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Fit-again allrounder sets sights on the Ashes but his immediate focus is the ODI series in India

Andrew McGlashan16-Mar-2023Mitchell Marsh did not realise how much he was being hampered by his ankle injury until he made the decision to have surgery and is now feeling rejuvenated as he sets out with twin ambitions for the months ahead.Most immediately is the ODI series against India, a stepping stone to the World Cup later this year, but before that he hopes to find a place in Australia’s Test squad for the Ashes.Marsh underwent surgery after the T20 World Cup and ODI series against England during which he had carried the ankle problem that he initially picked up against Zimbabwe. He was out of action for three months, missing the entire BBL, but made an immediate impact on his return for Western Australia with a Sheffield Shield century and a fifty in the Marsh Cup final.He still won’t be available to bowl in the three matches against India, instead eyeing a return with the ball during the IPL with Delhi Capitals.Marsh has not played Test cricket since a one-off return against England at The Oval in 2019 where he claimed his first five-wicket haul. He was then ruled out of contention for the next series, back home against Pakistan, after he broke his hand punching a dressing room wall at the WACA during a Sheffield Shield match.Related

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India and Australia reacquaint themselves with ODI rhythms

Questions for Australia: how many allrounders are too many?

Ashwin: Murphy '10 to 50 times better' than Lyon was on his first India tour

Marsh 'confident' to play as a specialist batter during India ODIs

The following season Cameron Green emerged into the Test side and has cemented the allrounder role at No. 6, although in recent months there could have been an opening for Marsh if he hadn’t been sidelined. It’s unlikely that he and Green will play in the same side, but he wants to be in position to take an opportunity if it arises.”I feel I’ve really developed as a person and feel like every single year I’ve got better as a cricketer,” he told ESPNcricinfo ahead of the opening ODI in Mumbai. “I’m full of confidence at the moment that my best can match it with anyone. I’m hopeful to get another opportunity in red-ball cricket but if it doesn’t happen I’ll keep plugging away and be happy to represent Australia in whatever team I can.”At 31 years of the age, we’ve seen a lot of guys who have hit their peak around that age. Hopefully that’s the case for me.”Mitchell Marsh made an unbeaten 108 for WA in the Sheffield Shield earlier this month•Getty ImagesHe admitted to a hint of ‘what if’ when Green was absent for three Tests against South Africa and India with a broken finger but knew he’d had no choice but to get his ankle fixed.”It’s natural to feel that way at times, but in the same sentence if I’d kept going with my ankle I probably wouldn’t have got through and it would have been more detrimental to the team,” he said. “I never want to put my own personal goals ahead of anything that comes with team.”I’ve said that getting in the Ashes squad is a real goal of mine. I’m hopeful that’s the case, but I also understand that might not be. It was certainly part of the reason I got the surgery done.”Marsh, who played a key role in Australia’s 2021 T20 World Cup victory after his promotion to No. 3, made the best of his enforced break and when he was able to train again worked extensively on his batting with coaches Scott Meuleman and Beau Casson.”You never really know when you come back how it will pan out but was pretty confident in myself,” he said. “Generally speaking through my career I’ve been best when fresh. Getting a chance to have a break from the rollercoaster ride that international cricket is, I used the time as wisely as I possibly could.”Ultimately, however, an opportunity to add to his 32 Test caps could well be out of his hands as Green continues to make huge strides in Test cricket. Having claimed a maiden five-wicket at the MCG in the game he suffered the broken finger he scored a maiden Test century in Ahmedabad last week.”The trajectory of his career is only going up,” Marsh said. “He’s got a level head on him, he loves learning. He’s got all the attributes to be a great cricketer and he’s sort of got through that period now of all the hype around him.”Now we are starting to see him just perform. He’s gaining a lot of respect around world cricket, not just as a young player but as an established international cricketer. Now he has that belief in himself he will be able to keep pushing the boundaries. And they are big boundaries for him so anything is possible.”

Former Premier League star Nemanja Matic could be in hot water after appearing to cover up a LGBTQ+ logo on his Lyon shirt over the weekend.

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Matic appeared to cover the symbol vs AngersOthers also rejected participation in campaignSports Minister says behaviour "must be sanctioned"Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Lyon midfielder Matic has been criticised for covering the LGBTQ+ rainbow insignia on his shirt during a 2-0 win over Angers. The incident occurred during the league's annual anti-homophobia campaign, which encourages players to wear rainbow armbands and logos.

