A round-up of the semi-finals of the One-Day National Cup Division Two tournament in Pakistan

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jan-2011An unbeaten century from Rana Adnan and a collective bowling performance helped Lahore Eagles secure a place in the final by beating State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) by 73 runs in Karachi. Adnan’s 100 off 115 balls held the innings together and his partnership of 77 with Hamza Paracha, who made 51, set a platform for a considerable total. The middle and lower order, however, failed to contribute and Lahore slumped from 212 for 3 to 265 for 8. Jalat Khan took 3 for 53 for SBP while new-ball bowler, Mohammad Naved, was economical during his seven-over spell of 1 for 21.SBP’s chase never got off the ground. Their openers fell for single-digit scores and, after a 63-run stand for the third wicket, the steady fall of wickets resumed. Adnan Raees top scored with 49 and no one else got over 40. Lahore’s new-ball bowler, Emmad Ali, took 3 for 34 while Saad Nasim and Waqas Aslam took two apiece. SBP were eventually bowled out for 192 in 40 overs.Riding on Azhar Ali’s unbeaten hundred, Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) chased the target of 273 to beat Karachi Zebras by six wickets and an over to spare in Hyderabad to secure their berth in the final. The chase had begun poorly, with KRL slipping to 19 for 3, before Ali led the revival along with Bazid Khan, who made 50. Bazid departed with the score on 117 but Ali Khan entered and blitzed 80 off 58 balls to shut Karachi out of the contest.Ali’s century had helped overcome Karachi’s strong total of 272 for 9, which was built around Asif Zakir’s run-a-ball 110. Rameez Aziz payed a supporting hand with 40 but there were no other contributions of note. Mohammad Irfan claimed 3 for 46 for KRL while Nauman Ali and Saeed Anwar jnr took two wickets apiece.

England allrounder Tim Bresnan has vowed to be fit for England’s first match of the World Cup, insisting that regular physiotherapy will have him “raring to go” when the tournament starts

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jan-2011England allrounder Tim Bresnan has vowed to be fit for England’s first match of the World Cup, insisting that regular physiotherapy will have him “raring to go” when the tournament starts. Bresnan picked up a calf injury during the second ODI against Australia at Hobart, ruling him out of the remainder of the seven-match series.The World Cup gets underway in the subcontinent on February 20, with England beginning their campaign against Netherlands two days later. With England currently 3-1 down against Australia, weaknesses in the batting and bowling departments have been exposed and Andy Flower will be keen to have the likes of Bresnan and Stuart Broad back in contention for their first World Cup outing in Nagpur.”The injury is coming on well,” Bresnan, who is back in the UK for treatment on his injury, told . “I’m quite confident of being fit for the first game of the World Cup. I’ve been told some good news in the last couple of days and I’m having some physio every day up until we leave, so I’m putting my full trust in them [the medical team] that they’ll get me ready to go.”Bresnan added that he thought Graeme Swann, who has also flown home with back and knee problems, would be available for selection for England’s opener, and is expecting everyone to feel refreshed when they tackle their next challenge. “Hopefully everyone’s going to be raring to go for that first game. Hopefully everyone’s rested as well so that we are ready to go.”After helping England win the Ashes with a 3-1 series triumph, Bresnan admits the team are targeting the world No. 1 spot. “For that we need consistency,” he said. “If you look at the way the ranking system works it’s all about consistency, it’s not about having a couple of good series here and there. It’s about consistently winning games of cricket. With the strength and depth we’ve got in the ranks, the next target is definitely being the No. 1 in the world.”

