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D’Arcy Short will replace Maxwell for both ODIs and T20Is starting February 21

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Feb-2020An elbow surgery has ruled Glenn Maxwell out of the upcoming ODIs and T20Is against South Africa starting February 21. Maxwell will undergo surgery to his left elbow and will be replaced by D’Arcy Short in both squads. Maxwell is expected to require six to eight weeks before he is ready to return to playing, Cricket Australia said, which means he is likely to miss the beginning of the IPL too, which is set to begin at the end of March.Maxwell told the Australian team medical staff that pain in the elbow he had been managing through the recently-concluded BBL “had increased over the weekend” and he was then reviewed by Cricket Victoria’s Dr Trefor James, Australian team doctor Richard Saw and a specialist surgeon in Melbourne, a Cricket Australia release confirmed. Scans revealed some loose fragments of bone within the elbow joint of his non-throwing arm and Maxwell will undergo arthroscopic surgery this Thursday.”We are disappointed to lose Glenn this close to the tour as we were looking forward to welcoming him back to the national side in both the 20- and 50-over formats after his break during the summer,” national selector Trevor Hohns said. “Unfortunately, the pain he has experienced in the elbow in the latter stages of the BBL increased over the weekend and he will have surgery immediately to rectify the situation.”An opportunity has now presented itself for D’Arcy and we’re confident he’ll make the most of whatever opportunities come his way in South Africa. Like Glenn, D’Arcy is an inventive, hard-hitting batsman who offers a handy spin-bowling option. We have no doubt he will make a positive contribution to the squad.”Short was one of four standby players identified by the selection panel when the original squads were chosen and had also replaced Sean Abbott for the ODIs in India last month, although he didn’t get a game there. While Short has been included, Marcus Stoinis has once again be overlooked. Short is seen as a more like-for-like replacement for Maxwell despite also being an opener in the BBL because of his ability to bowl left-arm wristspin. He took a maiden T20 five-wicket haul against the Sydney Thunder late in the BBL season.Stoinis broke the BBL record for the most runs in a season, with a tally of 705 including a century and six half-centuries, surpassing Short’s previous record. But Stoinis only bowled two overs for the tournament. Mitchell Marsh was chosen for the South Africa series as the seam-bowling allrounder not only because of his bowling, but he also scored at a higher strike rate with a lower dot-ball percentage batting in the middle order for the Perth Scorchers.Maxwell was not confident about performing at the international level with the injury and decided to undergo surgery.”Representing Australia is the highest honour in cricket and something I cherish,” Maxwell said. “I was not confident that I could perform at international level with my elbow in its current state and have decided to undergo surgery straight away to fix the issue.”Maxwell’s injury is a huge blow for Australia who badly missed his late innings power-hitting during the recent tour of India. He had been omitted from that series despite an outstanding BBL where he guided the Melbourne Stars to the final again with some dominant batting performances as well as some excellent bowling in the powerplays in particular. He has not played for Australia since taking a mental health break midway through Australia’s T20 International series with Sri Lanka back in late October of 2019. But he played every game of the BBL season without issue and spoke about feeling refreshed and ready to return to international cricket after being selected for the tour of South Africa.Australia will play three T20Is and as many ODIs with the tour scheduled from February 21 to March 7.Maxwell had been picked up by Kings XI Punjab for INR 10.75 crore (US$ 1.5 million approx.) in the auction in December, among the three Australian millionaires along with Pat Cummins and Nathan Coulter-Nile. With the IPL expected to begin on March 28, Maxwell could miss a few games for Kings XI who would have banked on him as a reliable middle-order power-hitter.

