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Fawad Ahmed could make his Sheffield Shield debut this week after being named in Victoria’s squad for their match against South Australia at Adelaide Oval starting on Thursday

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Jan-2013Fawad Ahmed could make his Sheffield Shield debut this week after being named in Victoria’s squad for their match against South Australia at Adelaide Oval starting on Thursday. Ahmed, the Pakistani legspinner who went from asylum seeker to BBL player with the Melbourne Renegades this summer, has been included alongside another uncapped legspinner, James Muirhead, in a 12-man squad that also includes the fast bowler James Pattinson, who is making his return from a rib injury.Pattinson’s comeback is a positive sign for Australia’s selectors as they prepare to name a squad for the upcoming Test tour of India. Pattinson suffered the injury during the second Test against South Africa in Adelaide in November and missed the rest of the Test summer, but if he comes through the Shield match unscathed he is expected to be back in the squad for the Indian trip.The inclusion of Ahmed continues his remarkable rise and is reward for a strong season with Melbourne University in the grade cricket competition. Ahmed has collected 26 wickets at 16.50 for his club this summer and is one of four legspinners in the top 11 wicket takers in the competition, along with Bryce McGain, Brenton McDonald and Muirhead.Muirhead, 19, has also played in the BBL, turning out for two matches for the Adelaide Strikers last season. Victoria’s coach Greg Shipperd said it was yet to be decided which of the legspinners would play, or if both would be included.”It’s great for Fawad to be named in the squad; it’s no doubt a very exciting time for him,” Shipperd said. “We’ll assess the conditions before we decide on the final make-up of the team…but from a national selection perspective, we’re selected two leg-spinners who may come into calculations in the future.”Victoria squad Chris Rogers, Rob Quiney, Michael Hill, David Hussey, Cameron White (capt), Peter Handscomb (wk), John Hastings, Will Sheridan, James Pattinson, Scott Boland, James Muirhead, Fawad Ahmed.

BCB chief Nazmul Hassan has said Bangladesh will only tour Pakistan if the security situation in the country improves

Mohammad Isam31-Dec-2012Bangladesh will only tour Pakistan if the security situation in the country improves, BCB chief Nazmul Hassan has said. Hassan, who addressed a press conference in Dhaka on Monday, was noncommittal on the issue, not saying ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the proposed tour, but made it clear in various ways that the January visit is ruled out for the moment.”The ICC minutes have it that we have made an unconditional commitment to tour Pakistan. But there is concern among us about the country’s security situation, it has deteriorated. We don’t think it will be wise to visit Pakistan at this time,” Hassan said. “We have sent them [the PCB] a letter three days ago, telling them of our stance. We will again contact them when their security situation improves. And we will go in the future, because we are committed to go there.”Two months ago, Hassan had said that the BCB – without mentioning who in particular – had committed to tour Pakistan in an ICC meeting. But concerns remained in Bangladesh, and it was learnt that the players wanted full-proof security guarantees from all parties before heading to play the series.However, the PCB has begun its preparations for an impending tour. It has already placed a tender in one of Pakistan’s top newspapers, inviting sponsorship bids for a series title sponsor, two co-sponsors and in-stadia advertising rights for two international matches (one ODI and one T20). The PCB has also moved the domestic first-class Quaid-e-Azam matches, scheduled between January 7 and 22 away from the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore to accommodate the proposed matches against Bangladesh.Hassan’s comments came at an “exchange of views” programme on Monday, which the BCB had arranged to discuss some of the issues in Bangladesh cricket with the media. Hassan said the BCB was aware that putting the tour on hold could sour relations with the PCB. “It isn’t an easy decision for us. If we say we want to go, many people in the country will be hurt. If we don’t go, there will be repercussions,” he said. “We know the consequences, they may not want to send their players to the Bangladesh Premier League and our Dhaka leagues. They will probably not want to help us or support us.”The PCB had used the upcoming BPL as a bargaining chip ahead of the T20 league’s player auction on December 20: the Pakistan board had not handed out No-Objection Certificates to their players to play in the tournament, the understanding being they were waiting for an official announcement from the BCB, confirming that the proposed tour would go ahead.Several Pakistan players were however bought at the auction. The prominent ones among them included Umar Gul, Kamran Akmal, Abdul Razzaq, Mohammad Sami, Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Imran Nazir and Wahab Riaz, whose participation in the tournament is now unclear.The PCB and BCB have for some time now been discussing a short tour of Pakistan that would mark the return of top-flight international cricket to the country for the first time since the March 2009 attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore. A window had been created by the PCB to accommodate an ODI and T20 between January 10 and 15 ahead of the BPL, which starts from January 17. That window will now be missed.The BCB have a ‘written commitment’ to tour Pakistan and, earlier this month, Hassan had said that they were in the second phase of talks with the PCB about going ahead with the tour, as the first phase that dealt with security issues had been completed satisfactory.However, on December 22, Hassan said the tour was still unconfirmed, as the BCB was awaiting a security assessment to be conducted by the ICC.Bangladesh was all set to tour Pakistan in April 2012 after a deal had been cut between the two boards, by which the PCB would back the BCB president Mustafa Kamal as the nominee for the ICC vice-presidency and Bangladesh would tour Pakistan in 2012. However, the tour was postponed after a Dhaka court order embargoed the series. At the time, the ICC had introduced a special dispensation by which bilateral series can take place even if the ruling body determined it unsafe to appoint its officials for the series. As per the dispensation, such series could be manned by “non-neutral match officials”.

Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting have attracted the highest base price of $400,000 each ahead of the IPL player auction, which will be held on February 3 in Chennai

Nagraj Gollapudi30-Jan-2013Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting, the current Australian Test captain and his predecessor, have attracted the highest base price of $400,000 each ahead of the IPL player auction, which will be held on February 3 in Chennai. The Australian duo form part of the 101-strong list comprising players from eight countries, which was finalised by the IPL on Wednesday and distributed to the nine franchises.In addition to a host of lesser-known players mainly from Australia and South Africa – the breeding ground of Twenty20 cricket – the list includes seven Indians, two Englishmen and Kevin O’Brien, the Ireland allrounder who is the lone representative from the Associates. The list once again does not feature Pakistani players.Though Clarke has not played for Australia in Twenty20s since he retired from the format a couple of years ago, he was signed by the Pune Warriors last year outside of the auction. Now released by the franchise, Clarke is expected to be one of the few marquee names to go under the hammer. What stands in his favour are his successful leadership abilities along with a strong batting form last year.In comparison, the 38-year-old Ponting, who retired from all forms of international cricket last November, may not sell as an equally-hot entity. Ponting made his IPL debut in 2008 with the Kolkata Knight Riders, but in 2010 the franchise bought out his contract.Darren Sammy, who led West Indies to the World Twenty20 crown last year, tops the list of first-timers with a base price of $100,000, and is part of the allrounders set. Ravi Bopara, the England allrounder, also has a list price of $100,000, the same as last season when he remained unsold. Another England player who was ignored last year, but has once again put his hat in the ring, is Matt Prior ($200,000); he is also one of the wicketkeepers available.RP Singh and Abhishek Nayar top the list of players whose fortunes crashed badly last season. Singh, who was bought by Mumbai Indians in 2012 for $600,000, was released by the franchise after a lukewarm performance where he bagged 10 wickets from 11 matches and thereafter has failed to impress in the domestic cricket.Nayar hit prolific form during Mumbai’s victorious Ranji Trophy season this year to finish as the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament. He was bought by Kings XI Punjab in the 2011 auction for $800,000 but the franchise opted to release him after a dismal 2012 edition. Nayar has now entered the auction with a reserve price of $100,000.Among the overseas players, Johan Botha is back in the auction at a list price of $300,000 after being released by Rajasthan Royals. They had paid an eyebrow-raising $950,000 during the 2011 player auction to bag Botha, a move that seemed puzzling considering Shane Warne was still the leading spinner for the inaugural IPL champions. Last year Botha fetched a poor return, bagging just nine wickets and scoring 58 runs in the eleven games he played.This time around the majority of the franchises have predicted a low-key auction, reasoning that they had most bases covered during the previous two auctions. “Apart from filling in certain small gaps, I do not see any big action happening this time around. Also with the player contracts expiring after the 2013 season, it would be difficult to place your bets on any big buys,” a franchise official told ESPNcricinfo.Even the trading window, which opened on November 19, attracted scant attention from the franchises with one formal trade registered: T Suman, who played for Mumbai Indians in 2012, shifting to neighbouring Pune Warriors. The second trading window will be open from February 4 to 15. Each franchise has a salary cap of up to $12.5m to spend on their 2013 squad, which can contain a maximum of 33 players, including 11 from overseas.Click here for the full list of players and reserve prices.

