew it shouldn’t have happened. He was pleading for it to not happen. He had just bowled a lovely outswinger to end the first over, he had taken the edge that had not carried to slip, and his expressive face was clear he didn’t want the first slip, Harbhajan Singh, to go for the throw. Praveen’s face, which will give Italian footballers a run for their Liras, told the rest of the story. The disappointment of the edge not carrying became a grimace as he saw Harbhajan go for the throw, and then it gave way to pure frustration as he saw the ball hit the stumps and go for an overthrow. All this while the batsmen were not even attempting a single.The shocker
Poor Praveen’s ordeal was not over. Umpire Bruce Oxenford added to his agony in the next over. An inswinger from Praveen had hit Dwayne Smith’s back foot in front of off, and had all the makings of possibly the plumbest lbw of the IPL. Except that Oxenford didn’t agree, possibly the only person in the whole wide world to think so. And it looked like Praveen, 27, had aged five years in this period of play.The non-call
At the start of the Chennai Super Kings innings, Corey Anderson bowled the slower short ball well, and should have had Faf du Plessis caught in the fourth over. The top edge from du Plessis flew towards deep square leg from where Rayudu ran in hard, but seemed like he didn’t call. Harbhajan rushed back from inside the circle with no knowledge of the approaching Rayudu. At the last second Rayudu realised Harbhajan was headed his way, avoided a possible collision, but the ball fell well safe. To rub salt into the Mumbai wounds, du Plessis pulled the next ball clear over Rayudu’s head.The hit
When Anderson came back for his second spell he had had enough of the slower short ball, and was intent on bowling the quicker bumpers. However, they forgot to tell him Suresh Raina was off strike when he bowled a brute of a bouncer to Brendon McCullum, his international captain. The ball hit the helmet grille flush, and a screw on the helmet flew as if a bail. McCullum was not out hit wicket, replays showed, but will surely ask Anderson to bowl similar such when he has the black cap on.

Our correspondent catches a sliver of Dhaka and lots of Chittagong on the first leg of the World T20

