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Ireland took control of the Intercontinental Cup match against Netherlands after building up a healthy 252-run lead at the end of the second day in Deventer

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jul-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsGeorge Dockrell took three wickets as Ireland dominated Netherlands on the second day of their Intercontinental Cup match•ICC/Sander Tholen

Ireland took control of the Intercontinental Cup match against Netherlands after building up a healthy 252-run lead at the end of second day, on which 14 wickets fell, in Deventer.After bowling out Ireland for 332 on the first day, Netherlands needed an innings similar to John Anderson’s yesterday to get close to Ireland’s total, but they lost their first wicket in the 15th over when Lesley Stokkers was caught by Andrew Balbirnie off a John Mooney delivery. The situation got worse for Netherlands as they lost their next four batsmen for the addition of 27 runs to end the first session on a precarious 58 for 5. Ireland’s bowlers shared the spoils, with Mooney accounting for the openers.Netherlands continued to lose wickets through the second session and were it not for two brief, but crucial, partnerships they could have fallen before their eventual score. The first was a 30-run stand for the sixth wicket between Tom Cooper and Peter Borren and the second, a 38-run partnership between Cooper and Pieter Seelar. Cooper was the last batsman to be dismissed, stumped on a George Dockrell delivery, soon after he completed his half-century.Ireland had the option of asking Netherlands to follow-on, but with 35 overs remaining in the day, they came out to bat. The decision seemed to backfire as Ireland lost their first wicket in the second over. John Anderson and James Shannon helped the team to settle with a half-century stand, but Netherlands struck thrice in the last half an hour to limit the damage.

Yorkshire have appointed Mark Arthur as the county’s new chief executive. He will take up his post at Headingley on May 7.Arthur has a background in cricket administration having worked for the Test and County Cricket Board (the forerunner to the ECB) before becoming chief executive at Nottinghamshire. He then moved across the Trent to take up the same role at Nottingham Forest football club. He spent 13 years at the City Ground before being sacked by the club’s new Kuwaiti owners in January.”I am delighted to be joining Yorkshire,” Arthur said. “It is an honour and a massive opportunity to be part of the biggest cricket club in the world, which boasts nearly 900 playing clubs and a vibrant development programme, which is the envy of world cricket.”I will do everything during my time at Headingley for the betterment of Yorkshire cricket. The hard work has been undertaken over the last few years to stabilise the club and now we have a great opportunity and a solid platform to take the club forward.”Arthur inherits a modern, recently-developed stadium and a team that won their place back in Davison One of the County Championship last season. He will take on the challenge of maintaining Headingley’s status as an international venue in an increasingly competitive market. Yorkshire decided not to bid for an Ashes Test in 2013 or 2015, deeming it too costly.”Mark’s appointment It is fantastic news for the club,” Colin Graves, Yorkshire chairman, added. “He has over 20 years’ experience at the highest level of sports administration, both in cricket and football. His experience and knowledge will be vital in taking the club forward in what will be an exciting period, both on and off the field.”

Hosts overcome second-innings wobble to move into strong position after two days at Hove

