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Northamptonshire made an impressive return to County Championship action, totally dominating the first day of the match against Leicestershire at Grace Road

19-Jun-2011
Scorecard
Northamptonshire made an impressive return to County Championship action, totally dominating the first day of the match against Leicestershire at Grace Road. The Division Two leaders dismissed bottom-of-the-table Leicestershire for 168 with Lee Daggett and David Lucas claiming four wickets a piece before Stephen Peters hit an unbeaten 76 as Northamptonshire closed 32 runs behind on 136 for 2.Both wickets were taken by Leicestershire captain Matthew Hoggard, who bowled Ben Howgego for 26 and had Rob White caught behind for 22. Peters, dropped at slip on 54, shared an opening partnership of 83 with Howgego and reached his half-century off 65 balls with eight boundaries as he turned the screws on the hosts.Leicestershire would have been in an even worse plight but for a half-century from Wayne White, who shared a sixth-wicket stand of 80 with Tom New. But they lost their last five wickets for 13 runs in six overs and Peters’ solid innings in reply put his side in complete command.There was little sign of the problems to come when Leicestershire’s openers Will Jefferson and Matt Boyce put on 39 in 13 overs. Then Boyce was undone by a yorker from Daggett that knocked back his middle stump, the dismissal triggering a sudden collapse that saw five wickets tumble for 36 runs.Daggett struck twice more having Jefferson caught at midwicket and Andrew McDonald snapped up behind the stumps while Greg Smith was bowled as he pushed forward to a full-length delivery from Andrew Hall. A moment of misjudgement cost James Taylor dearly when he was given out lbw offering no shot to a ball from Jack Brooks that would certainly have hit the stumps.It left Leicestershire in disarray at 75 for 5 before a bright and positive sixth-wicket stand between White and New put the brakes on Northamptonshire’s progress. The aggressive White was the dominant force hammering 10 boundaries in a 77-ball half-century.But having put on 80 runs in 20 overs New carved a catch to point off Lucas and Leicestershire’s recovery ground to a halt with the last five wickets contributing little. White was out for 54 top-edging a catch as he tried to pull a short ball from Lucas and the tailenders all went cheaply. Lucas finished with 4 for 55 and Daggett 4 for 35.

Jacques Rudolph came within a run of celebrating his return to the Yorkshire ranks with a century as bottom-placed Hampshire endured another difficult day at the Rose Bowl

02-Aug-2011
Scorecard
Jacques Rudolph returned to Yorkshire and fell one run short of a hundred•Getty ImagesJacques Rudolph came within a run of celebrating his return to the Yorkshire ranks with a century as bottom-placed Hampshire endured another difficult day at the Rose Bowl.South African Rudolph, who only rejoined the club last week, seemed sure to score the 43rd century of his first-class career until he drove spinner Imran Tahir to short mid-wicket where Dominic Cork clutched a low catch.Rudolph’s dismissal after 211 balls and 11 fours and a six came as a surprise because the tidy left hander had offered no hint of a chance until then. His dismissal was a rare moment of success for Hampshire as Yorkshire, after winning the toss, finished on a respectable 318 for three at the end of the first day from 105 overs.Left-arm pace bowler Chris Wood promised much for Hampshire in his opening spell in which all his first seven overs were maidens. Wood also took a wicket, that of Rudolph’s opening partner Joe Sayers who edged him to wicketkeeper Michael Bates after managing just eight from 50 balls.Yorkshire went into the match without Tim Bresnan, Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow – all on international duty – but they were not missed as Yorkshire quickly got on top.Rudolph and his captain, Andrew Gale took the match away from Hampshire with a stand of 129 for the second wicket in 32 overs. Rudolph reached his 50 with a six over mid-wicket against Danny Briggs before Hampshire made their second breakthrough at 149.Gale who had struck 10 fours in his 54, lifted Tahir to mid-wicket where James Vince held the catch above his head. There was no respite for Hampshire, still looking for their first win of the season, as Anthony McGrath joined Rudolph in another profitable stand, this time 55 for the third wicket.Rudolph was the third to go at 249 but even then Yorkshire maintained a firm grip on proceedings, McGrath now joined by Gary Ballance in an unbroken stand of 114 for the fourth wicket.McGrath was missed at short leg by Jimmy Adams off Tahir at 20 but went in at the close unbeaten with 65 in an innings so far made up of 188 balls and including five fours. The aggressive Ballance reached his half century just before stumps and was 50 not out with eight fours.Wood’s miserly start helped him to respectable figures of 1 for 42 from 18 overs while Tahir was the most successful in terms of wickets with 2 for 89 from 31 overs.