Matic wasn’t the only one to take a stand. Le Havre’s Ahmed Hassan also covered the same symbol on his shirt, while Nantes forward Mostafa Mohamed chose to boycott the match against Montpellier because of his personal beliefs. Notably, this was the third time this season that Mohamed has skipped a game for the same reason.

Another incident involved Lens defender Jonathan Gradit, who reportedly made a homophobic slur in the tunnel during half-time of their match against Monaco.

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This insignia was part of the LFP's homophobia-fighting campaign to make football more inclusive. This occurred on International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia.

However, some players have pushed back against the league’s efforts in recent seasons. Both Mostafa and Matic have previously refused to wear LGBTQ+ symbols, citing personal or religious beliefs.

The controversy led Marie Barsacq, France’s new Sports Minister, to speak out. She said the government expects clubs and players to take responsibility and uphold the values of inclusion.

WHAT FRANCE'S SPORTS MINISTER SAID

Marie Barsacq condemned the recent actions and called for accountability. She said: "Football has a massive platform, and the [French Football] Federation is determined to put this issue on the clubs’ and supporters’ agenda. Homophobic insults and behaviour are no longer acceptable. Society has evolved, and the language in football must change with it. There’s a full range of sanctions available, and they must be applied."

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR NEMANJA MATIC?

The French Football Federation (FFF) is now pushing for disciplinary action against players who rejected the campaign or acted inappropriately during last weekend’s matches. Matic and Hassan could be summoned for questioning or fined, while Gradit may face suspension if his alleged homophobic remark is confirmed.

Lionesses star Georgia Stanway is back in a starting line-up for the first time since December, for England's crucial Nations League clash with Spain.

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Stanway makes first start since DecemberGreenwood also back in England line-up after injuryLionesses must beat Spain in Nations League clashFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Stanway's last start came way back in December when she turned out for Bayern Munich in their Champions League group stage defeat to Arsenal, with the midfielder undergoing knee surgery a month later that ended her 2024-25 season extremely early. She was, therefore, a doubt for England's European Championship campaign this summer. However, after playing 15 minutes off the bench in Friday's win over Portugal, Stanway was declared fit enough to start for Tuesday night's clash with Spain and was chosen to do so by head coach Sarina Wiegman.

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There is more positive news, too, as Alex Greenwood is also in that starting XI. It's the first time she has started for the Lionesses since November, with her having to have knee surgery of her own the following month. The defender was able to make a return to action before the 2024-25 season ended, playing three times for Manchester City, and that has allowed her to build up her fitness to the point of a return to the England line-up.

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Stanway and Greenwood are among three changes made by Wiegman from the 6-0 thrashing of Portugal, with the other being another returnee. A knock ruled Alessia Russo out of that game but she leads the line in Spain, with Ella Toone also recovering from a small niggle to be on the bench. Russo's appearance is her 50th for England.

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The Lionesses must beat Spain in order to reach the Nations League finals, which will take place later this year. Regardless, after Tuesday's game, the focus will switch entirely to this summer's Euros, set to begin on July 2. Wiegman will name her squad for the tournament on Thursday.