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay10-May-2025
Fynn Hudson-Prentice picked up a career-best five for 40 with his medium pace as Sussex took control of their Rothesay County Championship match against Worcestershire on the second afternoon.After bowling Worcestershire out for 180, Sussex then stretched their overall lead to 170 by reaching 66 for three in their second innings by stumps, with Tom Alsop and James Coles confidently seeing out the day on 24 and 27 not out respectively.There was a scare for Sussex at the start of their second innings when they lost left-handed openers Tom Haines and Daniel Hughes, both for nought and without a run on the board.Haines was bowled through an attempted drive by Tom Taylor, coming from around the wicket, and Hughes lost his off stump shouldering arms to one from Ben Allison – again bowled from an around the wicket angle, but which also nipped further in off the seam.And Sussex were 18 for three when Taylor, following up his first innings five for 56, pinned Tom Clark leg-before for 10 with one that kept a little low. Alsop and Coles, however, calmed Sussex nerves in an unbroken stand of 48.Hudson-Prentice first dismissed opener Jake Libby for 13 as Worcestershire struggled to make much headway against Sussex’s seam attack before lunch, and then took three wickets in three overs during a mid-afternoon spell that contributed significantly to Division One’s bottom team slumping to 111 for eight in reply to the home side’s first innings 284.Worcestershire’s ninth wicket pair of Brett D’Oliveira and Taylor then added a defiant 51, playing some excellent shots amid a largely defensive rearguard action, but D’Oliveira edged the second ball after tea to a diving Coles at second slip to go for 30.That was a second wicket for Clark, who finished with two for 29 and bowled his own medium pacers with good control in support of Hudson-Prentice, Ollie Robinson (two for 31) and Ari Karvelas.Karvelas claimed only one scalp, Gareth Roderick edging to first slip on 21 mid-way through the morning session, but he also bowled a challenging line and length throughout an excellent afternoon spell on a well-grassed pitch that was always giving the seamers encouragement.Robinson had quickly removed nightwatchman Ben Gibbon, caught behind for four, after Worcestershire resumed on seven without loss and they would have been more than three down at lunch if Kashif Ali had not been dropped at first slip from the second ball he faced.Kashif, however, edged a push-drive at Robinson to keeper John Simpson on 13 soon after lunch, beginning a slide in which five wickets fell for 37 runs in 15 overs.Henry Nicholls, who battled two hours for his 32, was the first victim in Hudson-Prentice’s mid-afternoon treble, undone by movement off the seam as he played defensively forward, and Ethan Brookes departed for 20 four overs later, again edging a Hudson-Prentice leg-cutter to Simpson.Three balls later Matthew Waite was also back in the pavilion, pushing half-forward at Hudson-Prentice and nicking yet another catch to Simpson.Like Waite, the left-handed Fateh Singh fell for nought as James Hayes – the 23-year old seamer on loan from Nottinghamshire – flew to his right at mid wicket to pull off a superb catch goalkeeper-style as Singh clipped Clark firmly off his pads.The D’Oliveira-Taylor partnership at least gave Worcestershire some hope of staying in the contest but, after D’Oliveira’s dismissal, only another 18 runs were added before Hudson-Prentice ended Taylor’s brave 32 courtesy of Simpson’s sixth catch of the innings.

كشف مصدر داخل اتحاد الكرة المصري، عن كواليس اجتماع لجنة الانضباط الذي تم عقده اليوم الأحد.

وقال المصدر خلال تصريحات لـ”بطولات”: “اجتمعت اليوم الأحد لجنة الانضباط لمناقشة بعض الملفات المنوطة إليها مؤخرًا من اتحاد الكرة”.

وأضاف: “لم يتم مناقشة أي شيء متعلق بأحداث مباراة كأس السوبر المصري بين الأهلي وبيراميدز”.

وأتم: “لم يكن هناك أي شكاوى رسمية أو تمت إحالة أي واقعة للجنة الانضباط بشأن الثنائي علي معلول ومحمد الشناوي بعد اشتباكهما مع الشيبي ظهير أيمن بيراميدز”.

يذكر أن اتحاد الكرة نفى عبر “بطولات” إحالة ثنائي الأهلي محمد الشناوي وعلي معلول، إلى لجنة الانضباط، على خلفية أحداث مباراة الجمعة أمام بيراميدز في كأس السوبر. طالع

وكان الأهلي تفوق على بيراميدز بهدف دون رد، في المباراة التي أقيمت بالإمارات، ليتوّج بكأس السوبر المصري رقم 13 في تاريخه.

Allrounder played 23 matches for India, famously taking 6 for 4 in an ODI against Bangladesh in 2014

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Aug-2021Stuart Binny, the former India allrounder who boasts the country’s best bowling figures in ODIs, has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket with immediate effect.”It has given me tremendous joy to have represented my country at the highest international level,” Binny, son of 1983 World Cup-winning allrounder Roger Binny and a two-time Ranji Trophy winner, said in a statement. “I would like to acknowledge the huge role the BCCI has played in my cricketing journey. Their support and faith over the years have been invaluable. My cricketing journey would not even have started had it not been for Karnataka state and their support. It has been an honour to captain and win trophies with my state.”I am grateful to the coaches who encouraged me, to the selectors who put their faith in me. To my captains who entrusted me. None of this would have been possible without my family, I stepped out on the field every day thinking of them.Related