The New Zealand A team has greatly benefited from being part of the recently-concluded Emerging Players Tournament in Queensland, according to A-team manager Grant Bradburn

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Aug-2011New Zealand A have greatly benefited from being part of the Emerging Players Tournament in Queensland, according to team manager Grant Bradburn. New Zealand failed to win a game in the Twenty20 format of the tournament, and won only one three-day match, but Bradburn said the experience would help the players once the home domestic season started.”Playing competitive international cricket at this time of year in those conditions is just absolute gold for their preparation leading into our summer,” Bradburn, who also coaches Northern Districts, told .”All those guys that got experience there will be that much better off for our domestic season.”The EPT also featured teams from Australia, India and South Africa. New Zealand won one of the three T20 games played and finished last on run-rate. They fared better in the three-day format, as they lost one game and drew two, finishing third in the standings. “There were different challenges for us,” Bradburn said. “It was a three-day concept with no first-innings points, so it really created some urgency in terms of thinking about where we wanted to be positioned in the game.”The whole concept gets a big plus in terms of the opportunities players were presented with,” Bradburn said. “There’s clearly opportunities at the Black Caps level and some guys have advanced their standing and taken the chance to put themselves further forward towards that recognition.”Allrounder Doug Bracewell was the standout performer for New Zealand in the T20 format with 91 runs and five wickets from three games. In the three-day format, Dean Brownlie was the second highest run-scorer of the tournament, making 413 runs from three games at an average of 103.25, with one century and two half-centuries.”His technique was impressive, he was very consistent on tour,” Bradburn said of Brownlie. “He’s well equipped to score runs at a higher level.”

In the very near future a new venture to promote cricket inside the USA will be announced, involving a domestic Twenty20 tournament which it is hoped will attract a raft of overseas players