Alan Gardner26-Mar-2014March 13
Land in Dhaka early morning after flying from London via Dubai. The fellow sitting next to me, an elderly Bangladeshi whose company I have only shared for a few hours of mainly fitful sleep, asks if I would like to come to his home for tea, but I have to politely decline. My transfer to Chittagong is already arranged, which includes stopping at the apartment of my colleague Mohammad Isam, where I am supplied with some excellent vittles and a bed to lie down on for a short while.Dhaka traffic is all it is made out to be – slower than Inzamam-ul-Haq between the wickets – but I’m not delayed in catching my train. Another languid journey unfolds, for the most part in comfort despite a slightly hard seat, which is increasingly noticeable seven and a half hours later. The landscape passing by outside before the sun sets is a patchwork of rivers and paddy fields, the odd brick kiln sending puffs of smoke into the air. Rahman, another friendly soul, is a water expert by trade and explains some of the issues confronting the delta, particularly upstream damming that can change the course of rivers or even dry them up entirely.Eventually we arrive in Chittagong. Walking along the platform, I realise the train is at least a couple of hundred yards long. Wonder if Paul Theroux made it along this route?March 14
Take my first ride in a CNG, as the auto-rickshaws here are known, due to running on compressed natural gas. On arrival at the MA Aziz Stadium, looking to pick up my accreditation, I wind up at the players’ and officials’ entrance. The media entrance in this old ground, which shelters a number of little shops around its perimeter, is a nondescript gate beside which sits a man at a table. No need for armed guards here.There are two practice matches going on, featuring three of the Associate nations and Zimbabwe. I end up asking almost every single question at four post-match pressers, as the local media don’t seem to know too much about cricket’s other guys.On the way back to my hotel, which is near the Agrabad – the rather grand establishment used by players and ICC officials – but the Agrabad, it quickly becomes apparent my CNG driver doesn’t know where to take me any more than I do. Various people at the side of the street are consulted, seemingly with different opinions on where to go, but eventually I spot a sign that had lodged in my head the previous evening: Landmark. With a point of familiarity established, I’m able to navigate us back. Nominative determinism to the rescue.March 15
Back to the MA Aziz – although this is not where I want to be today. For driving me to the wrong stadium, which is being used for World T20 training and warm-up fixtures but generally plays host to football now, and then on to the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury, Chittagong’s main cricket venue, the driver wants paying double. In some ways it’s comforting to know that taxi drivers are the same the world over.Media previews for the opening of the tournament mean a first audience with Paras Khadka, whose impressive demeanour is to become a feature of the first round, then myself and Arya Yuyutsu, our video guy, wind up sitting on the outfield shooting the early evening breeze. Afterwards, I eat out for the first time, in a stiffly formal place that seems to have more waiters than customers. The food is good, though I’m not too keen on the complimentary betel-nut palate cleanser.March 16
Begin exploring the locality and discover that ATMs are air-conditioned. Several refuse my bank cards but each provides a welcome cool refuge.Arriving at ZACS early, I stroll around the stadium looking to pick up my match-day pass. No one seems too concerned by my presence, even when I climb up towards the player dressing rooms; one of the soldiers even shakes my hand. Not sure that’s quite what ICC security protocol dictates.The tournament kicks off in Chittagong with Nepal versus Hong Kong. Nepal and their fans immediately set about making a good impression.March 17
At the ground for more press conferences and this time the armed police are even happy to pose for pictures. The friendliness and goodwill surrounding the World T20 has been obvious to see. The Bangladesh team, whose images are splashed on billboards around the city, have arrived ahead of their second game – beside the pitch, the diminutive Mushifiqur Rahim is smashing net bowlers for imaginary boundaries. He talks to a large assembly of local journalists later in the day, mostly in Bengali. Although I’m pretty sure I heard him say “well-balanced team”.March 18
My first real experience of a match in the subcontinent. A packed stadium welcomes the home team. I also discover the superb view from the roof of the media building; though you don’t want to be standing there when the fireworks go off. Waves of noise roll across the ground for each wicket, catch and run in a comfortable win over Nepal. Bangladesh look fired up and ready to prove their critics wrong.March 19
First sight of rain since arrival, as a storm whips across ZACS, threatening to dislodge awnings and sponsor paraphernalia. With the clouds darkening above, I’m introduced to Akram Khan, hero of one of Bangladesh cricket’s most important games, when he made 68 not out on a sticky dog in Kuala Lumpur to help overcome Netherlands in the 1997 ICC Trophy. The rain won’t bother him. Akram is still quite imposing, with a sizeable frame and bristly moustache, but the twinkle in his eye puts you at ease. I also make the acquaintance of another local favourite: , a rich and tasty beef dish.March 20
Bangladesh’s critics are given a new clip full of ammo when the team loses to Hong Kong, a huge upset, and the biggest win in the Associate’s history. Another avuncular figure, 40-year-old Munir Dar, takes Hong Kong most of the way to a victory that is met with a wall of silence from the stands. “We’re not angry, we’re just disappointed.”Friendly security personnel at the ZACS•Alan Gardner/ESPNcricinfo LtdMarch 22
With the arrival of England, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka in Chittagong, some of the charm disappears. These teams don’t need exposure in the way Associate nations do, but the press contingent swells. The arrangements inevitably become much more controlled, almost mechanical. There are more gadgets too, with zing bails set to make their major tournament bow. I have seen them in the Big Bash, on television, but their effect in the ground is enhanced, another flashing neon sign on cricket’s commercial highway.After Sri Lanka close out South Africa in a tense finish, midway through England v New Zealand another burst of rain sweeps across Chittagong. The seasons are changing a little earlier than is usually expected and it seems stormy weather may affect the tournament.There is a storm in an English breakfast tea cup when Stuart Broad criticises the umpires for allowing play to continue after lightning had flashed outside the ground. The officials will need to be replaced with meteorologists robots soon.March 24
If you time your trip to ZACS poorly, you’ll end up stuck at several roadblocks established to guide the team buses through traffic. My driver seems to have a secret route through the back streets, however, and we wend our way past a decrepit rail yard, as well as houses and shops that are little more than shacks. Kids are playing cricket on an open square; one bowls, the other leaves outside off. Netherlands could have learned from that episode as they crash to the lowest T20 international score ever. Shortly after, an almighty tropical storm lashes Chittagong, causing repeated power cuts and knocking out the hotel wifi. What would we do without the internet? Nothing, it seems.