A round-up of the third day of the third round of the Regional Four Day Competition

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Feb-2011The Guyana bowlers gave Windward Islands a serious scare on the third day of their encounter in St Vincent but Windwards held their nerve to seal a four-wicket win. Guyana had been reduced to 98 for 9, a lead of just 17, in the second innings and were on the verge of a big defeat at stumps on the second day. But the last-wicket pair of Rajindra Chandrika and Brandon Bess stretched it to 57. It proved insufficient but it was one that gave the Guyana bowlers a window of opportunity. The spin pair of Veerasammy Permaul and Devendra Bishoo had Windwards reeling at 35 for 6 at one stage and had given Guyana a fair chance of a shock win. But captain Liam Sebastien resisted with a 46-ball vigil for seven runs while Gary Mathurin made an unbeaten 14 to steer their team to a tight win.A five-wicket haul from Jerome Taylor gave Jamaica a two-run lead over Barbados at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown. Barbados had been in a strong position at the end of day two, on 220 for 4 against Jamaica’s 324 in the first innings. But Taylor’s strikes and the Barbados’ middle order’s failure to convert starts into substantial scores tilted the scales. Among the right Barbados batsmen who went past 20, only two reached a half-century, the highest being 76. Jamaica extended the lead to 116 by stumps with eight wickets still in hand. Marlon Samuels led the response, unbeaten on 58.Combined Campuses and Colleges were in a dominant position against Leeward Islands at the end of the third day in Antigua. Kjorn Ottley made 84, supported by opener Romel Currency and wicketkeeper Kyle Corbin. The lower order, with Kevin Mclean and Floyd Reifer, also chipped in to set Leewards a target of 370. Leewards struggled in their chase, slipping to 70 for 5 and are in danger of being defeated. Carlos Brathwaite picked up two wickets.England Lions fought back to seize the initiative on the third day against Trinidad and Tobago in Port of Spain. T&T had been in a strong position at 173 for 2 with their experienced hands Runako Morton and Daren Ganga on the second day. But seamers Jade Dernbach and Liam Plunkett, backed up by the spin of Adil Rashid and Danny Briggs, dismissed the middle and lower orders cheaply to secure a 42-run lead. In their second innings, the England Lions had been coasting at 157 for 1 but lost three wickets in a space of nine runs. Jimmy Adams and Andrew Gale struck half-centuries. At stumps, they led by 227 with six wickets in hand.

Twelve teams could contest the 2015 World Cup as the ICC is considering a compromise between the 14 teams of 2011 and a tight 10-team model currently on the table

Daniel Brettig and Nagraj Gollapudi04-Apr-2011Twelve teams may contest the 2015 World Cup as the ICC is considering a compromise between the 14 teams of 2011 and a tight 10-team model currently on the table for the tournament’s next edition.The ICC’s executive council is meeting in Mumbai on Monday and on the agenda is the format for the next World Cup, to be hosted by Australia and New Zealand, following the rousing success of this year’s edition, which was won by India.Following much discussion of the 10-team tournament favoured by organisers, and an outcry by Associate nations given their likely exclusion, the ICC may now be leaning towards a 12-team event, possibly with two pools of six teams followed by quarter-finals, semis and the final.”At the moment it is still 10 teams but we are discussing the 12-team option,” an ICC official told ESPNcricinfo.The same format was used in the 1996 tournament, co-hosted by India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and won by the Sri Lankans. Another path is to choose a round-robin model where each team plays each other once before the semi-finals, as was the case when Australia and New Zealand hosted in 1992.Prior to his team’s departure for Bangladesh, new Australian captain Michael Clarke reiterated the desire of most international players to see Associate nations given their chance on the limited-overs game’s biggest stage.”I really enjoy seeing the minnow teams getting an opportunity to be honest, I guess it’s up to the ICC to work out whatever they think is for the betterment of the game, that’s obviously their priority,” Clarke said in Sydney.”For me I think the two World Cups I’ve been involved in have been fantastic, it certainly does feel between games like you have a long period, when you’ve got six and seven days between games, but I’ve enjoyed seeing some of the minnow teams or all of the minnow teams play.”I think we’ve seen throughout this World Cup that there were a few upsets and some great cricket played, so I just hope and am certain that the ICC are looking to improve the game of cricket.”Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, said the executive council meeting would finalise much of the discussions surrounding the next event, plans for which are already being mapped out by the Cricket Australia and New Zealand Cricket.”The length of 50 overs will find certain teams out but I think there are 10 teams that can seriously compete in that format,” Lorgat told Sky Sports News. “That’s a debate we are still finalising; in fact the board meeting over the next two days will consider that and will determine which teams will play in the 2015 World Cup.”Ireland were the best Associate nation at each of the past two tournaments, and their chief executive Warren Deutrom had said the deferral of a decision on the tournament format until after the 2011 event was a sensible one.”I think that is the right decision,” Deutrom said. “What it does is allow the ICC board to make a decision based on all the evidence, rather than no evidence whatsoever. We are pleased because if two or three teams do perform well during the group stages, that does provide an option to look favourably on qualification, and to see if the number of teams is quite right.”