Martin Williamson11-Oct-2011A new venture to promote cricket inside the USA is to be announced shortly involving a domestic Twenty20 tournament which, it is hoped, will attract a raft of overseas players. Cynics may be forgiven for thinking they have seen many previous ventures come and go but the difference this time is that it is well-funded, professionally managed, and comes in line with the ICC’s declared strategic ambition to target and grow key new markets.The ICC and other boards have for years been eyeing the USA, potentially a massive franchise and sponsorship market that nobody has managed to come close to tapping. But now Cricket Holdings America LLC (CHA), a joint venture between New Zealand Cricket (NZC) and United States of America Cricket Association (USACA), is aiming to do just that.There are two strands to the project. The first is to stage a four-to six-team Twenty20 competition, starting next July, with sides comprising overseas professionals supplemented by local players, much as has happened in the IPL. The second is for CHA to stage international matches inside the USA.The idea was devised between Neil Maxwell and New Zealand Cricket CEO Justin Vaughan. Maxwell is a former first-class player who is now an agent for players such as Brett Lee and Michael Hussey. He also spent a spell as CEO of the Kings XI Punjab IPL franchise. At the same time NZC, aware of the limits of functioning in a very small market, was looking for ways to expand its boundaries and increase income. Maxwell brought NZC together with USACA and the long-term result was a joint venture between the two. Funding to date has all come from investors in CHA.NZC’s motives were borne largely out of their need to manage risk. “New Zealand Cricket needs to be less reliant on income derived out of traditional FTP cricket and seek to cultivate new income streams,” Vaughan explained.”Growing our financial base allows us to invest into the game at all levels, and to secure our top talent.”The deal means CHA will run a T20 tournament as well as stage potentially-lucrative international matches involving Full Member teams. “The focus is to raise capital and that will generate the licence fee to USACA to give it resources to grow the game,” Maxwell said. “CHA will exploit commercial rights to deliver the annual returns.”The T20 tournament is at the heart of the plans. Several schemes, most not even half-baked, have come and gone. Then two-and-a-half years ago Don Lockerbie, at the time just appointed as USACA’s first full-time chief executive, outlined a grand IPL-style plan but it ultimately floundered on a lack of investment and internal politics. Lockerbie has since departed, but Maxwell believes there are key differences between earlier attempts to tap the market and CHA’s.”In order to attract value this has to feature some of the top players in the world. This time there is a Full Member country involved and it is line with ICC’s strategy. As a result, it has the ability to attract international players while the other ventures didn’t. I am not critical of those people but this has the blessing of the proper authorities. NZC is the lead in this and it is in best interests of cricket in USA.”CHA plans to launch the first tournament next July or August. “The USA aligns with the English season and that’s a far less congested period, so there are better opportunities then. We’re not looking for huge windows … no more than a couple of weeks in the early years. If we just waited for a gap we would get nowhere in the short term.”Asked if that could raise the hackles of other boards, Maxwell said that was unlikely. “All Full Members are aware of what we are doing and no one has stated any significant issue with it. In fact, there are lots of well-wishers hoping that this market is accessed.”While there is likely to be significant interest from a large expat community in the USA, Maxwell admitted the real challenge will be to take the game into the mainstream market. “We have to present a compelling entertainment product as opposed to a straight cricket product. We have to learn lessons from the IPL – good and bad – and we need to take the game to a broad market. This has been done spasmodically previously but we now provide a platform of credibility. To get the wider appeal we have to attract quality players – as football has done with Beckham – but we can’t do that without a competition.”But does the already packed calendar need another Twenty20 competition? “”World cricket doesn’t need it, but it will benefit as a result of opening the US as another cricket market. All cricket will benefit from the USA adopting the game. A new market only improves the value of broadcast rights and encourages the growth of new audiences and ultimately players.”Maxwell said international matches were also key to the venture. “CHA holds the right to stage one-day matches within the US. New Zealand is committed to a number of games each year as part of the commitment to US cricket.”Venues remain an issue. Last year a triangular series involving New Zealand, Sri Lanka and USA was undermined by poor pitches in Florida, and Maxwell admits that has to be sorted. “We have to establish venues and plans are in place to improve existing ones as well as modify other stadia. For the T20 tournament we would be prepared to use artificial pitches if needed. Not necessarily in the first year, but we are looking at options.”Maxwell is aware of USACA’s current problems. “It needs some administrative help and the plus is NZC is renowned for its solid administration and governance structure. We are pushing forward on the basis USACA will be taking necessary steps to support its constitution and stakeholders. We are hoping it’s a short term issue as CHA is a long-term vision.”CHA will be advertising internationally for an experienced chief executive and T20 league commissioner later this week, and at the end of the month there are more meetings in the USA to start planning for 2012. Given the backing this venture has, it may be that after so many false dawns, this might finally be the time when the potential for growth within the USA is finally exploited professionally.

Heavy rain in Kolkata has forced the Champions League Twenty20 governing council to move the four scheduled matches at Eden Gardens to Hyderabad and Bangalore

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Sep-2011Heavy rain in Kolkata has forced the Champions League Twenty20 governing council to move the four scheduled matches at Eden Gardens to Hyderabad and Bangalore, subject to approval from the local authorities.The Group B matches scheduled for September 25 and 27 will now take place in Hyderabad, while the match on September 29 involving Royal Challengers Bangalore and a team from the current qualifier will be played in Bangalore.”With regret and in the best interests of the tournament, CAB [Cricket Association of Bengal] and CLT20 have reluctantly agreed to moving its four scheduled Group B matches away from Eden Gardens due to the heavy rains that have deluged Kolkata,” Jagmohan Dalmiya, the president of CAB, said in a statement.”We’re disappointed that we’re not able to host the matches, but this decision was unavoidable and taken out of our hands due to the current weather conditions. We wish CLT20 luck for the tournament and hope CAB will have the chance to host the event in the coming years.”

