Tim Gruijters could play his first matches for Netherlands in more than two years after he earned a recall to the Dutch squads to play Afghanistan and Nepal in the next round of the Intercontinental Cup and WCL Championship

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Jul-2016Tim Gruijters is in line to play his first matches for Netherlands in more than two years after he earned a recall to the Dutch squads for the four-day Intercontinental Cup match against Afghanistan from July 29-August 1 and the two WCL Championship matches against Nepal on August 13 and 15.Gruijters has not played for his country since he went home early from the 2014 World T20 in controversial circumstances. Officially, Netherlands management applied to have him replaced after scans revealed a back injury. Gruijters’ injury opened the door for Tom Cooper to arrive as a replacement player and he wound up as the tournament’s second-highest scorer behind Virat Kohli. However, Gruijters claimed he was bullied into going for a scan in order to have Cooper enter the squad when the Australian-based batsman became available after South Australia failed to reach the Sheffield Shield final.Despite the ill-will between Gruijters and team management at the time, the two sides have since reconciled to open the door for his way back into the Dutch side. He is joined by Shane Snater, a former Zimbabwe junior representative who has yet to make his senior team debut for Netherlands. Sikander Zulfiqar has also been named in the squad for the Nepal matches.Making way for Gruijters and Snater from Netherlands most recent WCL Championship and Intercontinental Cup squads are batsmen Michael Swart and Rahil Ahmed. Cooper and Logan van Beek, who were part of Netherlands’ 2016 World T20 squad in India, have also both been omitted.Paul van Meekeren, who impressed at the World T20 and recently signed to play for Somerset for the rest of the current English County season, has made himself available as has fellow Somerset team-mate Roelof van der Merwe.Netherlands currently sit in second place on the Intercontinental Cup table, 14 points behind Ireland but five points ahead of third-place Afghanistan. Afghanistan have won both prior meetings in the four-day competition, by one wicket in 2009 and three wickets in 2012.In the WCL Championship standings, Netherlands are in first place at 10 points after six games and hold a one-point advantage over Hong Kong. Netherlands are currently undefeated, having swept the UAE and Papua New Guinea while their series against Scotland last September ended with a pair of no results after rain ruined proceedings.Netherlands squad for Afghanistan match: Peter Borren (capt.), Wesley Barresi (wk), Mudassar Bukhari, Ben Cooper, Tim Gruijters, Quirijn Gunning, Vivian Kingma, Ahsan Malik, Stephan Myburgh, Michael Rippon, Pieter Seelaar, Shane Snater, Timm van der Gugten, Roelof van der Merwe, Paul van MeekerenNetherlands squad for Nepal matches: Peter Borren (capt.), Wesley Barresi (wk), Mudassar Bukhari, Ben Cooper, Tim Gruijters, Vivian Kingma, Ahsan Malik, Stephan Myburgh, Max O’Dowd, Michael Rippon, Pieter Seelaar, Shane Snater, Timm van der Gugten, Roelof van der Merwe, Paul van Meekeren, Sikander Zulfiqar

Former Pakistan fast bowler Aaqib Javed has said that only Bangladeshi role models in fast bowling will help inspire the next generation of quicks in the country

