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Sri Lanka “not risking” Pathirana after he jarred his shoulder in the third T20I; uncapped seamers Mohamed Shiraz and Eshan Malinga added to squad

Andrew Fidel Fernando01-Aug-2024Two further Sri Lanka fast bowlers have been ruled out of the ODIs against India, with Matheesha Pathirana picking up a shoulder complaint, and Dilshan Madushanka injuring a hamstring.Sri Lanka are also without Dushmantha Chameera, who is out with illness, and Nuwan Thushara, who fractured his thumb. Both these players had missed the T20Is as well.For now Sri Lanka have brought uncapped right-arm seamer Mohamed Shiraz into the squad, team manager Mahinda Halangoda confirmed to ESPNcricinfo. Later in the afternoon, a statement from Sri Lanka Cricket confirmed a second uncapped right-arm seamer was added to the squad: Eshan Malinga. Three players were also put on standby: batter Kusal Perera, seamer Pramod Madushan and spinner Jeffrey Vandersay.Related

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“Matheesha has jarred his shoulder, and because it is the same issue that he had during the World Cup last year, they have chosen not to risk it,” Halangoda said. Pathirana had picked up the injury while fielding in the third T20I in Pallekele, and had left the field soon after, before he had bowled a single delivery in that game.Madushanka, meanwhile, had sustained the hamstring injury while training, Halangoda said. He had played only one match in the T20I series.Both Pathirana and Madushanka were likely to be in the XI for the first ODI against India, on Friday. Sri Lanka have lost their last 10 matches across formats against India.

Since they last won the title, Sydney Sixers have consistently reached the finals but stumbled short of the prize

Andrew McGlashan25-Jan-2025Sydney Sixers captain Moises Henriques has called for the club to take a hard look at why they have stumbled in finals over recent seasons after falling to crosstown rivals Sydney Thunder in the Challenger on Friday, but he refused to blame the absence of key players on Australia Test duty.Sixers had given themselves a double chance of reaching Monday’s final by finishing second in the regular season but lost to Hobart Hurricanes in the Qualifier before coming up short against Thunder at the SCG.It meant that since winning the second of back-to-back titles in the 2020-21 season, they have won just two out of nine matches in finals series.Related

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“Unfortunately we’ve saved our worst two performances for the last two games of the year,” he said. “We do have to have a look at how we’ve performed in finals the last three years because I don’t think our record is great now. We gave ourselves two chances this year because of how well we played throughout the year. We had two chances last year as well and two chances the year before.”I am proud that we’ve got a group that consistently puts us in a position to win the tournament and gives us the very best opportunity at the end of the league games to go on and win but unfortunately this year we weren’t good enough.”Henriques said the debrief on the season would start straightaway. After the final there is a ten-day trade window where out-of-contract players from other clubs can be signed. Sixers head into that period with ten on their list – the maximum permitted – leaving Jackson Bird, Daniel Hughes, Hayden Kerr, Ben Manenti and Kurtis Patterson as those who are free agents.”It’s the high pressure nature of sport that you can’t always perform when you want to,” Henriques said. “Why we’ve been not able to play our best in these games is something we’re going to have to have a look at and definitely discuss for a while after the game because we’re not rushing off to anywhere. There’s a lot to learn from the last couple of days.”Some of the best learnings are in these situations because a lot of that group is going to be around again next year and hopefully we can put ourselves in a position next year to challenge again.”Steven Smith was available for three matches this season where he made a spectacular 121 not out followed by 52 but, along with Todd Murphy and Sean Abbott, left after the regular season for Australia’s training camp in Dubai ahead of the Sri Lanka tour.When Sixers won the first of the back-to-back titles in the 2019-2020 season, they had Smith, Nathan Lyon (who is now with Melbourne Renegades) and Josh Hazlewood (currently recovering from injury) available for the finals along with their regular key names.”It’s a really tough one,” Henriques said when asked about the overlapping schedules. “I think the pinnacle of cricket is playing international sport for your country and we’re very proud of the three guys that get selected. That’s obviously not including Starcy and Josh Hazlewood.”That’s a feather in our cap as a squad that they want to play cricket for our team and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I still feel like we’ve got players that can win us the match when they go away.”I said before the last game to the group, even though we only had 12 players, somehow it was still a headache to try and pick 11 because of what I believe to be the quality of this group and the quality of players that we have.”In the 2020-21 final, James Vince produced the match-winning hand of 95 against Perth Scorchers and has remained a regular with the club but left early for the ILT20, as did West Indies left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein. The other draft signing was young English legspinner Jafer Chohan who stood out when he came into the side, returning 2 for 28 and 2 for 22 the two finals, conceding just one boundary in each game.”He’s been really impressive,” Henriques said. “He sat patiently waiting for a game. I think through the four matches that he played, I couldn’t remember one bad ball, which, for a wristspinner, is just extraordinary. I think he’s got a big future ahead of him.”