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“Cricket runs through my blood, and I will always look to give back to the game that has given me everything. I thank you all for your continued support in my next innings”.Binny, 37, represented India across 23 matches – six Tests, 14 ODIs and three T20Is. His first-class career spanned nearly 17 years, and he played the bulk of those 95 matches for his home state Karnataka; his standout domestic season was in 2013-14 when he scored 443 runs at 43.22 and took 14 wickets at 32.64, playing a key role in Karnataka’s run to the Ranji Trophy title. Overall, he ended his first-class career with 4796 runs and 146 wickets.However, Binny’s finest hour inarguably came in India colours. After being selected for a tour of Bangladesh in 2014, Binny returned 6 for 4 – the best ever by an Indian in the format – in the second ODI in Mirpur.Binny was a surprise inclusion in the squad for the five-Test series in England in 2014, and with India looking for an extra bowling option, he made his debut in the first Test at Trent Bridge. There was little help for him on an uncharacteristically dry and slow track, and he finished wicketless in the 10 overs he bowled, but he played a crucial role with the bat in India’s second innings, calming their nerves after a mini-collapse on the final day and helping save the Test with an innings of 78.Binny remained a regular in India’s ODI squads, though his playing opportunities were limited. He went to the 2015 World Cup, but didn’t get to play a match. He last played an international match in 2016, a T20I, and conceded 32 runs in an over to West Indies in Lauderhill.Binny began his IPL career with Mumbai Indians in 2010. He was a regular member of the Rajasthan Royals line-up from 2011 to 2015, and, following the team’s suspension ahead of the 2016 season, was signed up by his home franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 2 crore.Binny, who is a certified NCA Level-2 coach, said that he will now foray into the world of coaching.

ScorecardHamilton Masakadza made his fourth consecutive score over 50, but it wasn’t enough for Zimbabwe•AFP

Bangladesh kept themselves in the running for a spot in the final of the Zimbabwe tri-series, just, with a six-wicket win over Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club. Nasir Hossain held Bangladesh’s pursuit of 150 together, responding to Hamilton Masakadza’s half-century with an unbeaten 41 to guide his side home with 15 balls to spare. The real credit for the win must go to Bangladesh’s bowlers, however, as they scuppered Zimbabwe’s charge at the death of their innings to keep the target within reach.An aggressive start from Zimbabwe’s batsmen had put the home side in a position to reach at least 160 after Brendan Taylor won his third toss in a row and, once again, decided to bat first. Zimbabwe were well-placed at 125 for 3 at the end of the 16th over, with two set batsmen at the crease before Bangladesh clawed their way back into the game.Left-arm spinner Elias Sunny provided the breakthrough by having Stuart Matsikenyeri caught at long on for an industrious 27, and from that point onwards wickets fell regularly. The complexion of the match changed completely as Mashrafe Mortaza returned to have Masakadza caught behind, heaving at a slower ball, for 56. In the same over Elton Chigumbura’s run out reduced Zimbabwe to 132 for 6 before Prosper Utseya was undone by an Abul Hasan slower ball and Graeme Cremer sliced an attempted slog to be caught in the deep off Mortaza, who was named Man of the Match for his efforts.Zimbabwe’s stumble, during which they lost five wickets for just 31 runs in the last five overs of their innings, gave Bangladesh a gettable target at which to aim and their openers, Tamim Iqbal and Mohammad Ashraful, launched the chase with gusto. Taylor opened the bowling with Prosper Utseya, the offspinner promptly being despatched for two crisp boundaries in his first five balls. Chris Mpofu’s first over went for 15, and Bangladesh were flying at 25 without loss.Bangladesh then suffered a stutter, courtesy some needlessly reckless batting from Ashraful, who was bowled attempting a paddle, and some equally casual running from Tamim. Graeme Cremer had Anamul Haque caught behind in his first over to reduce Bangladesh to a wobbly 52 for 3 in the seventh over, but Nasir Hossain then joined captain Mushfiqur Rahim in the middle and the pair set about repairing the innings.Theirs was a watchful partnership, and apart from Mushfiqur’s solitary six, their entire stand of 47 was made up of scampered ones and twos. Zimbabwe’s hopes will have been briefly raised when a superb pick-up and throw from Vusi Sibanda had Mushfiqur run out for 31, but Hossain and Mahmudullah closed out the match in a flurry of boundaries. They put on an unbeaten 54 at almost 13-runs an over to keep Bangladesh’s hopes alive in this series.Earlier, Masakadza had once again provided the backbone of Zimbabwe’s innings and his extraordinary run of form has now extended to a century and three fifties in his last four innings. After Masakadza lost his opening partner, Vusi Sibanda, to a run out, a partnership of 48 in 32 deliveries with his captain Taylor helped Zimbabwe to weather the early breakthrough and briefly keep the ascendancy. Taylor contributed watchful 38s in Zimbabwe’s previous two wins, holding the middle order together, but with his side seemingly assured of a place in Sunday’s final he chose to take the attack to the bowlers.Taylor raced to 27 from just 12 balls but then played one shot too many, a top-edged hoick ending up in Mahmudullah’s hands at deep midwicket. Taylor’s dismissal meant that Zimbabwe’s middle order, which hasn’t really been tested yet in this series, were offered the chance for some time in the middle. Craig Ervine couldn’t make anything of the opportunity, however, as his dreadful run with the bat continued when he played outside the line of a Mahmudullah straight-break to depart for a golden duck.While Masakadza remained Zimbabwe still looked like passing 160, and he was cheered to a 47-ball fifty in the 15th over. The crowds attending the matches at Harare Sports Club have swelled as Zimbabwe racked up consecutive wins, and a particularly noisy rabble around Castle Corner kept warm on a wintry afternoon with choruses of exuberant and vocal support. Once Masakadza was prised out by Mortaza, however, they had much less cause to celebrate.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah celebrate a famous upset•AFP

Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan delivered an improbable win for Bangladesh that left Sachin Tendulkar’s record 100th international century in the shade and threw the Asia Cup wide open. As the focus remained on Tendulkar’s achievement for most of the match, Bangladesh did what they had threatened to do in the tournament opener against Pakistan – they showed that they could chase big totals under pressure against Test opposition.Bangladesh had asked India to bat knowing that chasing has been easier on the Mirpur pitch in this tournament than batting first. Though the strategy had not worked against Pakistan, India did not have an Umar Gul or a Saeed Ajmal to stop a side hungrier than they were for success.Shakib and Mushfiqur did not succumb to the gnawing tension that an asking-rate of above eight runs an over brings. Instead, India’s bowlers crumbled against their aggression. Shakib blitzed 49 off 31 deliveries and were it not for a close stumping decision going against him, might have finished the game on his own.With 66 needed off 50 deliveries, Shakib was adjudged stumped off R Ashwin with replays showing enough doubt for the benefit to have gone to the batsman. Mushfiqur, who had said yesterday that India’s thin bowling unit gave Bangladesh confidence, slammed 46 off 25 as Bangladesh won with four deliveries left.A steady build-up from Tamim Iqbal and Jahurul Islam had left Bangladesh with a climbing asking-rate. With Nasir Hossain in control at one end, Shakib gave Bangladesh hope with hitting that was as uninhibited as it was daring. He took 18 runs off the 37th over, bowled by Ashok Dinda, with a couple of swings over midwicket and thick edge to third man. R Ashwin dropped it short, and was punched and pulled for boundaries. It was now Irfan Pathan’s turn. A slash followed another pull, and the momentum had shifted in Bangladesh’s favour.India managed to sneak in some quiet overs after Shakib fell. It came down to 37 needed off 24. India’s quick bowlers were having problems in controlling their deliveries and full tosses had been dished out often. The 48th over was when it fell apart for them. Irfan bowled a wide outside off stump. MS Dhoni ran upto him with some advice. Irfan bowled a length ball on Mushfiqur’s pads next. Flicked over deep square leg for six. A stern-looking Dhoni had more words for Irfan. A high full toss followed from around the wicket. Swung over deep midwicket for six more.With 16 needed off 12, Praveen began the 49th over with a waist-high no-ball. Sliced over point for four. A length delivery followed. Mushfiqur wound up and dispatched it over long-on. Game over. Mushfiqur roared on the field; Shakib did an encore in the dressing room. Bangladesh had only their third ODI win over their big neighbours.When Tamim and Jahurul were ensuring that Bangladesh did not lose too many wickets during the middle overs, it had seemed that Bangladesh were not far away from coming short against the stiff asking-rate. Tamim again displayed his recent penchant for buckling down to play a long innings while Jahurul picked up the scoring after a slow start. The duo kept getting the odd boundary but could not really dominate. They fell after reaching their fifties, trying to keep up with the requirement, but Shakib and Mushfiqur stunned India with their refusal to give in.Defeat would have been the last thing on India’s minds when, after a year of hype and expectation, Tendulkar got his 