Mohammad Isam30-Jul-2016Former Pakistan fast bowler Aaqib Javed has said that only Bangladeshi role models in fast bowling will help inspire the next generation of quicks in the country.Aaqib, who is in Mirpur to conduct a specialised High Performance camp for fast bowlers, said that there had to be an Imran Khan-like knock-on effect in Bangladesh cricket to generate greater enthusiasm for the discipline.”I think it is a lack of role models,” Aaqib said. “For Bangladeshis, whatever picture or video you show them of a fast bowler, it won’t inspire the youngsters unless you show them a Bangladeshi bowling at 145kph. But it has started to happen recently. Three of your guys have been showing youngsters that they can bowl fast. That confidence is there. And this is the beginning.”[Back in Pakistan] we used to have only few fast bowlers but after Imran came up as a role model, we never looked back. After Rubel [Hossain], Taskin [Ahmed] and Mustafizur [Rahman], you will have many fast bowlers in the next few years. Your own role models.”Seventeen fast bowlers from the extended High Perfomance squad will participate in the first four days of the camp, while the next two days will be exclusively for the nine fast bowlers in the Bangladesh team.Aaqib said that he focused on the keys to bowling on the first day. He added that while the camp’s duration may not seem very long, he would track the progress of these bowlers in the coming months.”I always believe in process, which means you can make a difference. In a week, you can transfer some knowledge but you can’t actually move them into progression,” he said. “Sometimes it is difficult to accept something that is not suitable, but I can transfer knowledge, give them a plan and, after three months, I can come and see what levels they have reached.”Discussing with the local coaches also, my belief is that some key points should be told to the players while the details should remain with the coaches to discuss. I will try my best to transfer these to the boys. It would not make a difference if I am not around after 6-7 days, but they should know where they are headed.”Aaqib said that he wasn’t keen on changing a bowler’s action but was willing to add some value to it by introducing small changes like increasing momentum.”I don’t believe in changing bowlers’ actions but I believe in adding something that helps them to bowl fast. Today we focused on speed. You should utilise your capacity. We focused on 1-2 km/h with their running speed, which is momentum, and 1-2 km/h from their front-foot force absorption and balance. And the third point is both your bowling arm and your non-bowling arm [must follow the principles of] pull-and-push theory, which can increase your speed by a further 1-2 km/h. The target is a 5-6 km/h pace increase,” he said.Aaqib also highlighted the need for bowlers to make themselves into “products” so that they are sought after in the market.”Tomorrow [Monday] we will lead into mental skills and then end with tactics – when to attack, when to bowl variations and what are the variations, and what are the pillars that every bowler should have.”We had a very interesting discussion with them about making a trade of yourself. When you are challenging as an international star, you must have something in you to show people, become a product which people can buy.”Shoaib Akhtar had pace. Seam and accuracy like Glenn McGrath. And something like Mustafizur Rahman. Something unusual. You must create something that is sellable, which is your trade. I think six days is a long time to understand and make someone understand,” said Aaqib.

Umar Akmal’s brilliant fightback secured a crucial three-wicket win over St Lucia Zouks to draw Trinbago Knight Riders level in third place with the Zouks on eight points

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jul-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsUmar Akmal hit seven sixes and three fours during his unbeaten 73 off 35 balls•CPL/Sportsfile

With Trinbago Knight Riders staring at the prospect of heading to the final leg of the CPL season in Florida with their playoff hopes in jeopardy, Umar Akmal’s brilliant fightback secured a crucial three-wicket win over St Lucia Zouks to draw Knight Riders level with the Zouks on eight points in a tie for third. This meant that Barbados Tridents were pushed back to fifth place with two games to play. Akmal struck an unbeaten 73 off 35 balls in Knight Riders’ chase of 168 having dug his side out of a deep hole at 63 for 5 in the 10th over.Zouks were well placed to defend their total after the fall of Anton Devcich for 25 in the 15th to end a 51-run stand, leaving Knight Riders needing 50 off the last five overs with four wickets in hand. Only four runs were scored in the 16th to further tilt the scales in favour of Zouks but Akmal swung things back Trinbago’s way in the 17th when he targetted Jerome Taylor for three straight sixes and a four, bringing up his fifty off 27 balls. Akmal’s fireworks reduced the equation to 23 off 18 balls.Shane Watson then pinned Sunil Narine down for three dots, but could not sustain the pressure and Narine ended the over by bashing two sixes to make it 9 off 12 balls. Narine fell in the 19th over but Kevon Cooper hit the winning runs two balls later to clinch victory with six balls to spare.Having been inserted, Zouks had powered to a strong start with Johnson Charles and Andre Fletcher notching 58 in the first seven overs. Charles was fortunate after having been dropped in the first over on 1 off Ronsford Beaton and was reprieved again on 11 in the fourth over when replays showed Devcich had overstepped after having Charles caught by Dwayne Bravo at mid-off.Fletcher was run-out in the eighth over for 25 and Charles’ luck ran out 10 balls later when Bravo claimed him for 27. From there, Zouks struggled to regain the flow to their innings until Darren Sammy’s arrival in the 16th after Grant Elliott was removed for 12. Sammy clubbed Cooper for four and six in the 18th to spur a late surge, and then bashed two more fours and a six off the final seven balls of Zouks’ innings to finish 37 not out off 18 balls. However, his spectacular form the stadium renamed in his honour could not extend the hosts’ winning run, with Akmal halting it at three games.