WV Raman, the former India opener, has been appointed assistant coach of Kings XI Punjab

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Mar-2013WV Raman, the former India opener, has been appointed assistant coach of Kings XI Punjab. This will be Raman’s first assignment in the IPL, and he will work with head coach Darren Lehmann, who oversaw the now defunct Deccan Chargers last season.Raman, who played 11 Tests and 27 ODIs for India, has plenty of domestic coaching experience, having been in charge of Tamil Nadu for four years and is currently the coach of Bengal.”We are pleased to have WV Raman as the assistant coach of our team for IPL 2013,” Kings XI Punjab’s COO Arvinder Singh said. “Given his vast experience as an ex-Indian player and his coaching stints over the years, I am certain that he shall bring another dimension to our coaching staff and help our players perform to the best of their abilities.”Raman said he looked forward to his new assignment. “Kings XI Punjab has the right mix of experienced as well as young players supported by a world class coaching staff and I shall do my best to get the best out of the players.”

There is much talk of players preferring the IPL to first-class or even international cricket but, in Alfonso Thomas, Somerset have a cricketer who has chosen to take the path less travelled.

George Dobell at Taunton26-Apr-2013
ScorecardMarcus Trescothick fell to a spinner once again, but saw his side build a strong position•Getty Images

There is much talk of players preferring the IPL to first-class or even international cricket but, in Alfonso Thomas, Somerset have a cricketer who has chosen to take the path less travelled.Thomas, preferring the security of a new three-year deal at Somerset to another season of IPL, is contracted at Taunton for the entire season. And, on a pitch on which two of his colleagues had made batting look simple with high-class centuries, he produced a spell of bowling that might have made the crucial contribution in this match.Thomas, playing against the club that rejected him after a brief stint in 2007, claimed three wickets in an excellent afternoon spell. Maintaining a nagging line, using the crease well and finding just enough movement to trouble all the batsmen, he had Jim Troughton feeling for one angled across him from wide at the crease, Laurie Evans edging a beauty that was angled in and left him off the pitch, and Tim Ambrose leg before despite more than an hint of inside edge. It knocked the stuffing out of the champions and has left them facing a vast first-innings deficit.That Somerset extended their first innings beyond 400 – claiming maximum batting bonus points – for the first time this season was largely due to Jos Buttler. While it would be stretching a point to suggest that Buttler has preferred county duty to the IPL – he has not had the opportunity to participate in the IPL at this stage – he did admit that his third first-class century here meant more to him that a match-defining contribution in a T20 match. “I’ve made a reputation in one-day cricket” he told, “but under-performed in the Championship.”Warwickshire might also reflect on some sloppy batting. Varun Chopra, under the watchful eye of England batting coach Graham Thorpe, missed a straight one as he attempted to flick across the line, while Chris Woakes cut a long-hop to point and William Porterfield mistimed a drive horribly to gift a catch to mid-off.Rikki Clarke, batting imperiously, was run out attempting a third when Marcus Trescothick’s throw from 10 yards inside the boundary at fine leg hit the stumps – “he was unlucky,” Trescothick admitted modestly afterwards – while, for the first time in many months, Warwickshire now have a longish tail, with three men vying for the No. 11 spot. The foundations of their success last year, built upon a relentless bowling attack and a batting order that disappeared over the horizon, have been weakened.Perhaps we should not be surprised. Somerset were, after all, the only side to beat Warwickshire in the Championship last year – they came close to doing it twice – when they bowled them out for 124 at Taunton and they did finish second. Besides, this match is not over: Dougie Brown, Warwickshire’s new director of cricket, had brave words at the close about ‘”chasing anything” on such a good surface.

Gayle’s Somerset guarantee

Chris Gayle has given a written undertaking to allow Somerset first refusal for his services in return for reneging on his contract in 2012 and there is still a chance he could appear for the club in this year’s T20 competition. The club’s chief executive, Guy Lavender, confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that Somerset “would like him to come” which leaves just the pesky issues of money and availability. Gayle is committed to appearing in the Champions Trophy – between June 6 and June 23 – and expected to appear in the Caribbean Premier League from July 29 to August 26. The group stage of the FLt20 runs from June 26 to July 31, with the quarter-finals on August 6 and finals day on August 17. The Sri Lanka Premier League also runs from August 11. Somerset have currently only signed one overseas player for the competition: Alviro Petersen.