Ireland show improved batting performance led by Adair, McBrine and Tector

Valkerie Baynes03-Jun-2023Four balls was all it took… four balls and more than two sessions as Ireland’s batters put on a dogged display to take their Test against England into a third evening – just – when making it to tea had looked like a sturdy ambition.Josh Tongue’s five-wicket haul on Test debut put his name on the Lord’s honours board and the hosts on the brink of victory and Zak Crawley struck three fours off the first four balls of the innings to overhaul the 11-run target.Droll predictions abounded overnight about how long England’s golf-loving players would need before booking their tee times and the fact that England were forced to bat again was down a 163-run partnership between Mark Adair and Andy McBrine after Harry Tector and Lorcan Tucker had laid the foundation with a fifty stand that signalled an improved Ireland batting performance compared to the first innings.McBrine kicked on after Adair’s dismissal but was stranded on 86 when Stuart Broad bowled Graham Hume with the eighth ball after tea to end Ireland’s second innings, 10 runs in front.England claimed three wickets in the morning session, including one for Tongue, which left him just one shy of the five-for to neatly cap a great week for the Worcestershire seamer. He was drafted into the squad for this match as injury cover for James Anderson and Ollie Robinson and retained his place alongside them in a 16-man squad for the first two Ashes Tests, unveiled on the stroke of lunch.It wasn’t until shortly before the scheduled tea break and with a ball that was 79 overs old that he sealed a spot on the joint honours board, as Tongue had fellow debutant Fionn Hand out edging a length ball just outside off stump to Crawley at slip.England took the second new ball after 81 overs and handed it straight to Tongue, but McBrine and Hume stood firm to go to tea unbeaten on 85 and 9 respectively with Ireland four runs ahead.With opener James McCollum playing no further part in the match after retiring hurt with a badly twisted ankle he sustained while batting on Friday evening, Ireland were effectively effectively 162 for 7 during the morning session. Scans showed no fracture, but McCollum suffered suspected ligament damage and was resigned to watching from the sidelines in a moon boot.Tector and Tucker had batted well the previous evening and comfortably navigated the first half hour on Saturday, adding 29 runs to Ireland’s overnight 97 for 3. But then Jack Leach entered the attack and struck second ball as Tucker attempted to sweep and succeeded only dragging the ball back onto the stumps with his glove to end an assured innings on 44 and a fifth-wicket stand worth 63.Joe Root came on and saw his fifth delivery muscled for six by Curtis Campher. Then Tongue, who had taken all three of Ireland’s second-innings wickets the previous day, returned to action and went for back-to-back fours by Campher, the first a well-drilled cover drive and the second a complete miscue through mid-on.Tector brought up a deserved half-century driving through mid-off and running two but Tongue had him out with his next ball, a short, wide delivery which Tector sent straight to backward point where Harry Brook juggled momentarily before holding on.In the next over, Root invited Campher to sweep and the ball sailed through to Ben Stokes at short fine leg, a dismissal notable for Stokes’ wince as he clutched his troublesome left knee and hobbled after completing the catch.Adair took 15 off one Root over as lunch approached, including a six over deep midwicket to take Ireland past the 200-mark and an authoritative sweep through backward square leg for four. By the time Adair reached his fifty by guiding a short ball from Broad over the keeper’s head for four, he had scored just one run to the off side. He tucked the next neatly to the rope through fine leg before threading a third boundary in a row behind gully.McBrine brought up his fifty with a reverse-sweep off Leach for four and the duo reached their 150 partnership off just 155 balls. Matthew Potts removed Adair, caught behind for 88 off just 76 balls after failing to put more than a light touch on an attempted upper cut. Potts’ relief was palpable as he collapsed into Stokes’ arms to celebrate, perhaps not so much because England had broken Ireland’s record partnership in Tests given the hosts’ still-dominant position, but that he had finally added to his two wickets from Ireland’s first innings after toiling hard through 17 overs of their second.Stokes still appears to be in a race against time to fulfil his ambitions of playing as an allrounder against Australia, although he said after the match that he felt fine. In any case, Tongue stepped in to claim his fifth after going wicketless in Ireland’s first innings, when Broad took a five-wicket haul.When Hume struck a second four on the trot off Root to put Ireland in front by one run, the crowd let out a huge cheer. Even when Broad claimed the final wicket, they couldn’t say they hadn’t been treated to a much fuller day than anticipated and witnessed a batting display Ireland will surely have wished they’d produced on the first day.

Babar Azam impressed with 72, but Peshawar Zalmi failed to put up enough runs in the first innings

ESPNcricinfo staff and Associated Press21-Feb-2024Power hitter Kieron Pollard upstaged Babar Azam’s landmark outing in Lahore, as Karachi Kings cruised to an emphatic seven-wicket win over Peshawar Zalmi on Wednesday.Chasing 155, Pollard bludgeoned an unbeaten 49 off 21 balls with four towering sixes and four boundaries to take Kings home in 16.5 overs for their first win in the tournament.Babar’s landmark 271st T20 in which he became the fastest batter to reach 10,000 runs saw Zalmi getting bowled out for 154 in 19.5 overs after the Kings won the toss and elected to field.Babar followed his half-century in the first game against Quetta Gladiators with a knock of 72 off 51 balls, but his effort went in vain for the second successive game.Zalmi’s innings revolved around Babar’s brilliance after it lost three wickets inside the batting powerplay with Shoaib Malik dismissing Saim Ayub off the first ball with a full-pitched delivery that didn’t turn much. Hasan Ali, playing against his former franchise, also had a dream start when he knocked back Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s off stump off his first ball.Babar revived the innings with Rovman Powell (39) in a 68-run stand and Asif Ali scored 23 before Peshawar lost its last six wickets for only 18 runs in the last four overs. Powell top-edged a reverse sweep against left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz a while Asif holed out at long-on.Left-arm fast bowler Mir Hamza (3-28), who bowled to hard lengths with the new ball, chipped in with the wickets of Aamer Jamal and then took a fine return catch to dismiss Babar in his last over as the Zalmi innings folded quickly.Pollard brought an early finish when he smashed three straight sixes and two fours in a 27-run over against Afghanistan’s left-arm wristspinner Waqar Salamkheil, one of the two changes Zalmi made after losing the first match by 16 runs. Salamkheil conceded 54 off his four overs and got Malik stumped for run-a-ball 29.James Vince remained unbeaten on 38 and ended up denying Pollard a chance at a much-deserved half-century when he drove Luke Wood (2-20) for the winning boundary in the 17th over.Kings, who lost their first game against Multan Sultans by 55 runs, have two points from two games while Zalmi is still looking for their first win.

Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen have secured Farid Alfa-Ruprecht, another promising young talent from England’s Manchester City academy system.

Leverkusen sign teenager Alfa-Ruprecht from Man CityWinger praised for his speed and strong goal recordHe joins as part of the club’s focus on young talentFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Leverkusen have announced the signing of teenage winger Alfa-Ruprecht from City's Under 21 side. The 19-year-old German youth international has agreed a contract that runs until 30 June 2030. Sporting director Simon Rolfes highlighted Alfa-Ruprecht's "impressive goalscoring rate, tremendous speed and great footballing talent" as key factors behind the move, while director of football Kim Falkenberg identified him as a player with potential to become an important first-team member in the future.

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Alfa-Ruprecht, born in Hamburg and of Ghanaian descent, joined City from HSV's academy three years ago. Known primarily as a right winger, he is also comfortable on the left, utilising his strong right foot to threaten the goal. Leverkusen continue to invest in promising young talent as they build for the future, and Alfa-Ruprecht's profile aligns with the club’s strategy of recruiting versatile, pacey attackers. The long-term contract underlines Leverkusen’s confidence in his ability to establish himself in the Bundesliga. This comes after Pep Guardiola's side retain 40 per cent sell-on clause.

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Alfa-Ruprecht's signing follows the model of previous Bundesliga stars to emerge from English academies, with Jadon Sancho, formerly of Borussia Dortmund, a notable example. The winger’s track record in the Premier League 2, where he delivered an above-average goal contribution for a wide player, made him a standout in City's youth ranks.

"Farid Alfa-Ruprecht has caught the eye as a winger in the English U21 league," said managing director of sport Rolfes. "An impressive goalscoring rate, tremendous speed and great footballing talent make him a highly interesting candidate for our first team."

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR BAYER LEVERKUSEN?

Alfa-Ruprecht will join Leverkusen for pre-season preparations and compete for a place in the first team as the club readies for the upcoming Bundesliga campaign. With the German club set to participate in both domestic and European competitions, he could make his debut in either tournament should he settle quickly and impress the new manager, Erik Ten Hag. Leverkusen will monitor his integration and development closely, with a view to him following in the footsteps of other successful young wingers in the league.

We profile Ozias Bvute – perhaps the real power within the Zimbabwe Cricket Union