Australia A’s bowlers, led by Mitchell Swepson and David Moody, restricted India A to 230 with the pink ball after Manish Pandey’s 76-ball 77 on the first day in Brisbane

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Sep-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details4:25

Watch: India A bundled out for 230

Australia A’s bowlers, led by Mitchell Swepson and David Moody, restricted India A to 230 with the pink ball after Manish Pandey struck a 76-ball 77 to get his side off to a good start on the first day of the first unofficial Test in Brisbane.After opting to bat, India A began promisingly when openers Faiz Fazal and Akhil Herwadkar added 65 in a wicketless first session. However, Australia A struck back after the lunch break, removing both of them in quick succession.Pandey shared a 70-run, fourth-wicket stand with Karun Nair to stabilise India A after they stumbled to 3 for 118 from 0 for 74. Pandey’s brisk 77, which included 13 fours and a six, helped India A to 3 for 188 at the tea interval.Seamer Chadd Sayers had Pandey caught off the first ball after the break to spark India A’s collapse. Legspinner Swepson removed Nair and Pandya off consecutive overs as India A fell away dramatically.Swepson finished with figures of 4 for 78, while David Moody took the last two wickets in three balls to return 3 for 26. India A lost their last seven wickets for 42 runs.Joe Burns and Cameron Bancroft struck five fours between them in six overs to cut Australia A’s deficit to 205 at stumps.

The ball still spun, and the sell-out crowds bayed for Sri Lanka, but Australia have comfortably won the limited-overs series playing “scrappy cricket”, captain David Warner said

Andrew Fidel Fernando09-Sep-2016The ball still spun, and the sell-out crowds bayed for Sri Lanka, but Australia have comfortably won the limited-overs series playing “scrappy cricket”, captain David Warner said.Warner took Australia’s reins when the ODI series was tied 1-1, but has won each of the five matches since then. His team has been particularly impressive in the T20s, winning the first by 86 runs, and the second by four wickets with 13 balls to spare, despite having lost six wickets for 27 runs.”I think the guys showed a lot of determination and fight to overcome the conditions, which were very, very challenging and something that we are not very used to,” Warner said. “The Test guys had to make an adjustment to make – from the Test match conditions to the one-day conditions.”You saw scrappy cricket during the one-day series, where the highest score was 280 here. And then we were scrapping to get to 200. It was good grinding cricket. It was something that we’re not used to. The encouraging signs mean that we’ve worked really hard to win both series. “Though Australia have fared much better against spin in the limited-overs series, Warner suggested that didn’t necessarily make them better players of spin in the Test format. He was, however, pleased with the seam attack, which prospered in conditions not known to favour quick bowlers.”We knew once the shine got off the ball, the ball was going to spin consistently,” Warner said. “In one-day cricket it’s a bit different – you can’t have two in close with slip and a leg slip. It’s just not possible. The reverse sweeps, sitting in the crease to pinch the ones and twos, and rotating the strike, are all much easier in this game than in the Tests, where it was very, very tough for us as a batting team. But the way the bowlers conducted themselves and reduced totals after losing the toss consistently, was a fantastic effort.”Maxwell had also said good T20 scores in Asia didn’t guarantee better Test performances, though he has now starred in consecutive matches as opener. He hit the best innings of the match again, scoring 66 off 29 balls to break the back of the target during the Powerplay. He remains a makeshift opener however, having replaced the injured Aaron Finch in this series.”Maxwell is a very good player of spin inside the first six,” Warner said. “He can chance his arm. He can reverse sweep and sweep. What he did today and the other day was no fluke. That’s exactly what he can do when given the opportunity. We know with the team we have a structure there, and once Aaron Finch comes back in, he’ll probably have to move down the order and assess what his game plan is again. We’ve seen him do it at the top, we’ve seen him doing it in the middle – there’s no excuse.”Warner, who has been critical of bowler-friendly nature of the limited-overs pitches in Sri Lanka, said the Khettarama surface was the worst of the lot.”The wicket probably wasn’t up to scratch in the games. In the last game at Pallekele the wicket was outstanding – I know we played 260, but both teams felt like the wicket was very encouraging. We could hit over the top. There was nice, consistent bounce. Here it was very, very tough.”