He played eight Tests in the late ’70s and early ’80s, and was known for his big-hitting

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Apr-2020Jock Edwards, the former New Zealand Test wicketkeeper, has died at the age of 64.A short, stocky, big-hitter, Edwards made his Test debut in the home Test series against Australia in 1976-77 as a specialist batsman, before taking the gloves when England toured the following season. He then travelled to England and played The Oval and Trent Bridge Tests, but had a poor showing behind the stumps. He played the last of his eight Tests against the visiting Indians in 1981, before the emergence of Ian Smith forced him out.While his work behind the stumps was derided by the local TV commentators on that tour of England, they probably saw the full range of his batting prowess in the preceding Auckland Test, where he made a solid 55 off 105 in the first innings and followed it up with 54 off 67. And that wasn’t even his fastest Test fifty: that came against Australia – and the likes of Dennis Lillee and Max Walker – when he hit 51 off 47 with 11 fours. He scored half-centuries in three of his first six Test innings.Edwards also played six ODIs, between 1976 and 1981, and on one-day debut made 41 off 57 as opener to help New Zealand to a nine-wicket win against India in Christchurch. In an interview with the in April 2011, Edwards said of that match: “I remember when I opened against India in a one-day international, I was out to Bishan Bedi for 41 and Glenn Turner [his opening partner] was still on three or four at the other end.”Edwards was an important contributor in regional cricket for Nelson. He was a part of the Nelson side that was dominant in the Hawke Cup – the multi-day inter-zonal competition, which is more than a century old – between 1979 and 1983.The Central Districts Cricket Association paid tribute to Edwards on Facebook, writing in glowing terms of his time with Nelson. “An absolute legend of Nelson Cricket who … represented CD in 67 first-class matches and 31 one-dayers in the ’70s and ’80s,” the post read. “Jock was also a mainstay of one of Nelson’s great Hawke Cup eras, the 14-match tenure that spanned 1979 to 1983 – among many other fine achievements in his career. Rest in peace, Jock.”Central Districts also took to Twitter to expand on Edwards’ Hawke Cup exploits.

Kyle Jamieson and Ajaz Patel also win first central contracts

ESPNcricinfo staff14-May-2020Devon Conway, the South Africa-born batsman, has been offered a New Zealand central contract for the first time, alongside seamer Kyle Jamieson and left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel.Conway, 28, was cleared by the ICC to represent New Zealand in March and will be eligible for selection from August onwards. He was born and raised in South Africa, but decided to start afresh in August 2017 and moved to New Zealand, where he has starred for Wellington in domestic cricket.ALSO READ: ‘I sold my property, car, everything, because I wanted to start afresh’Colin Munro and Jeet Raval have not received offers to renew their contracts for 2020-21, after underwhelming performances in the 2019 World Cup and home Test summer respectively. Todd Astle, the legspinner, has also been dropped from the contract list after retiring from red-ball cricket in January.Jamieson, 25, made his international debut during the home series against India in February. He took nine wickets in the two-Tests series at 16.33 apiece, and was the most economical bowler in the ODI series that followed. Patel, 31, has played eight Tests and two T20Is, and has primarily been used as a second spinner in overseas conditions.”It’s really exciting to offer contracts to Kyle, Ajaz and Devon who have all impressed over the past 12 months,” said Gavin Larsen, New Zealand’s selection manager.”Kyle’s performances against the might of India were nothing short of outstanding and at 25 years of age he’s certainly got a big future. We see Ajaz as the incumbent Test spinner at present and he’ll be looking to stamp his mark on that spot after some superb efforts with the ball in the sub-continent.”Devon’s form with the bat across all three formats these past two seasons made him impossible to ignore and he’s going to be a great option to add to the batting mix.”James Neesham, Will Young and Tom Blundell have all retained their deals after being offered contracts last season.Under the terms of NZC’s agreement with the NZCPA (the players’ union), the 20 men offered deals have until May 22 to accept or decline the contracts, which officially begin on August 1. “The NZC contract review group… considered a range of factors including past performances, playing history, the playing schedule for the next 12 months and likelihood of players being involved during that period,” a press release stated.Women’s contracts have also been discussed, with a list of offers set to be released next week.New Zealand contract list, 2020-21: Tom Blundell, Trent Boult, Devon Conway, Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, James Neesham, Ajaz Patel, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson, Will Young.