To date, however, Somerset have outplayed Warwickshire with bat and ball. Somerset’s batsmen displayed a discipline that Warwickshire’s could not and Somerset’s bowlers have generated more life from the surface. Had Trescothick, the Somerset captain, not declined the opportunity to enforce the follow-on – a controversial decision bearing in mind that only 13 overs remained in the day when he decided to bat again – then Warwickshire would have been obliged to follow on for the first time since August 2010, when Nottinghamshire were the opposition. As it was, Somerset extended their lead of 248 to 294 by stumps with Trescothick, out to offspin yet again (he has been dismissed by three of the last four balls he has faced from offspinners) the only victim.”It’s really important the bowlers are fresh when they have the new ball,” Trescothick said afterwards, explaining his decision. “Our bowlers had already bowled 65 overs, so I wanted to give them a break. Warwickshire also look tired, so we wanted to put them back out there.”Warwickshire might consider themselves somewhat unfortunate. While the majority of England players, including the fast bowlers, have returned to action in this round of games, Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell continue to sit out this round of matches. Not only are Warwickshire much weakened by their absence, but it seems a shame that such a high-profile televised match, a match that could have been used to market the county game, has been denied such fine players.Warwickshire are also missing Ian Westwood, who is out for around a month having turned his ankle in training, and Keith Barker, who is out for six weeks with a side strain. As a consequence, their batting is considerably weakened.But none of that should have been unanticipated. It was always likely that Trott and Bell would be absent for vast periods and always likely that injury – and Lions call-ups – would weaken Warwickshire at other times. The likes of Darren Maddy were available for selection. There can be no excuses. These days cricket, at county and international level, is a squad game.Besides, Somerset have issues of their own. George Dockrell was unavailable with a finger injury and Steve Kirby was rested with a view to ‘workload management’. Jack Leach, the 21-year-old left-arm spinner playing only his fourth first-class match, compensated for the absence of the former with a tight spell of bowling that suggested he could have a decent future at this level, while the Overton twins, aged just 19, look prodigiously talented. Jamie found bounce and carry in the pitch that only Clarke, of the Warwickshire bowlers, could match, while Craig conceded just seven runs in 10 overs.Things are looking up for Somerset and the club are hopeful of retaining the services of Buttler. The 22-year-old, who produced some outstandingly fluent drives to complete his century, is out of contract at the end of the season and certain to interest a host of other counties. Slightly unsettled by the uncertainty over his future as a wicketkeeper at the club – Craig Kieswetter retains the gloves and is keeping better all the time – Buttler knows his England ambitions may be better served by a move to a club that allows him to keep more often. But, having developed through the system and having a family steeped in the club, it will take some persuasion to lure him away.Buttler remains a work in progress. He has plenty of improvement to make with his keeping and questions to answer about his ability to play the short ball and his ability to survive in bowler-friendly conditions. But the way in which he makes perfectly respectable length deliveries appear as if they are overpitched filth suggests he is a young man of rare talent who will surely find a way.

Gary Wilson gave Ricky Ponting some act to follow with a century that propped up Surrey’s batting on the first day against Sussex

Alex Winter at The Oval24-Apr-2013
ScorecardGary Wilson played fluently after being promoted up the order•Getty Images