Batter calls time on England having not featured since 50-over World Cup in 2023

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Aug-2024Dawid Malan, England’s former No.1-ranked T20I batter, has announced his retirement from international cricket at the age of 37.Malan, who played 22 Tests, 30 ODIs and 62 T20Is, is one of only two England men’s batters (alongside Jos Buttler) to have made centuries in all three international formats. However, he had not featured in an England squad since the 50-over World Cup in India last year, and confirmed his decision after his omission from the forthcoming white-ball series against Australia.”It has been an incredible journey since July 2017,” Malan said. “I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to play for England in all three formats.”Cricket, like most sports, is an industry where almost everyone eventually retires wishing they had done that little bit more. Whether you’ve played ten Tests or 100, many step away regretting not playing just one more, scoring a few more runs, or winning more trophies.”Right now, as I retire from international cricket, I can say I am genuinely satisfied. It has not been easy. It may be my nature, but for whatever reason, it has always seemed that I had something to prove and often felt as if I was playing for my place. The pressure goes with the territory, but it does take a mental and physical toll. Even so, I look back with pride on what I have been able to achieve.”Despite announcing himself with a free-flowing innings of 78 from 44 on his T20I debut against South Africa in 2017, Malan’s initial breakthrough with England came on the following winter’s Ashes tour, where he made his only Test hundred, 140 from 227 balls, in partnership with Jonny Bairstow at Perth.However, it was in the T20I format that he truly made his name, most particularly in the aftermath of England’s ODI World Cup victory in 2019, when he forced his way into the team’s 20-over plans through his sheer weight of run-making, including a 48-ball hundred at Napier on that winter’s tour of New Zealand.In September 2020, he reached the top of the ICC’s batting rankings for T20I cricket, and the following March, he became the fastest men’s player to reach 1000 runs in the format, from just 24 innings, all but one of which had been at least double-figures. He was also a T20 World Cup winner in Australia in 2022, although he missed the knock-out stages after tearing his groin in the field against Sri Lanka.Due to the success of the 50-over squad, Malan took longer to break into the ODI team – despite the prevailing sense that it was the format for which he was best suited, with his tendency to begin an innings cautiously before unfurling his full range of strokes at the back end often attracting criticism during his T20I performances.Nevertheless, he seized his chance when it came, scoring five ODI hundreds in the space of 15 innings between June 2022 and September 2023, to make an unequivocal case to replace England’s incumbent opener, Jason Roy, in the 2023 World Cup squad. He then added a sixth hundred in the second match of the tournament to guide England to victory over Bangladesh in Dharamsala, but he could not survive the fall-out from the team’s disappointing overall campaign.Speaking to The Times, Malan said that he had “exceeded all expectations of myself in white-ball formats”, but admitted that his inability to forge a more consistent Test career would be a regret. Ten of his 22 appearances came on consecutive tours of Australia in 2017-18 and 2021-22, where his average of 33.00 is bettered only by Alastair Cook, Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow among regular England performers of the past decade. However, he never played the format again after England’s 146-run defeat at Hobart in January 2022.Related