Former captain believes BCCI is ‘thinking about women’s cricket’, but wants clearer flow of information

PTI04-Aug-2020Anjum Chopra, the former India women’s captain and current television commentator, believes that the BCCI has a plan for women’s cricket but wants the board to communicate its ideas more clearly.Speaking to PTI, Chopra said: “It’s not that the BCCI is not thinking about women’s cricket. I only think they need to be more specific in communication about women’s cricket.”I firmly believe that they must be thinking about women’s cricket but the communication all this while has been very specific to men’s cricket.”The BCCI has received criticism of withdrawing the women from a tour of England in September, owing to logistical issues arising out of the Covid-19 pandemic. Then there is the question of the Women’s T20 Challenge clashing with the WBBL.Chopra said missing out on the England tour is “not nice” but Indian players’ participation in the T20 Challenge will still be useful preparation for next year’s ODI World Cup.”It is heartening to see women’s cricket making headlines,” Chopra said. “They should have been a part of that England tour and it did not feel nice initially but the women’s IPL [T20 Challenge], irrespective of the format, will be helpful for World Cup preparations. Any form of cricket is good preparation.”Missing out on a tournament is not nice, but logistically there may have been issues. And you can’t send an under-prepared team.”If you see it in isolation, we may have missed out on an opportunity to play in England. The more the girls play the better it is, before playing a tournament of the stature of World Cup. [But] the assurance from the president [Sourav Ganguly] is a very good thing.”ALSO READ: The issues facing India women’s cricket in the face of Covid-19Chopra welcomed the decision to hold the women’s event in the UAE alongside the IPL, which will run from September 19 to November 10. The women’s T20 Challenge will coincide with the knockouts of the men’s league.”I am definitely happy, it’s always nice to be part of any cricket anywhere across the world,” Chopra said. “They should have been nearing the final stages of the preparation for the World Cup by now, but because of the pandemic things did not go as planned.”

Six New Zealand players – Williamson, Neesham, Boult, Ferguson, Santner and McClenaghan – have IPL contracts

Press Trust of India23-Jul-2020New Zealand Cricket (NZC) will issue No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to each of the six New Zealand players contracted with IPL franchises, but said that “due diligence” on health safety protocols will have to be done by the players themselves.The players contracted with the IPL this year are Kane Williamson (SRH), Lockie Ferguson (KKR), James Neesham (KXIP), Mitchell Santner (CSK) and the duo of Trent Boult and Mitchell McClenaghan (both MI).”Regarding the IPL, NZC will be issuing NOCs to the relevant players and it”s up to them to decide,” NZC spokesperson Richard Boock told via email.The IPL is likely to be held in the UAE between September 26 and November 7, a window thrown open by the ICC”s decision to postpone the October-November men’s T20 World Cup in Australia due to the covid-19 pandemic.While the NZC will be updating its players about health safety protocols and the latest covid-19 related developments, the onus will be on the six individuals to do their own due diligence.”Well, yes, the issuing of NOCs is considered on a case-by-case basis and it”s rare that they are ever refused. However, the due diligence is something for the respective players to shoulder – although we are happy to pass on as much info as we can to assist in these matters,” Boock added.Recently, New Zealand captain Williamson spoke about wanting to know more about the safety protocols that will be in force.Boock said NZC “doesn’t have an opinion on the IPL being staged in the UAE” because it was not within the board’s remit.New Zealanders have a considerable presence in the IPL apart from those playing too, with several former cricketers part of the support staff of teams or involved in commentary. Stephen Fleming is CSK’s head coach, Shane Bond is MI’s bowling coach while Mike Hesson is RCB’s director of cricket operations. Both Danny Morrison and Simon Doull have been regulars on the commentary panel.Meanwhile, Boock also confirmed that the New Zealand A team’s tour of India which was scheduled in August, has been cancelled. “My information is that the A tour of India will not be happening. It was decision taken by mutual agreement between both the boards.”