Mohsin Khan, Pakistan’s interim coach, has said that he told his players to be mentally strong ahead of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Dubai

Umar Farooq30-Oct-2011Mohsin Khan, Pakistan’s interim coach and chief selector, has said that he told his players to be mentally strong ahead of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Dubai. Pakistan won the match by nine wickets after squandering a strong position in the drawn first Test in Abu Dhabi.”It’s a team game and every man has to play his part instead of relying on the senior players,” Mohsin told ESPNcricinfo. “I advised them to be honest and responsible as we are here to perform our duty and are expected to deliver our best.”The important thing I had transmitted to the boys was that no matter how big a player you are, you aren’t bigger than Pakistan.”Pakistan’s batsmen showed rare consistency in Dubai and the bowlers responded well to give them a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Mohsin said that he tried to get the players to trust their abilities and they delivered. “My team has all the required capability to beat any team. They only needed consistency in batting and bowling and this time they hit the mark in both departments and results are there.”Pakistan had dropped six catches in Sri Lanka’s second innings in Abu Dhabi after taking a 314-run first-innings lead, allowing Kumar Sangakkara and Prasanna Jayawardene to put on a match-saving 201-run stand. Mohsin said that Pakistan were disappointed that they had let go of a winning opportunity. “Those dropped catches actually dented all our good work. But this is all part of cricket and what is important is not to repeat those mistakes and take the next step for improvement.”Mohsin also warned his side against being satisfied with their 1-0 lead ahead of the final Test in Sharjah. “We are wary of Sri Lanka as they will come hard and try to make the most of the final Test but we are brimming with confidence and I will ensure my men guard against complacency.”Test cricket will return to Sharjah after a nine-year gap when the third match of the series starts on November 3, but Mohsin said that there would be little difference in conditions compared to the venues for the first two games. “The climate conditions are similar as before though the track has a lot to offer to batsmen and less to the bowlers.”

Sachin Tendulkar played down the hype surrounding his much-awaited 100th international century, saying it’s “just a number”

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Nov-2011Sachin Tendulkar has played down the hype surrounding his much-awaited 100th international century, saying it is “just a number”. Tendulkar was unable to reach the landmark during the Test series in England and missed out in the first two Tests of the ongoing series against West Indies. He has another opportunity this series, at his home ground, the Wakhede Stadium, the venue for the third Test starting November 22.”I feel it is just a number,” Tendulkar told “I am not thinking about it. I am thinking about playing good cricket. I am enjoying my game.”When I got my 90th international century, nobody said anything. Even before my 99th century, nobody said anything. So why now? I don’t understand.”I know everyone is talking and thinking about my 100th century. I want to be relaxed and let cricket decide its own course. I am not rushing into anything, just concentrating on my normal game.”Tendulkar reached his 99th century against South Africa during the World Cup earlier in the year. He’s had three half-centuries since, and the closest he’s got to scoring a century was when he made 91 at The Oval against England in the final Test of that tour. He recently completed 22 years in international cricket; he made his international debut on November 15, 1989, against Pakistan in Karachi.”It’s a wonderful feeling,” he said. “It gives me immense pleasure and terrific satisfaction that I’ve been able to serve my country for such a long time.”