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“Test cricket was always the pinnacle for me growing up,” he said. “At times I played well but in between just wasn’t good enough or consistent enough, which was disappointing because I felt I was a better player than that.”I took all three formats extremely seriously but the intensity of Test cricket was something else: five days plus the days building up. I’m a big trainer; I love hitting lots of balls and I’d train hard in the build-up, and then the days were long and intense. You can’t switch off. I found it very mentally draining, especially the long Test series that I played, where my performances dropped off from the third or fourth Test onwards.””But, you know, on the field I always did what I felt was right to win a game for the team. I never walked off the field if I got runs not caring about whether we had won or lost. It was always about winning and I’d always question myself as to whether I’d made the right decisions on the field to do that.”Malan is likely to be in high demand on the T20 franchise circuit with his England career behind him. He was most recently in action for Oval Invincibles, helping the team to victory in the Men’s Hundred, two years after he was part of the Trent Rockets squad that claimed the 2022 title. Last winter, he helped Sunrisers Eastern Cape win the second season of the SA20, and was also in action for Multan Sultans in the PSL.Rob Key, the managing director of England Men’s Cricket, added: “Dawid Malan retires after an excellent international career marked by resilience and determination.”Early on, he had to fight for every opportunity, often facing some of the best teams in the world. His contributions were pivotal, particularly during the memorable World Cup victories in Australia, where he played an integral role in the team’s success.”His legacy will be remembered as one of tenacity and achievement on the international stage – traits any player would be extremely proud to have.”

The opener’s 41-ball 102 set up Sunrisers Hyderabad’s record-breaking 287 for 3 at the Chinnaswamy

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Apr-20242:47

Head: Impact Player rule has helped us push the boundaries

After helping Sunrisers Hyderabad amass 287 for 3 with a 39-ball century and break the IPL record for highest total for the second time this season, opener Travis Head said his side would fancy targeting 300 as their next challenge. He also credited the captain Pat Cummins and head coach Daniel Vettori for pushing the openers to keep being aggressive in the first six overs.”[Our total] needs a three in front of it, does it now?” Head joked, when asked between innings about the benchmarks Sunrisers are setting for themselves, after the first innings against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Monday. “It’s proper batting. We’ve wanted to be exciting the whole time, and we’ve wanted to take the game on, and Pat and then Dan have put pressure on the batting line-up to make sure we try and maximise the powerplay and then keep going.”We’ve got guys like [Heinrich] Klaasen, [Abdul] Samad and Nitish [Kumar Reddy, who] didn’t even get a hit today. We’ve got some power through the middle, and we want to keep just putting the foot down as much as we can. We know that’s not always guaranteed, but at the moment I think we’re setting it up really well in each game and getting to the score that we need.”Related

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Sunrisers smashed 22 sixes, the most in IPL history, and Head hit nine of them. Along with Abhishek Sharma, Head helped Sunrisers race away to 76 for 0 in the powerplay while also getting to his fifty. After the game, Head said he was enjoying batting with Abhishek. “We complement each other really well. He’s a young player and pretty fearless. There was a little bit of spin in the powerplay and he was so dominant against them. I’m loving it.”Head was eventually out in the 13th over for a 41-ball 102. His wicket brought zero respite though, as Klaasen pumped a 31-ball 67 from No. 3. Klaasen too was full of praise for his team-mate for setting up the match and making his job easier. “Unbelievable start there from Heady. It’s a special knock that. Puts the bowler under a lot of pressure,” Klaasen told the broadcaster after the game. “[I] came in and wanted to be very sensible and knock it around and make sure he faces majority of the balls. It is difficult to out-hit players like that so when it’s his night, make sure I’m on the other side and wait for a couple of bad balls. And then I should take over when he gets out.”It was nice batting out there, the wicket was nice and good but the tempo was set there upfront. Its nice to have bowlers under pressure when you come in.”

Earlier, Burl also grabbed two wickets, as the bowlers combined to restrict Ireland despite Harry Tector’s 47

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Jan-2023Player of the Match Ryan Burl went 6, 6, 4 off George Dockrell when Zimbabwe needed 23 off 15 balls and the game was in the balance. In the end, he finished with 30 not out from 11 deliveries to turn the screws in the chase of 142, as the hosts sealed the series 2-1 in Harare. That followed a haul of 2 for 28 with the ball, as the Zimbabwe bowlers combined to restrict the visitors to 141.It was a tricky situation on a pitch that continued to produce middling scores following totals of 114 and 144 in the first two games. Craig Ervine’s 54 off 43 balls set the base for Zimbabwe, for whom the required rate had touched nine an over when they had another 30 deliveries remaining. Ervine was involved in crucial partnerships of 42 for the second wicket with Innocent Kaia when Zimbabwe lost their first wicket in the third over.Another quick partnership of 24 from 14 balls was important from a situation of 92 for 4, as held the innings together before Burl, who also won the Player-of-the-Series award, got down to finish the game off.Earlier, it took a 70-run union between Harry Tector and Curtis Campher to help Ireland to a competitive total after they were 19 for 3 at one stage. Wessly Madhevere had struck in the first over to remove Ross Adair, and ended with 2 for 8 when he got rid of Tector for 47. But it was Burl who had dismissed Campher for 27 to break Ireland’s momentum, and drag Zimbabwe back in the match.Dockrell and Mark Adair added 31 to pump some life back into Ireland’s innings, but 141 proved short in the end, as Burl’s exploits ensured Zimbabwe won the match with an over to spare.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Danushka Gunathilaka, Nuwan Pradeep, Lahiru Thirimanne among the players dropped from the list