Lancashire recover from 2 for 2 through Josh Bohannon’s five-hour 94

Paul Edwards06-Sep-2020
It is September yet this cricket season, such as it’s been, has run little more than half its course. On Liverpool’s great ground, Lancashire and Derbyshire are playing a match the result of which might help to determine the destiny of an utterly new trophy. Inside Aigburth barely a hundred people have gathered for a game which, in normal times, would be a major event, even in this football-crazed city. But instead of the babble of hospitality there is the dull hum of a generator; instead of the chatter of expectation, shouted encouragements ring out in the crisp air: “That’s the way, Sammy boy! Backing you, pal.” As a backcloth to these sounds, the first ambers of autumn settle on the trees that line Beechwood and Riversdale Roads. “As on this whirligig of Time / We circle with the seasons,” wrote Tennyson.This is a bigger game for Derbyshire, who still have hopes of contesting the Bob Willis Trophy final at Lord’s, than it is for Lancashire, whose chance has gone. Yet for nobody do these four days carry more significance than George Lavelle and Jack Morley, who were making their first-class debuts for the home side. So our cricket was freighted with both personal and collective aspirations and when this first day was done, Derbyshire held the advantage, a judgement reinforced by the loss of George Balderson and Danny Lamb’s wickets in the final quarter-hour of play. For all that Josh Bohannon’s 301-minute 94 had frustrated the visitors a total of 206 for 8 should not daunt them, especially as Lancashire are fielding one of their greenest bowling attacks in recent memory. And as the evening session ended, the cries of the players still rang out as loudly as they had in the gentle warmth of afternoon. “Yes Fynny! Come on Critcher!”Such encouragements enriched the day but they had barely been voiced at all at eleven o’clock when Sam Conners swung the first ball of the match into Keaton Jennings’ pads. Steve O’Shaughnessy did not have to think too long about his decision. His colleague, Graham Lloyd, pondered a little longer when Luis Reece brought one back off the seam to Alex Davies in the fourth over but his finger went up, too, and both openers had gone for nought.Derbyshire sought more breakthroughs with the new ball but were resisted by Bohannon and Rob Jones, both of whom are in their early twenties yet might think themselves old hands in a Lancashire team five of whom hadn’t played first-class cricket before Lammas. And thus the rhythm of the morning was set: Bohannon and Jones, watchful yet unwatched, except by perhaps 80 other souls. Bohannon and Jones, rebuilding an innings, driving sweet fours to a silent boundary. It was like that for most of a session in which early drizzle gave way to broken cloud and brightness.The visitors took their third wicket when Jones edged Dustin Melton to Leus de Plooy at slip and would have had more if Mattie McKiernan had held on to difficult chances at slip off Melton. But Bohannon and Vilas survived those alarms and after 2 for 2 Lancashire would have taken 71 for 3 at lunch. They would not, however, have accepted the departure of Vilas in the over after the resumption when the Lancashire skipper was surprised by the lift Reece coaxed from the pitch and feathered a catch to Harvey Hosein.That wicket brought Lavelle to the wicket and he batted without much fuss or worry to make 13 runs in nearly an hour before being pinned on the back foot by Melton. Certainly he did not look out of place but then neither have most of the six young cricketers who have made their first-class debuts in Lancashire’s colours this season. One of the first was Balderson, who has settled into county cricket with almost unnerving ease and now played with easy composure and good footwork for 36 until his slash at a ball from Conners gave Wayne Madsen a catch just before the close.Five runs were scored in nearly half an hour after tea but no one thought the cricket dull. This arm-wrestle was interrupted when Bohannon not only square-drove Reece to the boundary but in the process managed to lose the ball under the media tent. It took Anuj Dal a couple of minutes to locate the thing and he then threw it back to the umpire Lloyd, who decided it still looked like a cricket ball and tossed it back to Reece. Lloyd is rarely given to life’s complexities.Neither, you might argue, is Bohannon and that is why both men are so good at their jobs. The Lancashire cricketer once wondered if this game was for him but he now looks every inch a professional batsman, fond of drives but not in thrall to them and, as we saw again at Aigburth, always ready to grit it out if that is required. Although dropped by McKiernan on 29, and again by Madsen, an easier one on 40, Bohannon was six shy of his second first-class century when he clipped Melton to midwicket where Fynn Hudson-Prentice took a diving catch. Buoyed by this vital wicket, Derbyshire’s bowlers dominated the final hour of the day. Morley came out to play his maiden innings in first-class cricket and ended the session with no runs to his name but his wicket intact. One imagines he is looking forward to the morning; he is not by himself.