Michael Clarke declared Australia’s innings when he was on 329, giving up the chance to try and break Brian Lara’s world record. He said he wanted to put the team’s priorities first

Daniel Brettig at the SCG05-Jan-2012Where others saw records or dollar signs, Michael Clarke could only surmise Australia’s chances of victory. In declaring on 329 not out after a stand of 334 with Michael Hussey, Clarke gave his side half the match to round up India a second time, and had taken two choice wickets in the form of Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid before the close.Against a nation that has a well-entrenched fascination, even obsession, with individual run-scoring achievements, Clarke’s decision drew plenty of post-play questions about why he had not gone on in pursuit of Brian Lara’s 400, or even surpassed Don Bradman and Mark Taylor only five runs further on from his tally. But Clarke was adamant that the pursuit of the win came first.Michael Clarke: “It’s about respect, continuing to earn the public’s respect, and that’s all I’ve ever wanted.”•Getty Images”I didn’t think about it at all, I didn’t have Don Bradman or Mark Taylor’s score in my head whatsoever,” Clarke said. “It was about trying to get the team to a number, a total I thought would be a good score to make a declaration, then have a crack this afternoon to get a couple of wickets.”I think it is about putting the team first, that’s why we play. What I love most about this game is seeing this team win. I’ve always been like that as a player and I’ll be no different as a captain. If it was best for the team to continue batting I would have continued to bat.”While he stopped short of such records, Clarke could be content with the highest Test score ever made at the SCG, surpassing RE Foster’s 287 for England more than a century ago. He said the magnitude of his innings would not sink in until the match ended, preferably in victory for his side.”I don’t think it’ll sink in properly until we win the Test match,” Clarke said. “That’s why we play, that was my goal walking out there today. Don’t get me wrong, I’m stoked that I’ve managed to make 300-odd runs in this Test match, but the most important thing for me now is we win the Test.”That was a big part of the reason for my declaration. I spoke to Huss just before we declared and I really wanted him to make 150, he deserved it, and once he got that I thought now we have a 450-run lead, it is a good time to pull up stumps and try to get a couple of wickets tonight.”I didn’t expect to score 300 in one innings, so the fact I’ve done that I’m stoked, and [as for] all the other records, I’m happy where I sit to be honest.”Clarke said the most testing aspect of his innings was simply to sustain his energy and concentration over nearly two days of batting. His previous first-class best of 201 not out for New South Wales had receded a long way into the distance by the time he had finished.”Batting the amount of time for me [was the toughest thing]. I’ve never batted that long in any form of the game in any team in my career,” he said. “Physically I felt pretty good, when I came to the ground I felt pretty fresh, and my body felt in a pretty good position. It’s just the mental application and concentration that you need to have.”Clarke’s application has if anything been enhanced by the captaincy, and he is now doing great things in the role to earn the respect of his team and the Australian public. The former captain Mark Taylor has said vice-captaincy can be difficult when the leader is a figure a legendary as Allan Border or Ricky Ponting, but Clarke said he had appreciated the apprenticeship, too.”I’ve said it a million times and I’ll say it again, it’s about respect, continuing to earn the public’s respect and that’s all I’ve ever wanted,” he said. “People are going to dislike me, that’s life, the way it is, but the most important thing for me, especially being the Australian captain now, you want your home fans to respect you, so that’s all I’ve ever asked for.”I enjoyed the vice-captaincy a lot. I thought it was fantastic to sit underneath Ricky and learn as much as I could from him, learn about leadership, learn about captaincy, learn about what it takes off the field to captain Australia. That probably opened my eyes to leadership more than anything else.”And I’ve enjoyed this challenge. It’s an honour and privilege to captain Australia, there’s a lot that goes with it, but I’m enjoying it at the moment. The team having some success obviously makes life a lot easier. We’ve got a lot of talent out there so that makes my job a lot easier as well.”Hussey’s own 150 was put in the shade by Clarke, much as anyone who batted any length of time with Don Bradman had been. But he said he had simply enjoyed the chance to bat alongside Clarke for 334 runs, and to witness the SCG’s highest individual tally from the other end.”I don’t really mind [being overshadowed]. I said to Pup out in the middle I was honoured and privileged to witness and be a part of that,” Hussey said. “It was a fantastic innings and one I’ll remember for a long time, I’m sure Pup will as well, and one that got our team into a very strong position in the Test match, that’s what I’ll remember about it.”