Lancashire batsman Haseeb Hameed will become the youngest debutant to open for England in Test cricket, in the first match against India in Rajkot

George Dobell in Rajkot08-Nov-20160:45

Quick Facts – Haseeb Hameed

Lancashire batsman Haseeb Hameed will become the youngest debutant to open for England in Test cricket, in the first match against India in Rajkot.Hameed, aged 19 and 297 days by the time the game starts, will become England’s fifth-youngest Test debutant, and Alastair Cook’s tenth opening partner since the 2012.Ben Duckett, who opened the batting in Bangladesh and made a sparky half-century in his final innings of the series, will move down to No. 4 to accommodate Hameed. Gary Ballance, who scored just 24 runs in four innings in Bangladesh, was dropped from the XI for Rajkot.Hameed enjoyed a breakthrough season in the 2016 Championship campaign. Opening the batting for Lancashire, he scored almost 1200 runs at an average of 49.91. The four centuries he scored included two in a match against a strong Yorkshire attack. As a right-hander, he will also correct a slight imbalance in an England top order that, in Bangladesh, saw five left-handers in their top six.While he was born in Bolton, Hameed has a strong affiliation with India and Gujarat in particular. His parents – who will be at the game – were born here and his brother was married here in recent days. He names Sachin Tendulkar, who he met as a seven-year-old, and Virat Kohli among his heroes and, in 2010, he travelled to Mumbai to learn to bat on the city’s maidans that have been the breeding ground of many fine cricketers.”Haseeb has impressed everyone so far on this trip,” Cook said. “You wonder if a 19-year-old, coming on tour, will be overawed but he hasn’t been at all. He has looked really good in the nets and the way he has gone about his business. It’s obviously a very special day to pick someone so young.”He is incredibly unflappable. He looks a very good player of spin. He picks length well and uses the crease well. Stuart Broad bowled at him last summer and was almost straight on the phone to me saying how impressed he was with this guy.”He is one of those natural run-scorers. All through his age group, whatever team and whatever standard, he has scored runs. It’s probably a year earlier than he would have thought. But to average 50-odd as an opener in Division One as a 19-year-old is an incredible feat. I was nowhere near the player he is at 19.”Of course there will be some tough moments for him over the next few of playing Test cricket, but I think this guy can play.”While Cook admitted it was “not ideal” to move Duckett down the order after two Tests, he did not foresee any negative impact. “He’s a pretty unflappable character,” Cook said. “Historically he has played all his cricket in the middle order until the last year. He’s comfortable batting anywhere.”Hameed’s selection means no place for Jos Buttler, who has only played one first-class match since he was dropped a year ago, or Ballance, who has averaged only 19.90 in the six Tests since he was recalled in July and failed to reach 30 in his last seven innings.”It was a tough decision,” Cook said. “Jos has played some really good one-day cricket on this tour and his batting looks in really good shape in the nets. But he hasn’t played that much first-class cricket. Gary hasn’t scored the runs he would have liked.”Cook also played down talk about his imminent retirement as captain, after being quoted by the magazine as saying: “I don’t know how much longer I am going to carry on. It could be two months, it could be a year.”But talking ahead of the Test, Cook reiterated his oft-stated view that he will take the role “series by series”.”It’s a mountain out of a mole hill,” he said. “It’s been blown out of proportion. Since the World Cup, I have been very open and we have taken it series by series. It could be two months, six months or two years.”The Rajkot game will represent the 55th time Cook has captained England at Test level, surpassing the previous record of 54 times by Michael Atherton.