Madushka Balasuriya10-May-2024Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has handed out upgraded central contracts to a whopping 41 male players, up from 29 previously. Like in previous years, there are six categories – A1, A2, B2, C1, C2, and ‘A’ Team – with several performance-based clauses included.However, SLC has declined to disclose the exact categories each of the players has been slotted in, with CEO Ashley de Silva telling ESPNcricinfo, “We don’t want to negatively impact player morale by publicly revealing that information.”The expanded contract list means new faces such as Shevon Daniel, Dushan Hemantha, Nuwanidu Fernando and Sahan Arachchige have all earned deals despite their limited game time with the national side.Related

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In all, 18 fresh players have been brought on board, and six players dropped – most notably Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Danushka Gunathilaka, who have not turned out for the national team in over a year. Lahiru Thirimanne, Nuwan Pradeep, Minod Bhanuka and Lakshan Sandakan are the other four to not make the cut from the last set of contracts handed out in 2022.Key in the new contracts is a focus on red-ball cricket, with Test-match fees seeing a 100% bump, the idea being to incentivise players to make themselves available for the longer format of the game. The payments, though, will be merit-based with “different payment structures” depending on results. ODI and T20I match fees have had a flat 25% increase.Along with enhanced daily allowances, players will also receive one-time payments for topping the ICC player rankings either as a batter, a bowler or an allrounder. Players making it into the top ten in the rankings but not topping them will also be granted a one-time payment.

Sri Lanka’s centrally contracted men’s players

Dimuth Karunaratne, Dinesh Chandimal, Wanindu Hasaranga, Angelo Mathews, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya De Silva, Charith Asalanka, Pathum Nissanka, Dasun Shanaka, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Prabath Jayasuriya, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka, Asitha Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Ramesh Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Chamika Karunaratne, Dunith Wellalage, Lahiru Kumara, Nishan Madushka, Matheesha Pathirana, Kusal Janith Perera, Vishwa Fernando, Jeffrey Vandersay, Pramod Madushan, Janith Liyanage, Akila Dananjaya, Praveen Jayawickrama, Nuwan Thushara, Sahan Arachchige, Nuwanidu Fernando, Dushan Hemantha, Lasith Embuldeniya, Binura Fernando, Shevon Daniel, Niroshan Dickwella, Ashen Bandara, Oshada Fernando, Avishka Fernando

Battle for big names set to intensify as rival northern-hemisphere tournaments go head-to-head

Matt Roller23-Jan-2024The Hundred will clash with Major League Cricket (MLC) for the first time in 2024. The two leagues will be in direct competition for the world’s leading men’s players in late July, after narrowly avoiding an overlap last year.MLC, which launched last year and is backed by Indian and American investors, announced last month that its second season will launch on July 4 and conclude “by early August”, with dates and fixtures due to be finalised imminently. The ECB announced the Hundred’s fixture list on Tuesday, with The Oval hosting the opening men’s and women’s matches on July 23.The Hundred will also go up against an England men’s international in 2024, after a dedicated window last year. England’s third Test against West Indies starts on July 26, which will rule those involved out of at least the first week of the Hundred. There will not be a clash for England’s women, who finish a T20I series against New Zealand on July 17.ESPNcricinfo understands that the Hundred is unlikely to clash with the Caribbean Premier League in 2024. The men’s and women’s finals will again be held at Lord’s on August 18 and while CPL dates are yet to be finalised, a source said that it is unlikely to start until the final week of August as things stand.But the clash with MLC will pose a major challenge in terms of availability. Last year, the inaugural MLC final took place two days before the Hundred started and 19 players – including Tim David, Heinrich Klaasen and Sunil Narine – made at least one appearance in both leagues, highlighting the reliance on a similar player pool.Related