Sri Lanka Cricket is organising a Twenty20 league in July and August 2011 featuring their top players as well as internationals from India, Australia, Pakistan, West Indies and South Africa

ESPNcricinfo staff04-May-2011Sri Lanka Cricket is organising a Twenty20 league in July and August 2011 featuring their top players as well as internationals from India, Australia, Pakistan, West Indies and South Africa. The tournament, which will have five regional teams led by senior Sri Lankan cricketers, is the latest in a series of Twenty20 leagues, with some degree of international participation, that have been created over the past few years.The league will be run by the Singapore-based Somerset Entertainment, which won the organisational rights and is now looking at securing a TV deal. It is understood to have approached around 35 international players including Yuvraj Singh, Kieron Pollard, Chris Gayle, Yusuf Pathan and Shahid Afridi, and most of Sri Lanka’s leading cricketers.Salaries in the league will be on the lower side; one estimate suggested three salary slabs with the highest at $30,000, which is what a mid-level player would get for each game of the IPL.The BCCI is understood to have given the league its blessing and the tournament’s timing – it will coincide with India’s Test series in England – will suit India’s limited-overs specialists. An Indian player, who was one of the first to be approached by the organisers, said he was made to understand that the tournament was being held with the approval of the Indian board.”I was made an offer during last season of Ranji Trophy,” the player told ESPNcricinfo. “I did not agree at the time but they [the organisers] said it is not as popular a league as the IPL so money won’t be that big. We left it by saying we can talk more as the time goes. Perhaps a new offer could come after the IPL.”While the league will be a lower-profile event compared to other Twenty20 tournaments, it is likely to benefit from the fact that many players will be free from international commitments at that time. It is also likely to draw in several players who are no longer active in international cricket. Shoaib Akhtar is one player who is understood to be a certainty for the tournament and Herschelle Gibbs is also believed to have been approached.The league will also be a boon for players from Pakistan, who currently are not part of the IPL and whose international exposure has been limited because of security issues.

Sri Lanka’s fast bowling coach Champaka Ramanayake is confident that his young and inexperienced charges can spring a surprise on England in the upcoming three-Test series