Nobody is more desperate to move on from the last six weeks than India’s cricketers. The first T20 against Australia is their perfect opportunity to do so

The Preview by Brydon Coverdale31-Jan-2012Match factsFebruary 1, Stadium Australia, Sydney
Start time 1935 (0835 GMT)It’s nearly four years since Brad Hogg last played for Australia – also against India•Getty ImagesBig PictureNobody is more desperate to move on from the last six weeks than India’s cricketers. Here is their perfect opportunity to do so. The first T20 not only pits two very different sides against each other, compared to those that played in the Tests, it also takes India and Australia to an entirely new venue for international cricket: Stadium Australia. The stadium, at Homebush in Sydney’s west, was built for the 2000 Olympics and has a far greater capacity than the SCG. It will become the 19th ground in the country to host international cricket.Appropriately enough it will host a new-look Australia team under the captaincy of debutant George Bailey. The 40-year-old spinner Brad Hogg will make his comeback after a vintage campaign from him in the Big Bash League, while the fast bowler James Faulkner could be in line for his debut. David Warner and Shaun Marsh are the only men in the squad who took part in the Tests against India.The visitors have more of a crossover from the Test series, but there has still been plenty of new blood injected into the group. A 17-strong party has assembled for the T20s and the triangular one-day series that follows, including relatively inexperienced men like Rahul Sharma and Manoj Tiwary, but who will get the nod for the first match remains a mystery. Both sides are also hoping to use the series to narrow down their list of potential players for the World T20, to be held in Sri Lanka in September.Form guide (Most recent first)
Australia LWLLW
India LLWWWIn the spotlightWho else but George Bailey? Not since Dave Gregory in the very first Test match has a man made his international debut for Australia as captain. And with plenty of attention having been paid to Bailey’s record in the shortest format, he will be hoping to show what he can offer at No.5, while also marshalling his troops in the field.India always appear a more dynamic outfit when Suresh Raina is present, and he will provide spark not only in the batting line-up but also in the field. Spark is precisely what India need to rediscover after their Test slump.Team newsAustralia have named a 14-man squad and as the selectors cast an eye to the World Twenty20 they are likely to give each player an opportunity in at least one of these two games. Shaun Marsh is in the group despite having been dropped from the upcoming ODIs, and this could be a chance for him to free his mind and play naturally. Daniel Christian and Mitchell Marsh could be battling for one spot, while Xavier Doherty and Hogg are the two slow-bowling options. The selectors will probably want to see what the uncapped Faulkner can deliver, while Clint McKay is also in the squad.Australia (possible) 1 David Warner, 2 Shaun Marsh, 3 Aaron Finch, 4 David Hussey, 5 George Bailey (capt), 6 Travis Birt, 7 Mitchell Marsh / Daniel Christian, 8 Matthew Wade (wk), 9 Brad Hogg, 10 Brett Lee, 11 James Faulkner.India have a big group to choose from, and the make-up of their attack is not yet clear. Ravindra Jadeja and Irfan Pathan might be competing for the same spot, and the extra spinner could be desirable if the drop-in pitch proves slow.India (possible) 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Gautam Gambhir, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Suresh Raina, 5 Rohit Sharma, 6 MS Dhoni (capt, wk), 7 Ravindra Jadeja / Irfan Pathan, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Praveen Kumar, 10 Vinay Kumar, 11 Umesh Yadav.Pitch and conditionsAs a new international venue, it will be interesting to see what the Stadium Australia pitch offers. The former Adelaide Oval curator Les Burdett has been brought in to prepare surface. Like most drop-in pitches, it is unlikely to have much in the way of pace and bounce.Stats and trivia At 40, Hogg will be the third-oldest man to play a T20 international. He played two T20s for Australia back in 2006 and 2007, but didn’t take a wicket. Australia and India have met in four T20s for two wins each – the first two went India’s way and Australia won the second twoQuotes”I’m nervous about both [captaincy and debut], from the playing aspect you’re anxious to get out there and perform really well, and the captaining side of things I’m really comfortable with that, it’s more getting to know the players as quickly as I can.”