100th international century in the country where he had equalled Sunil Gavaskar’s then-record 34 Test centuries in 2004 on way to his highest Test score. It wasn’t one of Tendulkar’s better hundreds and will ultimately be remembered only for being the one that brought up the unprecedented landmark. In fact, it was his second-slowest innings of 100-plus in ODIs and ended up restricting India’s progress. They ended up on 289 for 5, an underwhelming outcome considering their power-packed batting line-up had had a platform of 173 for 1 in the 36th over.Bangladesh’s attack was persevering but limited. Tendulkar duly milked them to finally go past a landmark that hardly anyone knew existed before he got close to it, but put tremendous pressure on the player himself in a frenzied build-up that lasted a year.Tendulkar had motored to 80 off 102 deliveries but took another 36 before he took his hundredth run, off Shakib Al Hasan. The monkey off his back, he belatedly took charge, hitting consecutive boundaries off Shahadat Hossain before a slog ended up in the keeper’s hands. Tendulkar’s departure came immediately after Suresh Raina’s brisk innings had ended after having kept India going amid his senior partner’s quest for the century. Raina hit 51 off 38 and built on a 148-run second-wicket partnership between Tendulkar and Kohli, who looked set to become the first India batsman to score three consecutive ODI hundreds until he played on for a breezy 66.The hosts should have had Kohli with the first ball of the sixth over, when Shafiul Islam struck him on the back leg in front of middle stump, but umpire Paul Reiffel remained unmoved. Kohli’s form took over after that, and with Tendulkar batting as safely as he does during some of his long Test innings, India motored along without giving Bangladesh half a chance more.Bangladesh had themselves to blame for allowing Tendulkar to settle with a generous sprinkling of wide deliveries from their fast bowlers. His first four scoring shots were all boundaries, as he cashed in on width to drive and punch through the off side.Shafiul had Gautam Gambhir playing on early off a forcing flat-footed drive, but Kohli did not take long to get going after his reprieve. The field hardly moved as he flicked and cover-drove for fours in consecutive overs.Spin was expected to be a major factor on a dry-looking pitch but Tendulkar and Kohli negotiated Bangladesh’s slow army without any problems. The scoring-rate did take a slight beating as singles dominated but Tendulkar soon found the freedom to slog sweep Shakib Al Hasan over wide long-on. With his feet moving precisely now, he made room to cart Shakib inside-out over extra cover to reach his first international fifty in 13 innings. As he passed 80, Tendulkar took his time amid some nerves. Meanwhile, after having contemptuously worked his way to another fifty, Kohli played on against Abdur Razzak.Raina’s slog sweeps and lofted shots over extra cover kept the runs coming, though, but Tendulkar was clearly feeling the pressure at the other end. He played out a maiden to Mashrafe Mortaza on 83, and on several occasions took off for non-existent singles before being sent back. The century arrived in the 44th over, and Tendulkar’s relief was evident. With the innings in need of a final burst, Dhoni slammed 16 off the 50th over to get India to 289, but for once Bangladesh chased with as much faith as their fans have in their team.Edited by Dustin Silgardo