Sa'adi Thawfeeq15-May-2011Sri Lanka’s fast bowling coach Champaka Ramanayake is confident that his young and inexperienced charges can spring a surprise on England in the upcoming three-Test series. Ramanayake, who played 18 Tests and 62 one-day internationals from 1988 to 1995, will have to make the most of limited resources especially in the pace department.Without the retired Chaminda Vaas and Lasith Malinga the onus will be on Dilhara Fernando, who has played 35 Tests, to lead the attack. Fernando missed Sri Lanka’s first warm-up match against Middlesex, at Uxbridge, but will play against England Lions next week ahead of the opening Test in Cardiff. The total experience of Sri Lanka’s five seam options is limited to 105 wickets in 43 Tests with 90 of those coming from Fernando.None of the fast bowlers picked for Sri Lanka’s last tour to England in 2006 are around in the present squad namely, Vaas, Malinga, Nuwan Kulasekara, Nuwan Zoysa and Farveez Maharoof, although the latter was drafted in for the first week of the tour. Fernando toured England in 2002 and is the only bowler with some kind of experience in English conditions.”Yes, we have one of the most inexperienced fast bowling line ups taken to England. Except for Dilhara Fernando the others haven’t played much Test cricket at all,” Ramanayake said. “It’s an opportunity for the youngsters to take over and continue. We have the disadvantage of inexperience but looking at it the other way none of the English players have played against our fast bowlers before. It’s an unknown attack to them. I think with that we can unsettle them.”England will know plenty about Fernando and did have a brief taste of Chandaka Welegedara, the left-arm quick, when he made his Test debut at Galle in 2007 but their preparation for the rest will rely in video footage and some advice from Andrew Strauss who hit 151 against them at Uxbridge.”The Englishmen don’t know much about these bowlers and they have not faced them,” Ramanayake said. “It will take some time for them to gauge them and get to know what they are doing. They all bowl quite sharp. Nuwan Pradeep and Thisara Perera bowl in the 140s, Suranga Lakmal has already played two Tests against West Indies and bowled really well.”Perera is waiting on the wings to get into the Test team and has done well in the past year and a half in ODIs. We’ve got some good youngsters and I am quite happy to take this squad because we can really work something with these boys. They can improve and you’ll never know they’ll get wickets in English conditions. I have great belief in them that they can do well.”Pradeep, who had an IPL contract but left early along with captain Tillakaratne Dilshan, is one who comes in for particularly praise from Ramanayake. “You take Pradeep he hasn’t played any cricket at all in his younger days and at school,” he said. “He’s got raw pace, beautiful rhythm and consistency. Consistency comes from rhythm. If the rhythm pattern changes then you don’t bowl a consistently good line and length. You’ve got to be smart as well nowadays.”You got to expect what the batsman is going to do, assess conditions and adjust to the situations and bowl. All these young fast bowlers they haven’t got it yet, but they are getting it from the exposure we give them. They got the right ingredients and this is the best bowling unit we have right now.”Ramanayake also hopes that responsibility will help bring the best out of Fernando who has always been foil for the likes of Vaas and Muttiah Muralitharan but now has to be a spearhead on his own. “Dilhara hasn’t played much cricket in the last few months but still the selectors have faith in him,” he said. “He has to deliver the goods because he is the only experienced bowler and he has to show that he is good enough to play Test cricket. That will give him a little bit of responsibility to take up the challenge and do well in England.”Ramanayake thinks Sri Lanka will play three quick bowlers in the Test series, although there best chance could come if the dry weather continues and their spinners – Rangana Herath, Ajantha Mendis and Suraj Randiv – can play both an attacking and defensive role.”The two warm-up games are vital for us and whoever performs well will have a good chance of playing because you got to get used to the conditions,” he said. “Depending on the pitches three will definitely play or maybe four if there is a lot of grass on the wicket. We are expecting some seaming tracks, but you never know.”England has been quite warm. The weather pattern has changed and we might get warm weather but normally in early summer the wickets are expected to seam. We’ve also got three good spinners in our attack. Rangana very experienced, Suraj has been bowling really well and Ajantha has also got some experience.”

Simon Katich, the Australia opening batsman, has broken his silence over not receiving a central contract, telling the that he has not been treated fairly