Steven Price07-Jul-2005

What does the future hold for Zimbabwe’s long-suffering supporters?© Getty Images
The crisis which is threatening to destroy cricket inside Zimbabwe took another twist in Harare yesterday, when the ICC hearing into allegations of racism levelled against the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) was halted before it had really got under way. The problem was that many of the witnesses refused to testify in the presence of three ZCU officials, and the one who caused the most alarm among those ready to face the hearing was Ozias Bvute.Bvute is something of a mysterious figure. Enquiries as to his exact role within the ZCU produce little of any substance, and repeated requests to the board for clarification remain unanswered. Even getting hold of a photograph of him is impossible. Officially, Bvute is the head of marketing, but like so much in Zimbabwe, the title appears barely to hint at his exact role within the organisation.Several sources said that anyone visiting the board’s offices in Harare recently were left in no doubt that while Chingoka was in London on ICC business, Bvute was running the show. Chingoka was keen to play that down when questioned, but whatever his official role, Bvute is a major player and appears to have assumed the role of managing director following the resignation of Vince Hogg last month.Bvute is described by those who have dealing with him as articulate, loud and flashy. He drives a BMW X5, wears stylish suits, and displays all the trappings of success in modern Zimbabwe. He is young – estimates put him in his early thirties – and runs his own business in Harare. One journalist told me that Bvute “knows how to push the right and wrong buttons with people. He understands power, and can be intimidating intellectually and with his physical presence.”Bvute’s cricket credentials appear almost non-existent, and his appointment in 2001 to the ZCU was as head of the Integration Implementation Committee, putting him in charge of the union’s integration policy relating to the advancement of black players. Many have described this role as being that of a “political commissar”, and from the off his links with the ruling Zanu-PF regime have been widely reported.Almost nothing is known about Bvute before that appointment, although Henry Olonga, the former Zimbabwe fast bowler who fled the country after his famous black-armband protest during the 2003 World Cup, said that Bvute and Max Ebrahim had already established a hardline organisation called the Campaign to Eradicate Racism in Zimbabwean Cricket. “They were pretty militant in their attitude,” Olonga recalled, “and were prepared to accuse people of being racist and to take drastic measures, such as calling the black players out of the mixed local leagues and getting them to form their own all-black league.”Bvute first began to attract more widespread attention during the World Cup when he tried to get Andy Flower dropped after he had also donned a black armband, a move which was thwarted when several leading players threatened to refuse to play. Bvute backed down, but was soon back in the limelight when a few days later he kicked Olonga off the team bus and ordered him to stop wearing Zimbabwe cricket kit.Bvute’s intimidatory side was again in evidence at the ZCU’s AGM later that year when one or two dissenters suggested that Robert Mugabe, the president of the board, did not deserve to be re-elected on the nod. “If the member knows what is good for his health,” Bvute snarled, “he will desist from asking such questions.”While Bvute’s supporters play down his connections with the Mugabe government, few actually believe that the two are not closely linked. “He constantly tells team members that he has been to [information minister] Jonathan Moyo’s office and been talking to him about cricket issues,” one former player said. “If that’s not being involved in politics in Zimbabwe today, nothing is.”But the extent of Bvute’s influence really became apparent during the Heath Streak crisis in April. Some claim that Bvute triggered the whole affair when he announced that Dion Ebrahim, of Asian descent and classified black for selection purposes, would be reclassified as white, thus limiting places in national teams this year to four white players. Streak objected, and Bvute demanded that Chingoka sack him. Accounts of what actually happened in the next few days vary, but what is not in question is that when Vince Hogg, the managing director of the ZCU and second only to Chingoka, brokered a possible compromise, he was immediately overruled by Bvute. It was then that his real standing became clear.In the next few months Bvute’s antics did little to help the ZCU’s cause. At the end of April he was involved in a public scuffle with Steve Mangongo, the chairman of selectors. Witnessess say that Mangongo was arguing that he had to have the freedom to pick the best side, white or black, while Bvute told him that he had to “pick who he was told to pick”. A tussle ensued which ended with Mangongo in a heador arm-lock, depending on which account you believe. Mangongo, a hardliner himself, stood down four months later, and was replaced by Bvute’s close ally, Max Ebrahim.As the crisis deepened, Bvute’s true colours became more visible. “It appears like they waited for someone to slip up,” said Olonga, “and as soon as Streak made those demands, he was fired. And anyone who stood up with him was gone as well.”On the pitch, Zimbabwe were in freefall, and Bvute wasn’t a happy man.When Pommie Mbangwa, a former Zimbabwe international turned commentator, dared to criticise the new-look side, Bvute stormed into the media box and told him that he was sacked. He later relented. And when Zimbabwe were humiliatingly bowled out for 35, Bvute reportedly turned on the (white) groundsman and blamed him for preparing a pitch designed to embarrass the Zimbabwe side.Over the summer Bvute assumed even more importance. In May he accompanied Chingoka for high-level meetings at Lord’s with the England & Wales CricketBoard. His increasing profile led to Lord Avebury, in the House of Lords,demanding that he, along with Chingoka, be banned from travelling to the European Union as they were “close supporters and collaborators of the [Mugabe] regime”. Avebury described Bvute as the board’s Zanu-PF representative.As the ZCU’s August annual general meeting loomed, there were rumours that some of the provincial associations were planning on opposing the existing board. Bvute’s response was to try to gain a foothold at a provincial level. It was alleged that he offered Vumindaba Moyo, a leading candidate to become chairman of Matabeleland, a job within the ZCU so that Moyo would campaign for him instead. But Bvute had almost no links with Matabeleland, and Moyo is reported to have told him to “go to hell”. As it was, the rebellion never materialised, and Bvute was re-elected.Almost all those who have opposed Bvute have now left the ZCU – either oftheir own volition or sacked. As his power grows, so does his own perception of his influence, and journalists who have dared to oppose the board have been intimidated by him.The latest indication of his status came when a source close to the ZCU revealed that Bvute had called in the Zimbabwe squad shortly before they left to take part in the Champions Trophy and told them that he was in charge and, as such, they should all call him “Sir”.And now the only person nominally above Bvute in the ZCU food chain is Chingoka. His position is safe, as he is an identifiable figurehead. Even Bvute realises that the cricket world would not tolerate someone with as little experience as him emerging as the new head of the ZCU. But Chingoka, a natural survivor, has realised which way the wind is blowing, and his utterances of late have been far more bullish than before.Meanwhile, behind the scenes, Bvute continues to exert more influence. What is sure is that while he has his hands on the reins, there will be no compromises and no chance of any settlement with the rebels.