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The ECB have made clear their concern about the launch of a new lucrative franchise league during the northern hemisphere summer and told centrally-contracted players that they would not be given No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) for MLC. Jason Roy was the only Englishman to feature last summer and is expected to return to LA Knight Riders for at least some of the 2024 season.The ICC voted last year to introduce a global limit of four overseas players per team in franchise leagues, which MLC currently exceeds – though the cap only applies to new leagues. Richard Thompson, the ECB’s chair, spoke to the this week about leagues which are “basically international tournaments masquerading as domestic competitions”, with reference to MLC.MLC paid its top earners around US$175,000 (£137,500) in its inaugural season to play a minimum of five games, while the Hundred’s highest men’s salary is £125,000 (US$159,000) for a minimum of eight games. Men’s Hundred salaries have been frozen for the 2024 season, with the ECB currently weighing up the merits of opening the tournament up to private investors from 2025.

Starc showed signs of discomfort at the MCG, and went for scans on Wednesday, but he also spent time in the gym in the lead-up to the SCG Test

Andrew McGlashan01-Jan-20252:11

Clarke: ‘Freakish’ debut for Konstas

Mitchell Starc has been termed one of Australia’s “toughest” cricketers as he was backed to be fit for the Sydney Test after having maintained speeds above 140kph in Melbourne despite battling a back problem.Starc first showed signs of discomfort in the first innings at the MCG, but was able to play a key role in the dramatic victory push where he claimed Virat Kohli on the final day. Starc went for scans on Wednesday, but he also spent time in the gym during what became an optional training session where none of the bowlers who played in Melbourne turned their arm over.Normally, Australia have their main training session two days out from a Test but have tweaked their build-up given the short turnaround between the final two matches of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, and the heavier workload at the MCG.”He’ll be fine. He’ll push through,” Alex Carey said. “I’ve played with Starcy for a long time now, and [he’s] one of the toughest cricketers I’ve played with. He’ll grimace, he’ll grab his rib no doubt, but he’ll be ready for the contest.”Related

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Starc has been lauded for his consistency across this series, with Ricky Ponting regularly saying he has never seen him bowl better. He has 15 wickets at 28.73 in the four Tests and was unfortunate not to claim more than the one wicket at the MCG.”I thought first spell [in the second innings] without the reward was some of the best bowling I’ve seen this series from him,” Carey said. “He’s a quality player and has been for a long time. He’s got an opportunity now to help this team in a Test match. He’ll be up for the contest, and I think his bowling’s just gotten better throughout the series.”Overall, Starc’s numbers have faded towards the end of long Test campaigns, with his average in the fourth and fifth matches at 41.82, whereas it is 25.91 across the first three games of a series. He has also struggled at the SCG, his home ground, with nine Tests having brought 24 wickets at 44.16 on a surface that hasn’t always offered much encouragement for the quicks, although Carey said it was reasonably well grassed two days out from this match.Should Starc not be able to take his place in the XI, it would open the door for Jhye Richardson to play his first Test since the 2021-22 Ashes. He featured for Perth Scorchers on New Year’s Day, where he bowled with pace and movement to claim 3 for 29 against Adelaide Strikers before rejoining the Test team in Sydney.Sean Abbott is the other reserve quick in the squad, and would add more depth to the batting order if he were handed a debut as one of three seamers.”Whenever we have put someone in the spotlight, the true Aussie way is to show them how good we are”•AFP/Getty Images

The other player under scrutiny heading into the final men’s Test of the home summer is Mitchell Marsh, who has made 73 runs in the series, with uncapped allrounder Beau Webster remaining part of the squad. However, as with those who have been in focus during the series – the likes of Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith – Marsh has been backed to make an impact.”Whenever we have put someone in the spotlight, the true Aussie way is to show them how good we are,” Carey said. “So I think it is Mitch’s time.”After his thrilling debut in Melbourne, Sam Konstas will also be the focus of much attention after leaving an impression both with the bat and in the field. He was the only frontline batter not to have a hit at training on Wednesday.”I was a spectator that first session,” Carey said. “I probably had the emotions of the 90,000 that were there. At times I couldn’t watch it, at times I was cheering.”But just the energy he brought, it was something different. I probably wasn’t expecting that amount of difference, but he played a style of cricket that was probably new to India as well.”We’ll wait and see how we plays out here. I don’t think that’s his blueprint every Test match, but to be able to throw a few punches early and get a bit of momentum for us, which the opening partnership was probably just lacking that intensity.”I thought Nathan [McSweeney] and Usman [Khawaja] got us through tough situations as well by facing lots of balls. Sam was able to score a little bit, so hopefully another opportunity in front of his home fans.”Weather is often a talking point around Sydney Tests and, with the series poised at 2-1, could shape as an important factor. Currently the first three days look fine and settled, but there is a greater chance of showers on Monday and Tuesday.Mitchell Starc was often spotted stretching his back at the MCG•Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