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Jun-2011Simon Katich, the Australia opening batsman, has broken his silence over not receiving a central contract, telling the that he has not been treated fairly. Katich believes he was judged solely on his performances in his last four Tests, which he played despite being injured, and not on his overall form since returning to the side in 2008.Since his comeback, Katich has made 2928 runs at 50.48 and has been not only Australia’s most reliable batsman but among the most bankable in the world. In that time only Alastair Cook has scored more runs.”Do I think I have been treated fairly? Not at all, not at all,” Katich said. “From my point of view I have had to play through injuries in the last four Test matches, two with a broken thumb and two with a torn achilles. I didn’t want to play Test cricket like that although I know that is what they have judged me on.”In India they kept telling me it was a bruised thumb and I could hardly hold the bat but they kept telling me it was bruised so I thought ‘Well I can’t not play Test cricket if it’s a bruise’.”Katich revealed that his recovery program began the night after the Adelaide Ashes Test ended. A fellow player offered him a beer at the airport but Katich turned him down, saying, “No thanks mate. Recovery starts now.”He has been undergoing rehabilitation since then and it was at the SCG on Tuesday that he received the phone call from Andrew Hilditch about being left out of the list of contracted players.”I was in the middle of a fitness test, saw the phone ringing and saw who it was and thought ‘Damn, I better answer this’,” Katich said. “I knew full well what it was, I didn’t want him to have the luxury of leaving a message, so I grabbed it. It’s funny, I have been treated like this before by them. I have been down this path a number of times.”I spoke my mind, I certainly didn’t hold back. There was no shirking the issue, but there was nothing said that was personal, it was just about the decision. I vented my spleen about the decision and explained why. There was no name-calling or anything like that.”Katich believes he still has much more to give Australia and that if he didn’t, there was no way he would have undergone such a rigorous rehabilitation program.”Put it this way I don’t think I would have wasted our physio and our fitness trainers’ time over the past six months or my time doing this rehab every second day for the sake of it. That is not how I operate. It’s not just my time, it is the staff’s time as well and I am always respectful of that.”Up to Tuesday I had done three weeks’ training ahead of the rest of the squad starting and I did that because I wanted to be ready and firing in Sri Lanka.”Katich is scheduled to hold a press conference on June 10 to announce his future plans.

The USA Cricket Association’s series of Town Hall meetings for its eight member regions received mixed reviews