When India were batting the pitch looked quite placid, but Munaf Patel showed just how to bowl on it

On the Ball with S Rajesh11-Jun-2006When India were batting the pitch looked quite placid, but Munaf Patel showed just how to bowl on it. The key was the length he bowled: more than 85% of his deliveries pitched perfectly on good length. That, coupled with the lively pace he bowled at and the movement he extracted off the pitch, meant that the batsmen’s techniques were always tested. At the other end, though, he was let down by Irfan Pathan, who again struggled with his length: only 64% of his balls pitched on good length. Worse, he dragged it short fairly regularly, and at his medium pace, that combination meant easy pickings for the batsmen.The three strikes by India in the last session has put them firmly in charge, and while only one team can win the match from here, India might still regret the rate at which they scored runs in the afternoon session. After racking up 124 in 29 overs in the morning session (4.28 runs per over), India crawled at three per over after lunch (103 in 34.3). During this period they played out 143 dot balls, and even went off the field briefly when offered the light. Mohammad Kaif scored 59 from 91 during that period, but the rest of the batsmen showed no urgency: Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Pathan totalled a grand 28 from 86 balls, a scoring rate of 1.95 per over. It remains to be seen if that go-slow approach comes back to haunt the Indians later in the match.

A statistical review of the two-Test series between South Africa and New Zealand

Mathew Varghese19-Nov-2007South Africa’s domination over New Zealand in Tests continued, as they completed a clean sweep of the two-Test series. For New Zealand, it was an entirely forgettable series – they are yet to win a Test series against South Africa.

South Africa-New Zealand head-to-head

Matches SA won NZ won Drawn

35 20 4 11Daniel Vettori’s side never scored more than 200 in any of the four innings. The lack of a fight in the contest is reflected in the figures for average runs per wicket, with New Zealand not even managing half of what South Africa did.

Average runs per wicket during the series

Team Average runs per wicket

South Africa 44.82 New Zealand 16.59New Zealand’s top order failed to score enough runs on the board in contrast to South Africa’s batsmen, who averaged over 60 in their partnerships.

Average partnership per dismissal

For wicket South Africa New Zealand

1-6 60.6021.04 7-10 15.258.38The South African fast bowlers outperformed their New Zealand counterparts on the bouncy wickets. New Zealand, though, did suffer due to the injuries to Shane Bond and allrounder Jacob Oram midway through the first Test.

Performance of pace bowlers

Team Wickets Average Strike-rate

South Africa 3516.0829.9 New Zealand 2039.3065.9The standout bowler in the series was Dale Steyn, who took 20 wickets – ten-wicket hauls in both matches – at a remarkable average of 9.20. In fact, it’s the best average for a bowler having taken 20 wickets in a series since 1970.

Best bowling averages in a series since 1970 (Min 20 wickets)

Player Series Matches Wickets Average

Dale Steyn New Zealand in South Africa, 2007-082209.20 Muttiah Muralitharan Zimbabwe in Sri Lanka, 2001-02 3309.80 Richard Hadlee New Zealand in Sri Lanka, 1983-84 32310.00Steyn also didn’t take too much time in taking those 20 wickets, striking every 16.8 deliveries. For bowlers with 20 or more scalps in a series, Steyn’s strike-rate is only second to England’s George Lohmann, who had a strike-rate of 14.8 against South Africa in 1895-96.