Gary Wilson went out to bat at No. 3 for the first time in his first-class career on the opening day against Sussex. It could also be the last time he fills the slot. But he gave Ricky Ponting some act to follow with a century that propped up Surrey’s batting.Wilson was hurried up the order at the request of Surrey’s captain, Graeme Smith, after Arun Harinath was ruled out of the match having taken a blow to the hand in the nets before the start of play. After Smith failed again in a 12 ball stay, Wilson deputised to great effect with his second century for Surrey.It is easy to become blinded in an assessment of Surrey by their big-name signings but their real strength lies in those players they have nurtured themselves. The contrasting innings of Smith and Wilson provided a perfect demonstration.Wilson was brought to Surrey by the previous head coach, Alan Butcher, as a 20-year-old and has grown from his initial role as back-up wicketkeeper to feature regularly in Surrey’s one-day side. Last year’s tragic circumstances gave him a chance in the Championship. He played three matches and scored 182 runs at 60.66.Here he was handed another opportunity to show his worth in red-ball cricket and responded by working hard in the morning session to set up an afternoon where he pushed on to a hundred in 207 balls with 12 fours.Last season it was lesser-known players, Harinath, Rory Burns and Zafar Ansari among them, that began the club’s revival. Surrey fell to pieces after Tom Maynard’s death and relegation was a distinct possibility but their young batsman found form and a recovery was conjured. Names that few noticed in among the swaggering stars.Wilson was one of those and he was dealing with a double bereavement, having lost his mother to lung cancer shortly before the start of last season. His celebration here reflected someone who had gone through so much: a big punch of the air, raise of the arms and generous embrace from his batting partner, Zander de Bruyn.But Wilson denied the celebration contained any overt emotion, saying his reaction on pushing Chris Nash through the covers to reach three figures reflected only the joy of doing the job he was asked to do.”I battled really hard this morning to get into a good position and it was a case of pure relief, I knew I had done the hard work,” Wilson said. “I knew I had a job to do for the team and it was a case of going in and enjoying batting up the order. I can’t imagine it will continue but it was nice to get a few while it lasted.”Hard work was necessary in a morning that yielded only 58 runs in 32 overs. James Anyon and Steve Magoffin did all they could with the new ball, with Chris Jordan – returning to the county he spent six years with – proving an excellent first change. Anyon found a little dent on the wicket to get one to lift on Smith who edged behind but there was precious other help. In the face of such conditions, having been asked to bowl first, the Sussex attack were admirably disciplined.Runs flowed more freely as the ball got older – with Anyon and Jordan suffering – but the attack as a whole, with Monty Panesar bowling 25 cheap overs, deserved their four wickets with the second new ball that left Surrey grateful for their makeshift No. 3.

A day after taking charge of the BCCI’s day-to-day affairs, Jagmohan Dalmiya is yet to fill up the key posts of board secretary and treasurer. The sticking point, it appears, is the lack of suitable candidates

Amol Karhadkar04-Jun-2013A day after taking charge of the BCCI’s day-to-day affairs, Jagmohan Dalmiya is yet to fill up the key posts of board secretary and treasurer. The sticking point, it appears, is the lack of suitable candidates, with the possible replacements either occupied with their primary roles in and outside the game or wary of accepting a temporary, high-stakes position.Both Sanjay Jagdale and Ajay Shirke, who resigned as the BCCI secretary and treasurer last week, had conveyed their inability to reconsider their decision on Monday. Shirke told ESPNcricinfo that he had written to the BCCI “before” Dalmiya told the media he would give Shirke another 24 hours to make up his mind. This meant Dalmiya had to swing into action at the earliest, with the board finding itself facing multiple issues and lacking its two main executive officials.And even Dalmiya, a seasoned administrator, can’t do much about the delay in filling up the vacancies – both positions are on an honorary basis – because of a lack of viable options.”Most of the most eligible options don’t want to consider the role since they are either too busy with their primary commitments or due to the fact that none of them are too forthcoming to accept the role as a caretaker at a time when the responsibility is so huge,” a board insider said. “Most of them would prefer to be appointed office-bearers for a full term rather than being appointed as a caretaker for just three months going into the AGM.”Anurag Thakur, the incumbent joint secretary, was clearly the first choice to take over from Jagdale. However, Thakur, an MP and leader of the BJP, the main opposition party, declined the offer since he couldn’t spare “so much time from preparations for the next year’s (general) elections.”With Thakur unavailable, former India captain Anil Kumble and Orissa Cricket Association chief Ranjib Biswal emerged next in line. However, it is unlikely, for different reasons, that either of them would be willing to take up the offer. Biswal is in the UK as the Indian team’s manager for the Champions Trophy and could be there till the tournament is over on June 23. Besides, ESPNcricinfo understands that Biswal, a former MP, is contemplating contesting next year’s parliamentary elections, so he would also not be able to spare a lot of time for BCCI affairs upon his return.Kumble, on the other hand, already wears too many hats. The president of the Karnataka State Cricket Association also heads the ICC’s Cricket Committee and is mentor of Mumbai Indians. His association with an IPL franchise from another region of the country has already invoked opposition from a few KSCA members ahead of the KSCA elections. If Kumble accepts the role, he will either have to quit as Mumbai Indians mentor or be prepared to handle the next episode of the “conflict of interest” series in Indian cricket.This could eventually mean that either Anirudh Chaudhry or SK Nair, two of Dalmiya’s staunch loyalists during the Kolkata businessman’s stint as the BCCI president, could be handed over the crucial responsibility. Chaudhry, son of former BCCI president Ranbir Singh Mahendra, heads the Haryana Cricket Association, while Nair was the BCCI secretary when Dalmiya was dictating Indian cricket’s administration.As for the treasurer’s post, Sanjay Patel, Baroda Cricket Association’s joint secretary who is also a member of IPL governing council, and Biswarup Dey, Cricket Association of Bengal’s treasurer, have emerged as front-runners. Mumbai Cricket Association acting president Ravi Savant, a chartered accountant, may emerge as a dark horse.Besides appointing secretary and treasurer, Dalmiya also has to reconstitute the probe panel to enquire complaints against Gurunath Meiyappan, BCCI president N Srinivasan’s son-in-law who was granted bail in the IPL betting case, Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals. However, it was learned that the office bearers’ appointments was the “top-most priority” and the probe panel’s reconstitution would follow soon after that. ESPNcricinfo’s repeated attempts to get in touch with Dalmiya didn’t materialize since he was “busy with business meetings”.