Peter Della Penna25-Jun-2011The USA Cricket Association’s series of Town Hall meetings for its eight member regions concluded earlier this month and while the concept behind the meetings was met with praise, the subject matter – specifically how USACA should spend any potential revenue from its stake in Cricket Holdings America – received a mixed response.”It’s a good thing to meet and talk to leagues. This is the first time something like that has happened,” Ganesh Sanap, who is the president of the Northern California Cricket Association and took part in the Town Hall conference call for the Northwest region, said. “I’m glad it is happening. The leagues are able to hear from the president and the treasurer. But USACA didn’t need to have only a Cricket Holdings America Town Hall. It could have happened way before when the AGM is held or before the AGM. At least once or twice a year, these people need to get together and at least let people hear your voice.”The meetings featured a slideshow outlining a plan for distributing USACA funding in 2012 and 2013. Even though the communication was appreciated, Southwest region women’s coordinator Sandra Ibarra was skeptical of how it will all pan out.”It was basically a Powerpoint presentation that was introducing to all the regions what Cricket Holdings America is all about,” Ibarra, a former USA women’s national team player, said. “I guess it was a way of trying to say, ‘We’re working on something’, but it still doesn’t specify what they’re working on and how it will help cricket in America. How [the money] is going to be distributed, how they’re going to go about reviewing these proposals for money and who is going to be approving and denying them, that’s where I think we’re going around in circles and some people will feel disappointed.”USACA Treasurer John Thickett was the driving force behind organising the meetings and said having an open dialogue for this topic is a positive step forward for USACA. He also said this will not just be a one-off and that as Sanap hoped, more meetings will be planned for later in the year.”I’m very excited that we’re having these Town Hall meetings. We’re planning some different themes for later in the year,” Thickett said. “To get the opportunity to reach out to the top 100 stakeholders, league presidents and boards is important.”But Krish Prasad, the New York regional representative on the USACA board, is having a hard time agreeing with one of the messages put forth in the meetings by Thickett. The treasurer has advocated that 20% of the $2 million in annual funds that USACA is due to receive from CHA should be given directly to individual leagues rather than to the entire region to manage, something Prasad says will encourage corruption.”I don’t think money should be given to the leagues period,” Prasad said. “There are a lot of concerns about that because it’s election time and money is being given to leagues. It makes it look like USACA are trying to buy votes.”Sanap believes the strategy to give money to leagues is only a political tactic and that there’s a good chance the money will never come through.”I don’t think that anybody is going to see that money,” Sanap said. “It’s election-time talk. USACA has never given any money to anyone so why would it give it now? What exactly is USACA’s interest in all these leagues other than votes? I’m calling it as I’m seeing it.”Another concern that others have is that if leagues are given money directly, it could encourage “kitchen-table” leagues to pop up. Paperwork would be filed in order to receive money but no games would actually be played. Thickett concedes that there may have been some dishonesty in the past regarding proper documentation from around the country, but says that anyone who receives money from USACA will be held accountable to demonstrate how the money has been used.”They’re legitimate concerns and I encourage people to raise them. I don’t think people are paranoid for raising them,” Thickett said. “I have a theory that virtually all of the leagues do not fully comply with the constitution. I don’t think there are many leagues that have a women’s or youth cricket mandate. It fascinates me how many leagues have exactly eight teams.” The USACA Constitution states that a league must have a minimum of eight teams in order to become a member.”Part of the presentation talks about compliance. We’re going to start asking regions for budgets, reviews. We’re a non-profit organization. If people have taken money to install a turf wicket and don’t do it, they can go to jail. It’s a pretty serious offense to take money from a charity and not do what they say.”Rather than try to suspend leagues that are not compliant, Thickett hopes that administrators will help them take the correct steps to fall into line.”It’s clearly a rampant part of USACA culture to accuse a league of not existing. Let’s say a league is not compliant. It’s not a good idea to throw them out. It’s better to encourage them to become compliant. Is it worth throwing them out? No.”Despite the objections and concerns raised by some people, Thickett says it is just part of the process and that the initial proposal for how to use the funds is by no means final. He says he will wait for regions to submit formal feedback on the content of the meetings before planning the next step in how to budget the money USACA gets from CHA.”The whole reason to have these meetings is to say this is up for discussion,” Thickett said.

Jos Buttler struck a superb 109-ball century to rescue Somerset on the second day of their County Championship match against Sussex at Taunton

03-Aug-2011
Scorecard
Jos Buttler struck a superb 109-ball century to rescue Somerset on the second day of their County Championship match against Sussex at Taunton. Buttler smashed four sixes and 11 fours to transform the match after title-chasing Somerset had slumped to 93 for 7 in reply to Sussex’s 245, Monty Panesar claiming five wickets in the morning session for the visitors.Buttler made exactly 100 and shared an eighth-wicket stand of 142 with Alfonso Thomas, who battled away for nearly three hours to make 42. Murali Kartik also added 34 at number 10 before Somerset were bowled out for 286 to earn a first innings advantage of 41.By the close Sussex had made 94 for 4 in their second innings to lead by just 53, losing the cream of their batting in Chris Nash, Luke Wells, Ed Joyce and Murray Goodwin. For them it was a day of missed opportunity.Somerset began it on 36 for 1 and progressed to 51 before night-watchman Steve Kirby was caught at second slip off a turning delivery from Panesar. Opener Arul Suppiah quickly followed, also caught in the slips off Wayne Parnell for 14, and Panesar sent back Chris Jones and James Hildreth for ducks as Somerset slid to 54 for 5.That brought Buttler to the crease. He and Nick Compton added 39 before Compton top-edged an attempted sweep off Panesar and fell for 16 to a simple catch by Goodwin at mid-wicket. Peter Trego went first ball to a bat and pad catch at short leg and Panesar had figures of 5 for 26 from 11 overs. Sussex appeared to be exerting a vice-like grip and even when Somerset got to lunch on 124 for 7 they were in deep trouble.Buttler had already deposited a delivery from Panesar into the River Tone and lifted him over mid-wicket for another maximum, and in the afternoon session he grew further in confidence.While Buttler attacked, Thomas dug in to give the youngster valuable support and they helped take the score up to 235 before Buttler played on to a ball from James Anyon, the centurion departing to a standing ovation and sporting pats on the back from several Sussex players.Thomas had faced 154 balls and struck six boundaries and a six when he was caught by Nash at short-leg off bat and pad to give Ollie Rayner his second wicket. By then Somerset had secured a second batting point, something which seemed inconceivable before lunch.The home side’s bowlers then maintained the momentum, Kartik striking twice and Kirby and Thomas once each as Sussex went from 69 for 1 to 87 for 4.