Western Australia hung on to win their first match of the Ryobi Cup campaign despite a century from Queensland’s Nathan Reardon at the Gabba

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Feb-2012
ScorecardNathan Reardon made his first one-day century for Queensland•Getty ImagesWestern Australia hung on to win their first match of the Ryobi Cup campaign despite a century from Queensland’s Nathan Reardon at the Gabba. Chasing 285, the Bulls struggled early but worked their way back and were in the stronger position at the start of the final over, needing nine for victory with Reardon on strike facing Nathan Coulter-Nile.Reardon struck the first ball of that over high and long but not quite far enough to clear the rope, and Travis Birt at long-on held on to the catch just inside the boundary. That left Queensland nine wickets down and the final pair of Chris Swan and Alister McDermott could not conjure the required runs as Coulter-Nile held his nerve to concede only four for the over.The Bulls were favourites while Reardon was at the crease compiling his innings of 116, which was his first one-day century for Queensland in a career spanning seven seasons. He drove well early and was especially strong square on the off side, and he had impressive support from Joe Burns, who scored 82 as they put on 115 for the fourth wicket.Queensland needed somebody to lead a recovery after they stumbled to 3 for 44, two of those early wickets having fallen to Jason Behrendorff, who finished with 3 for 45. At that stage Western Australia were in control, following a strong batting effort led by the captain Marcus North with 93 and Adam Voges, who made 62.The Warriors made 9 for 284 from their 50 overs, although Shaun Marsh was not amongst the runs, caught at slip for 7. Ben Cutting picked up 4 for 68 for the Bulls, who can still make the final. However, they will now need to beat Tasmania and earn a bonus point from their final match of the campaign in order to meet South Australia in the decider.

Two hours of careless shot selection cost Australia the Newlands Test and a chance to set up a series win, but it may not serve as an accurate indication for how they match up against South Africa in the second game at the Wanderers.Graeme Smith, the South Africa captain, has said the balance between the two sides is “probably even”, with both in a state of transition, although South Africa’s appears to have progressed further. The real difference between the two sides may lie in the experience of their new players.”We’ve got certain areas that have been more consistent over a period of time but we’ve also got some new faces,” Smith said.South Africa’s two debutants, Imran Tahir and Vernon Philander, have played over 200 first-class matches between them. Australia’s young bowlers, Patrick Cummins and Trent Copeland have not even played 30. South Africa’s top six have each played a minimum of 36 Tests. Two of Australia’s, Phillip Hughes and Usman Khawaja, have not yet played 20 Tests between them.Smith said the value of years in the first-class game is sometimes unimportant but, when it does play a role, it can be crucial.”You get guys that come in at 21 or 22 and are able to handle it and perform well from the start. It depends on the make- up of the person and what they’ve been exposed to, in terms of their cricket,” Smith said. “Vern took a bit of time to regroup after the first time he was picked. He is probably a much stronger personality now than he was then.”With Patrick Cummins likely to become Australia’s second-youngest debutant in their Test history, Smith said it’s an exciting time for the 18-year old, but could turn into a tough one.”He’s got a lot of potential” Smith said. “But if things don’t go well he probably doesn’t have a lot to fall back on in terms of experience and know where to go from there. That’s the challenge of a youngster, when you are under pressure, where do you go from there?”Philander, whose performances in the last two seasons of first-class cricket made him an automatic choice for the starting XI, showed that he had a Plan B. When he tried to bounce Ricky Ponting, and was promptly dispatched, he immediately switched to a fuller length. That probably led to Smith handing Philander the new-ball and opting away from the Steyn-Morkel combination that became known as the most feared in Test cricket. South Africa now have the luxury of choice, with three frontline seamers who can open the bowling, and Smith said he will use them according to what the circumstances dictate.”The new ball was not taken away from Morne, it was more a tactical decision in how I felt the wicket was going to play. I thought Vernon would get the most benefit out of the new ball in terms of the style that he has,” Smith said. “Morne was really good in the second innings. He opened up that middle order for us in knocking over Michael Hussey. The competition amongst them is really good.”Morkel, Philander, Steyn and Tahir were four of the eight players who attended the optional net session on Wednesday, with the batsmen who did not get much time in the middle, like Ashwell Prince, Mark Boucher and Jacques Rudolph also in attendance.”There was a real focus and a really good intensity,” Smith said. “We have to build on the things we did well. On day two and three [of the Newlands Test] our cricket really improved from what it was on day one. We were consistent in the areas we wanted to control. The areas that we hit and the pressure we created was far better than in the first innings.”A win at the Wanderers will see South Africa achieve something they have not managed to do since readmission – beat Australia in a series at home. Bowling coach Allan Donald described it as “the pinnacle,” and the start of what he hopes will be South Africa’s ascendency to Test dominance. Smith said South Africa are not looking too far ahead and although they will relish victory, it will be not be what defines their summer.”A lot of the players have won a series in Australia so for us, I wouldn’t say it’s the pinnacle but it’s something we really want to achieve,” Smith said. “I wouldn’t say it’s the biggest thing in our lives. Allan endured tough times touring Australia and playing Australia in their prime and obviously it means a lot to him. If we can provide him with that series victory that will be great.”An eight-wicket victory in less than two-and-a-half days usually suggests that the gulf between two teams is as wide as it is deep, but cricket is a sport where scorecards are not the best storytellers. This series could end by revealing that in terms of cricketing talent, team make-up, big-match temperament and closing out a game, there is little to choose between South Africa and Australia.