Keaton Jennings celebrated his call-up to England’s Test squad by scoring an unbeaten hundred to lead the Lions to victory in their first match against UAE

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Dec-2016
Scorecard
Keaton Jennings scored an unbeaten hundred in Dubai (file photo)•Getty Images

Keaton Jennings celebrated his call-up to England’s Test squad by scoring an unbeaten hundred to lead the Lions to victory in their first match against UAE. Jennings, captaining the side in his first appearance for England Lions, scored 101 off 103 balls to seal an eight-wicket win.He was involved in a century stand with fellow opener Daniel Bell-Drummond, who made 40, and added another 59 with Tom Alsop, who was also making his debut.The Lions had been set 175 to win after dismissing UAE in 45.3 overs, with the Surrey trio of Stuart Meaker, Tom and Sam Curran leading the way with the ball. Meaker claimed 4 for 38, with three victims caught behind the stumps by Surrey team-mate Ben Foakes, while the Currans picked up two wickets apiece.”That couldn’t have gone much better,” said Jennings, who is set to leave for India next week and join up with England ahead of another potential debut in the fourth Test. “It was our first game together in the field after six or seven weeks, and a really enjoyable experience for me captaining the team.”It was a decent wicket, so to keep them down to 170-odd was a really good effort. And then to spend some time in the middle for me was great, even if they were one-day runs – which is obviously different to how things will be in India.”Having won the toss and decided to bowl, Toby Roland-Jones made the breakthrough for the Lions. Rohan Mustafa and Ghulam Shabeer added a 54-run second-wicket stand but Meaker separated them as wickets began to fall regularly. Ollie Rayner removed Shabeer and although Mohammad Shahzad top-scored with 38, he became Meaker’s third scalp.England play UAE in two more 50-over matches before a four-day first-class fixture against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi starting on Wednesday.

Robin Peterson, the former South Africa allrounder, has announced his retirement from all cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Nov-2016Robin Peterson, the former South Africa allrounder, has announced his retirement from all cricket. He made his South Africa debut during the Champions Trophy in 2002, and played 15 Tests, 79 ODIs and 21 T20Is, taking 137 international wickets and also scoring four half-centuries.Peterson, 37, was a useful member of South Africa’s side with his restrictive left-arm spin and clean lower-order hitting. His career highlights include six wickets in the Perth Test of December 2012 to help South Africa clinch a series win in Australia, a crucial all-round display (61 in the first innings and 4 for 74 in the third innings) to help beat India in Durban in December 2013, and 15 wickets at 15.86 in the 2011 World Cup to finish as South Africa’s top wicket-taker in the tournament.”It is with mixed emotions and fond memories that I would like to announce my retirement from professional cricket,” Peterson said. “It’s been an incredible journey with so many people that have supported and encouraged me along the way. First and foremost I’d like to thank all my team-mates for all the special memories they’ve helped create along the way, as well as all the coaches that have played a role in my development and as mentors throughout my career.”I’d like to thank Eastern Province and Warriors cricket for giving me an opportunity and seeing something in me that I didn’t think existed, and Cobras Cricket for the wonderful years I’ve spent down In Cape Town. I’d also like to thank the VKB Knights for allowing me into their space and for the management at Free State cricket that have handled my decision with impeccable professionalism and a human touch.”To the fans I’d like to say a special thanks for always making me proud to represent you guys while representing the Proteas and our wonderful country. I’d like to thank my agent Arthur Turner for all his support too.”Lastly I’d like to mention my family for their unwavering support and love shown throughout my career and introducing me to a game I’ll continue to love forever. It’s been an exciting journey for me and I’m looking forward to creating more wonderful memories pursuing other interests while spending time with my wife Portia and son Harper.”