Kevin Pietersen has insisted he still has the hunger for one-day internationals after being rested from the current series against India

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Sep-2011Kevin Pietersen has insisted he still has the hunger for one-day internationals after being rested from the current series against India. That decision from the England selectors was followed by reports that Pietersen wouldn’t play again this year, but he says he hopes to be on the plane to India next month.Before then there are two Twenty20 internationals against West Indies, at The Oval, which have been added to the end of England’s season and Pietersen also has his sights set on them. He played against India, at Old Trafford, last week and is still seen as a key part of the 20-over outfit as they prepare to defend their world crown in Sri Lanka next year.”I’ve got two Twenty20s versus the West Indies later this month at The Oval and then we leave on October 3 for the one-day series in India. I’d love to play in all six games in India,” he told the . “You can never say you won’t have an injury or that you’re a dead cert for selection, but I’d love to play in every game, of course. I’m planning to play on for another four or five years, which will incorporate another couple of Ashes series.”Part of the reason behind Pietersen’s rest has been revealed as a wrist injury that needs treatment and he believes that it is England’s careful management of the players that has helped them rise to the top of the Test rankings.”There’s no doubt that England’s success is also partly down to the fact that the players are rested when they can,” he said. “International cricket can be a constant slog. I think India have got to that point now. The demands on the top players, especially if they play all three forms of international cricket, are immense. Maybe that’s why we haven’t quite got there yet in one-day cricket. But we’re working on it.”Another player who isn’t involved in all three formats for England at the moment is James Anderson, who hasn’t been part of the Twenty20 side since the trip to South Africa two winters ago. Anderson, who took his 200th ODI wicket in the abandoned match against India at Chester-le-Street on Saturday, is keen to regain his place and is considering a stint at the IPL to press his case.”My immediate priority is to play my part in winning the ODI series against India, but if I bowl well enough perhaps that will push me back into their thinking,” Anderson told the . “If not, one option might be to try to play in the Indian Premier League next spring or elsewhere, something I’m really going to have to consider.”With a maximum of only nine T20 matches for England between now and the next World Twenty20, time and games are running out for me to convince the selectors I still have something to offer,” he said. “I understood my omission from the World T20 in West Indies last year on tactical grounds and the variety offered by Ryan Sidebottom’s left-arm seam and swing, and the reasons for my absence ever since.”I can also see where they are going with this younger-looking team,” he added. “But I do feel I can transfer the skills I’ve developed in one-day and Test cricket to the T20 arena and it’s frustrating that I haven’t had the opportunity to play any domestic T20 cricket in which to try to press my case.”Anderson, 29, has not built up quite the same reputation in cricket’s shortest format as he has in Tests and ODIs but has a reasonable record. With international commitments taking precedence, he also hasn’t been helped by the fact that he’s played just three domestic Twenty20 games in the last two seasons, his solitary match this summer coming against Durham in June.”I’m sure the selectors know my feelings,” he said. “I want to play T20 cricket for England, I’m disappointed that I’m not and it’s down to me to persuade them I should be.”