Mathew Sinclair, the Central Districts batsman who played 33 Tests for New Zealand, has announced his retirement from all cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jul-2013Mathew Sinclair, the Central Districts batsman who played 33 Tests for New Zealand, has announced his retirement from all cricket. Sinclair, 37, has been a fixture in the Central Districts side for 18 seasons and is the team’s all-time highest run-scorer, with more than 15,000 runs across all formats, and he remained a solid performer last summer, with 646 Plunket Shield runs at 40.37.He burst on to the Test cricket scene with 214 on debut against West Indies in Wellington in 1999-2000, still the highest score by a New Zealand Test debutant and the equal third-highest from all countries. However, despite posting another Test double-century against Pakistan less than two years later, Sinclair struggled to find consistency at international level.His 33 Tests were spread across 11 years and his last appearance for his country came against Australia in Hamilton in early 2010, when he was recalled for the first time in two years. Sinclair also played 54 one-day internationals and two Twenty20 internationals, as well as helping Central Districts win eight domestic trophies.”Having taken a few months since the end of last season to consider my options I have decided that the timing is right to call time on my playing career,” Sinclair said. “I have two young children and a wife who I want to spend more time with and the constant travel that the Stags endure each year makes that pretty tough.”I am also at the stage where I want to get into a career outside of cricket and unless you are in a position to totally devote yourself, it’s difficult to get the opportunities that I am after. There are some really talented younger batsmen coming through for CD, so I feel it’s the right time from the team’s perspective as well.”Central Districts has been good to me and I never really considered playing for anyone else. We have always played a positive style of game, and the quality of the people in the side meant that there was always a great team spirit. My first hundred for the Stags was really special as it helped win a game and proved that I could succeed at that level.”Watching Peter Ingram beat my record for the highest individual score for the Stags, Jamie How’s double hundred in a one day game and Michael Mason’s heroics with the bat to win the Ford Trophy two seasons ago are special moments that I will also cherish.”While it would have been nice to have played more for my country, I do look back on my time in the Black Caps with a lot of pride and satisfaction. Getting 214 on debut against the West Indies was a real highlight; especially as we went on to win the Test.”Sinclair will end his career with more first-class runs for a single association – 9148 – than any other player in New Zealand, as well as a record 27 first-class centuries for Central Districts. On four occasions he was the leading run scorer in the New Zealand first-class competition, in 1998-99, 2005-06, 2008-09 and 2011-12.”It’s hard to put into words the contribution that Mathew has made to Central Districts,” Hugh Henderson, the Central Districts chief executive, said. “In years to come his run scoring records will still stand and people will look back at him as an all-time great of the domestic game in this country.”It is remarkable that in a career of such length that Mathew never really had a poor season, he just kept scoring runs. It’s unlikely there will be another player like him in our history. On behalf of Central Districts we would like to thank him wholeheartedly for his contribution to the game and our association. We wish him all the best in the next stages of his career outside of cricket.”