A round-up of the sixth round of Sunfoil Series matches on January 8, 2017

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Jan-2017Cape Cobras marched to a commanding six-wicket win in Outdshoorn against Lions after they chased down the target of 237 inside 44 overs on the final day with an aggressive and unbeaten century from Wayne Parnell. He struck the game’s only century as well as contributed with the ball to take Cobras to their first win in six matches.Once Lions were dismissed for 383 on the final day, Cobras had 46 overs to chase and did so by scoring at nearly 5.50 runs per over on the back of Parnell’s 103 off 131 balls that featured seven fours and two sixes. Once their first wicket fell at the score of 74, a 125-run second-wicket partnership between Parnell and Stiaan van Zyl (64 off 65) took them to 199, before van Zyl was dismissed by Aaron Phangiso. By then, Cobras were on top and they completed the win soon after Parnell reached only his second first-class ton, and he smashed the winning runs with a four.Lions were on the backfoot in the game’s first session when they crumbled to 44 for 6 in under 23 overs after being asked to bat. Dwaine Pretorius scored 35 at No. 6, but with his dismissal, Lions soon folded for 126. Parnell broke the opening stand and collected three of the last five wickets to finish with 4 for 26.Cobras overcame Lions’ score in reply, but not without their own collapse. Opener Omphile Ramela struck a patient 75 even as the rest of the top five batsmen scored 15 runs together. After Ramela steered them till the score of 159, Aviwe Mgijima scored 73 and an unbeaten 48 off 135 from Dane Piedt helped them put on 273. Pretorius and Willem Mulder took three wickets each.Trailing by 147, Lions put on a stronger batting performance second time around, but after another collapse, as Nicky van den Bergh’s 93 helped his team recover from 48 for 4. He shared 97 runs with Pretorius (62) for the fifth wicket to nearly wipe off the deficit but was removed by Piedt. A late surge from the tailenders led by Bjorn Fortuin (72) took Lions to 383, helped by Hardus Viljoen’s 46, but it was not enough to stop Cobras.Kingsmead saw a tame draw between Dolphins and Warriors after inclement weather resulted in a curtailed second day, and a third day that had to be called off without a ball being bowled. In the 180.4 overs the match saw, Dolphins’ Vaughn van Jaarsveld, Divan van Wyk and left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy delivered standout performances. Warriors batsman Colin Ackermann, who scored 81 in the first innings, was their only notable show.Asked to bat, Warriors’ innings consisted of a 102-run partnership between two batting collapses. After their openers put on 47 runs, Warriors soon saw themselves at 99 for 4. Ackermann stitched a century stand for the fifth wicket with Somila Seyibokwe (54) to take Warriors past 200, but with Seyibokwe’s dismissal, a second Warriors collapse saw them all out for 231. Muthusamy accounted for Ackermann and three other lower-order wickets as he returned figures of 4 for 49.Dolphins, who finished the first day on 39 for no loss, then batted through spells of poor weather to take a comfortable lead. Van Jaarsveld struck his 15th first-class century, scoring 154 while putting together consecutive century partnerships. He added 145 runs for the second wicket with van Wyk (95) and another 116 runs with Cody Chetty. By the time van Jaarsveld – whose century earned him the Player-of-the-Match award – was dismissed in the 86th over, the Dolphins lead had gone past 100 and the teams agreed on a draw after playing 40 overs on the last day. Dolphins earned 9.22 points while Warriors got only 3.62 points from the match.In Bloemfontein, a dangerous pitch after two days of rain saw the match between Knights and Titans being abandoned without a ball being bowled.

If Mushfiqur does sit out of the Christchurch Test, Nurul Hasan may get his maiden Test cap

Mohammad Isam18-Jan-2017Mushfiqur Rahim has been kept under observation for multiple injuries but it is his thumb that’s more worrying than the blow to the neck he suffered on the fifth day of the first Test. According to team physio Dean Conway, he will need more time to recover from the finger injury.”His finger injury is worse,” Conway told reporters. “The hairline crack that has been found is new. He will need to give more time for this injury.”At the same time however, local doctors have reportedly advised him not to take the field for at least a couple of weeks even though the neck scan revealed no damage. Conway said that Mushfiqur may need at least three weeks to fully recover from the hit on the neck.”Doctors in New Zealand usually advise not playing for three to four weeks. In England they advise not taking the field for two to three weeks. In that regard, Mushfiqur may need three to four weeks to return,” he said.If Mushfiqur does sit out the Christchurch Test, wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan will step up and make his Test debut.