Best strike-rates in a Test series (Min 20 wickets)

Player Series Matches Wickets Average Strike-rate

George Lohmann England in South Africa, 1895-96 3355.8014.8 Dale Steyn New Zealand in South Africa, 2007-082209.2016.8 Bobby Peel Australia in England, 1888 3247.5418.4Jacques Kallis extended his run-scoring spree from the series in Pakistan, and became the first South African batsman to score 9000 Test runs. With his two centuries in the series, Kallis now has 29 in his career, and is in sixth place in the all-time list of highest centurions along with Don Bradman.In four Tests after the World Twenty20, from which Kallis was dropped, he has scored five hundreds in seven innings. It’s the second time he’s scored hundreds in four consecutive Tests. His consistency is also shown by the fact that he’s made fifties in five consecutive innings on three occasions. Kallis has been on a great run-spree this year, with over 1000 runs at an average of over 90. He’s scored a fifty in every Test he’s played this year.Hashim Amla also scored two hundreds during the series, with the unbeaten 176 in the first Test at the Wanderers his highest so far. He clearly enjoys playing New Zealand, averaging over 100 against them, and has scored all his three Test hundreds against them.Kallis and Amla scored 550 runs in two innings while batting together in the series, which is not far from the 614 New Zealand managed in their four innings. The next best pair – of Amla and Ashwell Prince – added 103 runs.With stands of 330 and 220, the two have now put on more than 1000 runs, and are one of the better South African pairings in Tests. Once set, the two have made it count, with five century stands and none between 50-99.

Best partnership averages for South Africa (Min 1000 runs)

Players Innings Runs Average 100 50

Gary Kirsten, Graeme Smith 11 1104100.3651 Bruce Mitchell, Dudley Nourse 20150583.6157 Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis 18 126574.4150

Top-level international cricket now has two bowler-captains, Anil Kumble and Daniel Vettori, which is a whole lot more than there have been in recent times. We take a look at a little-understood breed