A stats review at the end of the 2nd ODI between Bangladesh and West Indies at Grenada

Bishen Jeswant23-Aug-2014177 West Indies’ margin of victory, their biggest against Bangladesh, and their sixth biggest overall. For Bangladesh, this is their seventh-worst loss by runs. Their largest defeat remains a 233-run loss to Pakistan in 2000.16 Number of times that Bangladesh have been bowled out for 100 or less in an ODI innings, more than any other team. Next highest on the list are Zimbabwe (12) and Sri Lanka (11). The lowest score that Bangladesh have been bowled out for (twice) is 58, once against India earlier this year, and famously against West Indies in the 2011 World Cup.13 Number of runs for which Bangladesh lost their last seven wickets. This is Bangladesh’s second worst seven-wicket collapse in their ODI history. The fewest runs for which they have lost seven wickets is eight, which happened against India in June 2014. The worst ever seven-wicket collapse in all ODIs is by Zimbabwe, when they collapsed from 124-3 to 127-all-out against Sri Lanka, in an innings where each batsman from No. 6 onwards scored a duck.10 Number of batsmen who did not get to double figures during Bangladesh’s innings. Bangladesh has faced this ignominy once before, against South Africa during the 2011 World Cup. Overall, there have been 15 such instances in ODI cricket, including two of all 11 players making single digit scores, by Canada and Zimbabwe, both against Sri Lanka.52.9 % of Bangladesh’s runs scored by Tamim Iqbal during his innings of 37, out of the team’s total of 70. This is the second highest % of team runs scored by a Bangladesh batsman when the team has been bowled out. The highest such % is 54.8, also by Tamim, when he scored 125 out of Bangladesh’s total of 228 against England at Dhaka in 2010.5 Number of Man of the Match awards won by Sunil Narine in only 51 ODIs. His countrymen, Joel Garner, Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh have also won only five MoM awards each despite playing 98, 176 and 205 ODIs respectively. However, this is probably partly down to the fact that MoM awards were not always given during the early ODIs. Among West Indians with at least 5 MoM awards, Narine has the fifth best matches/award ratio, 10.2. West Indian players who won MoM awards more frequently than Narine are Viv Richards (31 MoM awards in 187 ODIs), Gordon Greenidge (20 in 128), Desmond Haynes (25 in 238) and Brian Lara (30 in 295).58 Number of runs scored by Chris Gayle in the second ODI, from 67 balls. This is the lowest score by a batsman who has played at least 60 balls and hit five or more sixes in an ODI innings. Chris Gayle has three of the eight lowest such scores, also featuring second and seventh on the list. Hansie Cronje’s 52 off 53 balls against Pakistan at East London in 1998, is the lowest ODI score for a batsman who has played at least 50 balls and hit at least five sixes.2 Number of 40-plus scored scored made by Gayle in his last 25 ODI innings. Apart from the 58 in this game and his 109 versus Sri Lanka at Kingston in June 2013, the top score from his other 23 innings is 39. Gayle has scored only 465 runs during this period at a dismal average of 18.60 and an unlikely strike rate of 78.15.

His captaincy may never be associated with tactical genius or stirring words but Alastair Cook’s style of leadership is appreciated by his players

George Dobell in Manchester05-Aug-2014Leadership comes in many forms. While some leaders, in a cricket context, might inspire with their tactics, others will use oratory.Alastair Cook will probably never be either sort of captain. Instead, Cook has been, at his best, the type of captain to lead by example. The sort of leader who, in India towards the end of 2012, inspired his team with excellent individual batting that showed his colleagues how the spinners could be combated.But while Cook continues to be judged by his on-field tactics and field placings – a key part of captaincy, it is true, but far from the only area of relevance – there is growing evidence to suggest that he demonstrates admirable leadership qualities – less obvious qualities, perhaps, but just as valuable – in other facets of the game.There were two examples of this as England warmed-up for the fourth Investec Test at Old Trafford. While neither example would be apparent to those in the stands or the media boxes, both could be argued to have contributed to England’s victory in Southampton.The first came as Gary Ballance reflected on his brush with the down side of celebrity. Ballance admitted he was “embarrassed” and “nervous” as he joined up with the England squad ahead of the Lord’s Test just as details of a drunken night out in Nottingham emerged. Ballance, clearly a little the worse for wear in a club, was pictured with his shirt off along with the quote: “I’m not a cricketer tonight, I’m a drunken bastard.”But Cook, recognising that Ballance was simply a young man enjoying a rare night off, took him for dinner with a couple of other team-mates and ensured he immediately felt welcome back.”Cooky took me out for some food with Joe Root and Matt Prior,” Ballance said. “I felt disappointed that I had let the lads down the night before a Test match, which was embarrassing and not what you want.”But Cooky just said ‘these things happen’ and that in a few days time you would be laughing about it. It will all be forgotten about. It wasn’t really a serious telling off. It was more a suggestion that I should learn from it and not do it again.”As a consequence, Ballance immediately felt comfortable again in the England environment – while being gently reminded of his responsibilities as an international sportsman – and was in a frame of mind to contribute with centuries at Lord’s and the Ageas Bowl. A less sensitive captain might have ranted, raved or even ignored a young player in such circumstances. If you consider the treatment of Darren Pattinson, who was not welcomed into the dressing room as he might have been by Michael Vaughan, or Mike Smith, who suffered similarly under Mike Atherton, it is not hard to understand the value of more benevolent captaincy.