A draw would be enough for Australia to regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in a decade, but would leave them short of cementing a place in the World Test Championship final before the Sri Lanka tour at the end of January.”[It would be] reward for 24 months of really solid cricket,” Carey said. “[It is] a group that is extremely experienced, skilful, [with] Australian legends amongst it, who are continuing to surprise us with how good they are… but we can’t look too far ahead.”We know it’s a really quality outfit in India, who have shown they are well and truly capable of bouncing back. So for this group, it’s head down, another opportunity to win a Test match, and if are able to secure the trophy it would be fantastic.”It is hoped that the first three days at the SCG, the annual Pink Test to raise funds for the McGrath Foundation, will be a sellout following an Australian-record attendance across the Melbourne Test.

Heather Knight, Sydney Thunder’s captain, is the most significant of the potential departures

AAP11-Nov-2023WBBL clubs are facing the prospect of being robbed of marquee English players for the competition’s final due to a scheduling clash.England named their squad for a looming multi-format series in India on Friday night, with nine WBBL players included ahead of the first T20 on December 7.The majority of those will be able to skip a team camp in Oman, but England officials have confirmed to AAP they will be expected in Mumbai by December 2. That is the same date as the WBBL final.Related

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AAP has been told that players will be able to remain in Australia through to the end of November, meaning they would be available for all games bar the final.Sydney Thunder captain Heather Knight headlines the list of potentially impacted players, along with Perth Scorchers pair Nat Sciver-Brunt and Amy Jones.Thunder quick Lauren Bell, Adelaide Strikers allrounder Danielle Gibson and Brisbane Heat batter Bess Heath are among other players who would be scheduled to return.Melbourne Stars would be the club most impacted with Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey and Sophia Dunkley all in England’s squad, but at this stage look unlikely to make finals.Clubs were aware of the possible scheduling clash when players were signed. Exemptions have been made in the past for players to stay on longer, and it is not beyond the realms of possibility that a similar push could be made in coming weeks for the English to feature in the final.The loss of Knight in particular would come as a significant blow to the Thunder. The club have been the feel-good story of this summer’s WBBL, going from winning one game last year to dropping just one of their opening eight this season.They are now the frontrunners to automatically qualify to host the final, after sitting at the top of the ladder at the halfway mark.Knight has been a pillar of Thunder’s top-order this season in capitalising on big starts from their openers, hitting 168 runs at an average of 42 and strike-rate above 140.Thunder coach Lisa Keightley does have strong links to the English setup, having previously coached the national side.Scorchers would also be desperate to hang onto their English pairing if they reach the final. Sciver-Brunt is one of the most dangerous players in the competition, and while she was only signed for part of the season, the 31-year-old is expected to play out the rest of the tournament until England calls.

With spin set to play a major role in Dhaka, New Zealand may look to bring in Rachin Ravindra or Mitchell Santner

Mohammad Isam05-Dec-20231:59

Southee: ‘We have to trust that our methods are good enough’