Monty Panesar has said there were moments he feared he would never play Test cricket again during his long absence from the England team

George Dobell25-Jan-2012Monty Panesar has said there were moments he feared he would never play Test cricket again during his long absence from the England team.Panesar, who returned to Test cricket after a break of two-and-a-half years, bowled 33 overs on an absorbing first day of the second Test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi and clearly enjoyed every moment of it. Panesar, the 29-year-old left-arm spinner, has been sidelined by the emergence of Graeme Swann and England’s reluctance to go into a Test without three seam bowlers, but was recalled after the tourists opted to select two spinners as part of a four-man attack for the first time since December 2003.”In a sense I was making my second debut, having been out of the team for such a long time,” Panesar said afterwards. “I was nervous, but I was also delighted to get a go and bowl in tandem with my spin twin: my partner ‘Swanny’. I’ve been out of the team for three years, so I just want to make the most of my opportunities.”Panesar even hinted that he might be prepared to take his double act a stage further by joining Swann, an enthusiastic lead singer in a Nottingham-based band, on stage at their next gig. During his time playing grade cricket in Sydney, Panesar has been singing Bruce Springsteen covers in the Mike Whitney Band. “Maybe me and Swanny can do a duet one day,” he said.”I enjoy my partnership with Swann,” Panesar said. “Bowling in tandem with him works well. I might have the ball spinning away from the batsman and he might have it turning in and that creates pressure. We help each other. Some batsmen don’t feel comfortable against offspin, so I’ll try to get them on strike so Swann can bowl at them. It can be very effective, either in bowling sides out or creating pressure.”I’m not thinking about being the No. 1 spinner. I have been out of the team for a long time, so I’m just enjoying this opportunity. We just see each other as partners and look to help each other.””When you’re out of the team you do wonder if it is ever going to happen again,” he added. “There were times when self-doubt did creep in.”Panesar was only informed that he was playing 20 minutes before the start. While some might have wanted the extra notice, Panesar was relieved not to have known in advance. “It was good I didn’t find out before,” he said. “I wouldn’t have been able to sleep and I’d have been practising my action in the mirror all night.”Panesar’s best moment of the day came moments after his worst. The ball after dropping a relatively simple return catch off Mohammad Hafeez, Panesar bowled the same batsman with his slower ball.”I was thinking I needed to do a bit more caught-and-bowled practice,” Panesar said, of the dropped chance. “I should have taken it. But I think I meant to do it – the arm ball – and it just hit the leather and skidded on.”Panesar was quick to credit the role of Sussex in his revival. He moved to Hove ahead of the 2010 season and feels that the culture of the club and the increased role he has been asked to fulfil have helped him develop as a player.”They’ve helped me grow at Sussex,” he said. “They have made me play a leading role in all forms of the game and that has increased my confidence and self belief. I’ve just kept going and waited for this opportunity.”You need good coaches – good people – around you to help you get through that. That is why Sussex has been so good. They have a good culture there. Mark Robinson and Mark Davies have worked hard on my game.”Panesar was not, perhaps, quite at his best. The slow pace of the pitch allowed batsmen plenty of time to cut and he was punished for pitching short. But with Tests to come in Sri Lanka and India this year, England will be relieved that they have a viable partner – or, if necessary, replacement – for Swann.Meanwhile Taufeeq Umar, Pakistan’s opening batsman, agreed that England had enjoyed the best of the opening day. “England are in the better position right now,” he said. “We lost a couple more wickets than we expected. But Misbah-ul-Haq is still there and he knows how to play with the tail.”Everyone was surprised by how much it turned, even with the new ball. But with two top spinners in our side, that is a plus point for us.”Taufeeq also praised his captain, Misbah. “He always delivers when the team needs it,” Taufeeq said. “He’s a great player – a thinking cricketer – and he always leads from the front.”