Moeen progress ‘encouraging’ – Bell

Ian Bell has backed Moeen Ali to develop into a fine Test spinner if he continues his fast rate of improvement. While Moeen was originally selected as a batsman who bowls, he claimed eight wickets in Southampton, including a haul of 6 for 67 in the second innings.
Bell’s advice, suggesting Moeen bowl a little quicker and with a tighter off-stump line, was credited in part for Moeen’s excellent performance. But while Bell said that Moeen was capable of bowling “magic” deliveries, he felt it was the improvements in his defensive game that rendered him more valuable.
“Moeen has all the skills to become a fine spinner at this level,” Bell said. “Having faced him in the nets, he’s got all the tricks. He gets lovely drift, drop and he does bowl magic balls. He’s improved in a short period of time, which is really encouraging. The more he plays, the better he gets. But he understands that he will not get the same results every week. The important thing is, you’re not going to get surfaces that help you all the time.
“I played a lot with Graeme Swann and he had two games. He could play on a non-turning pitch at Lord’s and go for two-an-over for 20 overs. And that was just as important as bowling on day five when the conditions are in your favour. Moeen has played that role in the last two Tests. He bowled better at Lord’s, when there was no spin. He did a job for us.
“We have to go all round the world and play on different surfaces, so he has to have the full armoury, not just the one magical ball. He is a work in progress but he has improved in a short period of time, which is really encouraging.”

Yet Vaughan and Atherton are rated as fine tactical captains, and Cook is seen as the novice.A short while after Ballance recounted his experiences, Ian Bell reflected on the mood in the England camp ahead of the Southampton Test. Again, he highlighted the contribution of Cook in focusing the minds of the batting unit.”Cook spoke really well, as he always does to the team,” Bell said. “It was in a meeting of the batters at Southampton. He said that, over the last 12 months, we haven’t given our bowlers the opportunity to win Test matches. We’ve got 400 a few times, but again that’s been helped by a good lower order.”What he challenged us to do was for the top six to do the bulk of that. He challenged us as a batting unit to take that opportunity and get a big score. He really wanted one to seven to get the bulk of the runs and it happened that way. In terms of first-innings batting, that was as good as you can get.”While Cook’s period in charge is likely to be defined by his success as a batsman, and he will have to sustain the improved form shown in Southampton if he is to survive, it might be considered encouraging, from an England perspective, that he is contributing as a captain, even if it is not in the ways deemed “funky” by some observers.To read many of the reports of recent days, you might be forgiven for thinking England landed a knockout blow against India in Southampton. Impressive though the victory was from an England perspective and valuable though the on-going participation of James Anderson undoubtedly is, it might be remembered that this series is still level at 1-1 with two Tests to play. It might also be remembered that the England side beaten at Lord’s contained Anderson.Yet a sense remains that India may have let their best opportunity slip. With England reeling after Lord’s, India allowed them back into the series with an insipid display.The pitch at Old Trafford might also present the toughest challenge to India’s batsman. If one accepts the theory that India’s batsmen are uncomfortable against pace and bounce – and the current line-up suggest such a theory is somewhat out of date – then Manchester could present a significant challenge. Certainly the groundsman, Matt Merchant, believes he has produced the quickest and bounciest surface of the summer and, after the driest summer he has experienced, also expects assistance for spinners as the game progresses.With that in mind, you might conclude that England would be tempted to draft Steven Finn back into their side. Finn remains, at his best, probably the quickest of this squad and is said to be returning to something approaching that after more than a year out of Test cricket.A return is far from certain, though. After a difficult few months, England will want to ensure Finn’s confidence is restored before thrusting him back into the limelight. This recall may be an attempt to reintroduce him into the environment with a view to the longer term.