Big picture: Bangladesh seek Sylhet repeat

Bangladesh will look for another all-round performance, in the second Test in Dhaka, as they chase their first-ever series victory over New Zealand. They beat the visitors by 150 runs in Sylhet, and while Taijul Islam and Najmul Hossain Shanto stood apart with their individual performances, it felt like a comprehensive team effort.They batted and bowled in partnerships, with Mushfiqur Rahim and Mehidy Hasan Miraz contributing crucial half-centuries in support of Shanto’s third-innings hundred, and Mehidy and Nayeem Hasan backing up Taijul’s efforts with the ball.New Zealand will be itching to bounce back in a big way, and not just for the World Test Championship points. They’ve never lost a Test series in Bangladesh, and will want to keep that record intact. They’ll also want to make a statement because they’ve lost two of their last three Tests against these opponents.For their desired turnaround to come about, New Zealand will want to improve in a few key ways in Dhaka. After the first-Test defeat, their captain Tim Southee asked for more consistency from his bowlers, whom he felt did not match their Bangladesh counterparts in “apply[ing] pressure for a long period of time”. Ish Sodhi, who bowled a number of long-hops while going at more than five an over in the first innings, and Ajaz Patel, who was a tad expensive in the second, will certainly want to tighten up.With the bat, New Zealand will want more top-order support for Kane Williamson, whose first-innings century was one of only two 50-plus scores by a New Zealand batter in the first Test. On a Shere Bangla National Stadium pitch where they can expect more uneven bounce than there was in Sylhet, they’ll want to execute their sweep shots better: both Tom Latham and Henry Nicholls, who usually play the shot well, were out playing this shot, caught at short fine leg.For Bangladesh, Taijul and Mehidy will be back at a venue they relish bowling at. Nayeem will eye wickets too, given that he usually only plays home Tests, and will want to push for more consistent selection with Bangladesh set to play a lot of Test cricket next year. Bangladesh’s close catching was impressive in Sylhet, and they will look to keep the standards up in Dhaka. They will also hope for runs from Zakir Hasan and Nurul Hasan, who missed out in both innings in Sylhet, and for a big score from Mominul Haque, who looked in good form while scoring 37 and 40.

Form guide

Bangladesh WWWLL (last five Tests, most recent first)
New Zealand LWWWL

In the spotlight: Taijul Islam and Tom Latham

It is very rare for Tom Latham to score heavily against Bangladesh. He made 21 and 0 in Sylhet, and he would have been particularly disappointed with his first-innings dismissal, off a top-edged lap sweep, a shot he normally plays very well. Latham has scored three centuries – all 150-plus scores – and averages 75.50 against Bangladesh, and will want to get back to tormenting his favourite opposition.Daryl Mitchell and Kane Williamson were the only two New Zealand batters to cross 50 in Sylhet•AFP/Getty Images

Taijul Islam took over the bowling leader’s role in Sylhet with a ten-wicket match haul. He removed Kane Williamson in both innings, cheaply in the second, while exerting a lot of pressure on the New Zealand line-up. Taijul’s consistent line and length tests batting line-ups, and allows his captain to set tight fields. Taijul has a great record at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, where he averages 24.28: he’s the second highest wicket-taker at this venue, and needs eight wickets to go past Shakib Al Hasan’s tally of 76.

Team news: Will New Zealand consider Ravindra or Santner?

Nayeem Hasan suffered a blow on his non-bowling hand in practice but it is not yet considered too serious. Bangladesh are unlikely to change their winning combination, especially in Mirpur where they have historically played three specialist spinners.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Mahmudul Hasan Joy, 2 Zakir Hasan, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), 4 Mominul Haque, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim, 6 Shahadat Hossain, 7 Nurul Hasan (wk), 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9 Nayeem Hasan, 10 Taijul Islam, 11 Shoriful Islam.Rachin Ravindra and Mitchell Santner could be in the discussion, but New Zealand usually doesn’t tinker unless it is absolutely necessary.New Zealand (probable): 1 Devon Conway, 2 Tom Latham, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Henry Nicholls, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Tom Blundell (wk), 7 Glenn Phillips, 8 Kyle Jamieson, 9 Ish Sodhi, 10 Tim Southee (capt), 11 Ajaz Patel.

Pitch and conditions: Good ol’ Mirpur

Expect spin to return to centrestage at the Shere Bangla National Stadium after Bangladesh’s fast bowlers took 21 wickets in the two Tests here earlier this year, against Afghanistan and Ireland. Unseasonal rain is forecast, particularly on Thursday, the second day of the Dhaka Test.

Stats and trivia: Best Test year beckons for hosts

• Bangladesh are tied on three wins in 2023 with 2014 and 2018 with the most Test wins in a calendar year.
• In Sylhet, Kane Williamson became the first New Zealander to score four centuries in consecutive Tests.
• Najmul Hossain Shanto is the first Bangladeshi captain to score a century in his first Test in charge.

Quotes

“His record is phenomenal. He has nearly 200 wickets. He is very consistent. He showed great maturity in this Test match. Rangana Herath has done a lot of good tactical work with him. Similar to [Herath] in the way he set up some of the batters. I think he is going to serve Bangladesh cricket for a long time.”