Sidharth Monga18-Feb-2008

Giffen: you have a problem if I bring myself on now? © Cricinfo Ltd
George Giffen, perhaps Australia’s first great allrounder, was more of a bowler than a batsman, with seven five-fors and one century from 31 Tests. As a captain he was, according to the , cantankerous and a bit too trusting of his own bowling. In , Don Bradman mentions a time when the crowd had to shout at Giffen to “take yourself off”. He acceded … and changed ends.In his four Tests as captain Giffen bowled 236.2 overs (1418 balls, as opposed to 4973 in his other 27 Tests) – and that after not bowling at all in one innings. In his first Test as captain, Giffen also became the first man to put an opposition in. Although he took 26 wickets in those four Tests, at an average of 22.34 and a strike-rate of 54.50, both better than his career figures of 27.09 and 62 respectively, that was the last series in which he captained Australia. Giffen possibly embodied everything what is traditionally thought of to be wrong with bowler-captains. He wasn’t the first bowler-captain in Test history, but none of the breed till then had had a run longer than ten Tests.A bowler leading a team somehow doesn’t sit well with traditional cricket thinking (win the toss and bat first, remember?). Bowlers are only the henchmen, the doers; batsmen are the shrewd planners. A bowler-captain is supposed to over-bowl or under-bowl himself, be imbalanced and over-aggressive, too simplistic and instinctive. It is no surprise that out of the 71 men in the history of cricket who have captained a team for 20 or more Tests, only ten are either bowlers or bowling allrounders or plain allrounders. The last time two bowlers went out for a toss in a Test match was in January 2003, when Shaun Pollock and Waqar Younis did the honours; 226 Tests have been played since then.A captain is at his busiest when his side is in the field. A batsman-captain can focus his energies on strategising and leading the side, which gives him an obvious advantage over a bowler, who has to think about his own bowling, apart from making sure he has the right fields set and that he has used his other bowlers judiciously. It is physically taxing, too, especially if the captain in question is a fast bowler. “You are worried about your own bowling, about the batsman you are bowling to, and then at the end of a tiring or frustrating over, rather than switch off, you have got to captain for the bowler at the other end,” Mark Taylor, one of the more acclaimed modern captains, points out. “As a batsman you field in the slips and can tend not to worry about the bowling, and can spend a lot of time thinking about changes of bowling if necessary.”It is tough for bowler-captains in other ways too. To return to popular perception: a bowler is regarded as a simple creature, when reduced to essentials – give him a set field and he will try to hit a rhythm of bowling to that field, and as far as possible not diverge. A bowler, especially a pace bowler, hates somebody coming up to him every ball and telling him what to do. Captaincy is a bit more complicated than that. A batsman is naturally more flexible and more innovative, and thus more suited to the task of leading a side.These are perceptions, and commonly held ones, and not always true. Is a bowler not best placed to understand the requirements of a side, considering the bulk of captaincy work happens when a team is fielding, and has to do with the taking of wickets? Imran Khan writes in All Round View how, at one point during the Barbados Test in 1976-77, Mushtaq Mohammad overlooked the wishes of Sarfraz Nawaz and Imran, who were reversing the ball at the time, and took the new ball. “We were right, and the new ball got thrashed about all over the park …” The secret is to pick a good bowler as a captain. The good bowling captain will only get better under his own leadership because he’ll have the right fields Ian Chappell Imran strongly believed that only a bowler-captain could understand what another bowler was trying to do. “… Allan Border tells me he did not fully understand what his pace bowlers were trying to do, and is honest enough to admit he didn’t know what advice to offer them when they were being hit.””The secret is to pick a good bowler as a captain,” Ian Chappell, himself a batsman, and one of the best Australian captains of all, says. “[Richie] Benaud and Imran are good examples … Then they will justify bowling a lot. The good bowling captain will only get better under his own leadership because he’ll have the right fields.”Imran concurs, referring to how he would get irritated by a batsman telling him what to do with the ball. “Being a bowler helped my captaincy a great deal,” he writes. “Having bowled in different conditions, I felt confident of handling my attack, and capable of advising the younger bowlers in the side. It was easy for me to advise and encourage them because I understood what they were trying to do.”I used to study a bowler’s run-up and delivery, and suggest what he might be doing wrong … If a bowler bowled a long-hop, my comment – if any – was not the parrot-cry of ‘pitch it up’. I’d ask if everything was all right.”With captaincy, a lot of it is about adjusting to the added responsibility. Imran did that well, was a good man-manager, and his captaincy brought the best out of his team and himself. Pollock took his own game to a higher level when leading South Africa, but he will also go down in history as a captain who failed to get the best out of his team. Daryll Cullinan, who played under Pollock, says that that period in Pollock’s career will be remembered for his lack of man-management skills and insight into what captaincy was all about.As Chappell says, “A bad captain, whether he is a batsman or a bowler, will make mistakes not because of what he does, but because of his ineptitude. Both a batting or bowling captain have to make adjustments once they have the extra responsibility. The good ones do it and the bad ones can’t.”Although Imran was self-admittedly helped in his captaincy by his being a bowler, and Pollock not necessarily hampered by the same, the truth is there hasn’t been a highly successful bowler-captain since Imran and Kapil Dev. It may be unfair to judge Courtney Walsh, Heath Streak, Waqar, and Andrew Flintoff solely on the basis of results: Walsh and Streak didn’t have the strongest teams to lead, and Waqar and Flintoff were way off their best when their selectors ran out of options or the first-choice captain was injured.A tale of two leggies
In recent times, a certain legspinner promised to make an innovative captain, and thereby prove bowlers could make for leaders the equal of batsmen. But one indiscreet phone call too many and Shane Warne, deputy to Steve Waugh at the time, lost his chance forever, leaving a host of questions unanswered.Would he have brought himself on as soon as he saw Cullinan at the crease? Would he have been instinctive or patient, just like Warne the bowler? Would he have raised his own game even higher? Would he have been aggressive – as he showed in the few ODIs he led Australia in? How ready would he have been to play out draws? How good an off-the-field captain would he have made?Following Warne’s retirement, Anil Kumble has done two things Warne never managed to: score a Test century and lead his national side in Tests.

In his Tests as captain Kumble has shown he possesses the qualities of a statesman – which not many credit bowlers with © Getty Images
When he captained Karnataka in Ranji Trophy games before he took over the Test captaincy, Kumble would walk up to the stumps to direct the point fielder to the exact angle he wanted him at. The mind immediately saw something special, something it was not used to seeing. In the Tests that have followed, the tough character of Kumble the bowler has accompanied that of Kumble the captain. He hasn’t glaringly under-bowled or over-bowled himself, has handled his young bowling attack well, and has emerged unscathed from the toughest tour a modern captain can make, Australia. In tricky times he has shown the qualities of a statesman – skills not many usually credit bowlers with.Yet he was not the first choice for the job, only getting it because Rahul Dravid resigned, Sachin Tendulkar refused the job, and Mahendra Dhoni was too inexperienced. Was it not the same prejudice against bowlers that Kumble was not thought of as a contender for captaincy till there were no alternatives at hand? Even after he started as captain, it seemed he was just keeping the seat warm. That should be far from the case now.Warne’s Australia against Kumble’s India would have been a dream contest. Two of the greatest legspinners of all time, two of the smartest bowlers of all time, trying to lead their teams in the prime rivalry in Test cricket, adding that final missing feather to their hats. That won’t happen now. One last gripe with Warne will always remain.