Australia’s batsmen have gorged themselves on video footage of Sri Lanka’s attack in the lead-up to the first Test in Galle in a bid to help them combat the hosts’ bowlers better

Daniel Brettig in Galle30-Aug-2011

Australia’s batsmen have gorged themselves on video footage of Sri Lanka’s attack in the lead-up to the first Test in Galle. In doing so they have avoided the trap of watching wickets taken by Rangana Herath, Ajantha Mendis and Suraj Randiv, preferring to concentrate on freeze-framed vision of each bowler’s hand position.England prepared for the 1994-95 Ashes series by watching tapes of Shane Warne befuddling New Zealand and South Africa’s batsmen, leaving Mike Atherton’s team in a state of considerable anxiety when they finally encountered Warne himself – there were also the memories of the 1993 series to contend with.Bewitched by the mesmeric nature of the footage, the Englishmen were routed by Warne in the first two Tests. Michael Clarke, the Australia captain, said his team had not made the same mistake as they sought knowledge of bowlers only Ricky Ponting has encountered in a Test in Sri Lanka before.”We haven’t looked at too many wickets,” Clarke said. “We’ve been [mostly] stopping the footage and looking at what they do with their hands. Mendis, for instance, bowls a faster legspinner; he’s got an offspinner out the front of the hand, and then he’s got a wrong’un out the back of the hand.”So we just want to get more [on] what’s coming out of the hand … the result of the delivery is irrelevant, in my opinion; the more you have seen somebody, surely has to be some sort of an advantage when you know you’re going to face them.Not just the spin, their quicks have bowled pretty well in these conditions. We haven’t seen the tall left-armer [Chanaka Welegedara] who played in England and did pretty well, we haven’t played against him, so we’ve looked at him as well. We’re just trying to tick all boxes to give each individual batsman and bowler the best chance to have success.”There is statistical background to suggest Australia’s senior batsmen have a greater chance of success against spin than pace, and Clarke said he, Ponting, Shane Watson and Michael Hussey had been doing their best to advise the likes of Phillip Hughes and Usman Khawaja.”I feel I’m most comfortable against spin, but I think it has got me out more often than fast bowling in my career,” Clarke said. “So it’s a weird one; there are probably more scoring opportunities against spin, but there’s obviously more risk as well.”So I think our preparation, coming in [to the Tests], has been really good for our top six batsmen; five apart from Hughesy [Hughes] and Uzzy [Khawaja] have played in the one-dayers, so I think that [it] helps, seeing a lot of their spin bowlers in these conditions … you couldn’t ask for better preparation.”We’ve looked at a lot of footage as well, which has shown Uzzy and Hughesy the different variations, which I think is an important part of your preparation. It’s still not the same as getting out there facing them, but it gives you a good starting point, in that you can actually see the differences in their hands for their normal ball or their doosra.”We know spin is a huge part of this series, and we know we need to have success against it to win the series.”