Hampshire demolished Scotland by nine wickets with almost 25 overs to spare in a remarkably one-sided game in Glasgow.

13-Aug-2013
ScorecardJames Vince saw Hampshire canter to their target•Getty Images

Hampshire demolished Scotland by nine wickets with almost 25 overs to spare in a remarkably one-sided game in Glasgow.Scotland were put in and crumbled to 136 all out, with only Gordon Goudie’s late run-a-ball 26 providing a trace of respectability. James Vince then cracked an unbeaten 75 from 52 as Hampshire reached their target from the first ball of the 16th over for the loss of only Michael Carberry, who made 45 from 27.Scotland struggled from the outset, losing Freddie Coleman in the second over when he was trapped lbw by Dimitri Mascarenhas. Richie Berrington fell for a duck and Calum MacLeod made just 3 as the hosts slipped to 23 for 3 before Hamish Gardiner and captain Preston Mommsen put on 37 for the fourth wicket, albeit in almost 14 overs.Gardiner’s top score of 29 occupied 61 balls before he was dismissed by Danny Briggs, who removed Moneeb Iqbal in his next over for figures of 2 for 35. Mommsen was run out for 21, off 50 deliveries, and it was left to Goudie and wicketkeeper Matthew Cross to try and salvage the innings. Mascarenhas, Chris Wood and Sohail Tanvir all took two wickets apiece.Both Vince and Carberry found the boundary as 14 runs came from the first over of Hampshire’s reply, and their opening stand reached 50 inside seven overs. Goudie’s third over yielded three boundaries and Vice’s half-century but Carberry was stumped five short of the same landmark after a stand of 98.But Vince found the ropes twice more off Majid Haq in the next over and won the match with his 12th four as he and Jimmy Adams wrapped up victory.

Peter Moores, the Lancashire coach, has backed Simon Kerrigan to bounce back from the chastening start to his Test career

George Dobell22-Aug-2013Peter Moores, the Lancashire coach, has backed Simon Kerrigan to bounce back from the chastening start to his Test career and has pleaded for the bowler to be given support to do so.Kerrigan endured a horrid first day in England colours. Confronted with a wicket offering him little and Shane Watson in top form, he looked paralysed by nerves and struggled with his control. His first two overs cost 28 and subsequent spells contained several long-hops and a head-high full toss. He did not bowl on the second day.But Moores, who has coached Kerrigan in county cricket for the bowler’s entire first-class career, is insistent that the left-arm spinner is a much better bowler than he showed at The Oval on Wednesday and suggested he will demonstrate that if given the opportunity.”The shame is that a lot of people will not have seen Simon bowl before and they may judge him on that performance,” Moores told ESPNcricinfo. “He has bowled really well, on all surfaces, for us over the last few years. He has dismissed some top batsmen. He must have bowled very well in the lead-up to the game, too, to convince Andy Flower and co. to select him.”I absolutely believe he has the strength of character to bounce back from this. He has proven that time and again at every level. He had to fight to win a first team place ahead of Gary Keedy at Lancashire and he had to fight to win a Lions place.”He just needs to relax and have some support. Confidence is everything for a sportsman. It is the petrol in their engine. And, on the first day of the Test, Simon was just a little bit careful with the way he bowled.”At his best, he is looking to bowl with pace and he has been brilliant at times. But it is all about feel and confidence and, against a good side and on a very good batting pitch, he was just a bit careful.”He has always tended to walk up to the crease and then explode into his action, a bit like Shane Warne. But the way he bowled reflected that he felt under a bit of pressure and that, on a fresh pitch, the circumstances couldn’t get much tougher.”But he has a chance to learn from that. The great thing about being a bowler is that he will probably have another chance over the next few days to show what he can do and I know he can steel himself to come back strong.”Moores, who was England coach in 2007 and 2008, also suggested that Kerrigan’s elevation to the England side had come a little earlier than anticipated and that he would continue to improve.”Most people do have to play a few games to feel comfortable in that environment,” Moores said. “Spin bowling is a complex skill and Simon is only 24. Spinners often mature a bit later as they learn not just the skills required, but when to apply them.”There is no doubt that the Monty Panesar situation affected selection and we did not expect the opportunity for Simon to come so soon. But he is a fine young bowler and I know he will learn from this experience and it will make him stronger.”