“When I fell, I felt more frustration than pain,” says Delhi Capitals spinner

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Sep-2020R Ashwin might be back in action for Delhi Capitals sooner than expected after dislocating his left shoulder in his team’s IPL 2020 opener against Kings XI Punjab, with his scan reports “encouraging”. He also said, on social media, between Monday and Tuesday, that the pain in the injured shoulder has “settled down” and “the stiffness and inflammation around it, I hope, will go away”.The incident took place on the last ball of the sixth over of the Kings XI innings on Sunday, Ashwin’s first over of the game, in which he had already sent back Karun Nair and Nicholas Pooran to give the Capitals a distinct edge. Glenn Maxwell, the new man in at the fall of Pooran’s wicket, drove the ball, Ashwin dived, and looked in pain straightaway after landing awkwardly. Patrick Farhart, the team physio, reached Ashwin on cue, and the bowler went off with his left arm in a makeshift sling, fashioned from his team jersey.For him, as Ashwin put it in a video on his YouTube channel on Tuesday, it was “more frustration than pain”, the injury coming as it did immediately on his return to action.ALSO READ: Injurywatch – when will Williamson, Ashwin, Marsh return?“My shoulder bone popped after I fell, so I was in a lot of pain. But the beauty of it was our physio and team doctor made me lie down and clicked my shoulder and popped it back into the ball socket,” Ashwin said. “During the last six months, I was bowling at home, and I know I was looking forward to the tournament. When I fell, I felt more frustration than pain. Maybe because of that you would have seen those emotions on my face.”The scan, which Ashwin was encouraged by, was conducted on Tuesday morning. “I had a scan this morning. Usually when the ball pops out of the socket, there can be a tear or damage. But the ball popped back into its place since my shoulder and elbows are hyper-mobile, so the stiffness and inflammation around it, I hope, will go away.”The Capitals won that game after it ended in a tie and Kagiso Rabada bowled a Super Over to remember, and Shreyas Iyer, their captain, sounded a positive note on Ashwin after the game. “I briefly spoke to Ashwin, and Ashwin said he’ll be ready for the next game, but at the end of the day it’s the physio’s decision. He [Ashwin] is a strong-minded guy, and hopefully he’ll be available,” he told the host broadvaster.The Capitals’ next game is against Chennai Super Kings on September 25 in Dubai.

The Gabba will now host only the final Test as the SCG shares the opening six white-ball games with the Manuka Oval

Daniel Brettig28-Oct-2020Seldom has the term “open and shut case” carried more layers than those around Australia’s home international schedule for the 2020-21 season.Little more than 14 hours after the end of the Victorian government’s interminable Covid-19 lockdown of metropolitan Melbourne, it announced – along with Cricket Australia and the Melbourne Cricket Club – that the MCG would be able to host the Boxing Day Test against India after all, with crowds of up to 25,000 per day.At the same time in Perth, a city as untouched by Covid-19 as any in the world, the Western Australian Cricket Association’s chief executive Christina Matthews was left to throw her hands in the air in frustration. This was due to the fact that a state government lockdown of a different kind – that of WA’s hard border with the rest of the country and the world – ensured the state would go without international cricket for a full summer for the first time since 1976-77.Another contrast could be found – though somewhat less stark – in Sydney and Brisbane. In the Olympic city, the SCG was host to a surfeit of dignitaries to toast the fact that the ground would host even more international cricket than usual, as it will now share the opening six white-ball games of India’s tour with the Manuka Oval in Canberra.These fixtures landed in New South Wales largely because further north in Queensland, the state government was reticent to allow both Indian and Australian players and staff – including those returning from the IPL in the UAE – to quarantine and train in Brisbane. So from a time when, as reported by the , Queensland stood to host more than half of India’s matches, the Gabba will now see Virat Kohli’s team only for the final Test of a series that will first take in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney.What these contrasting outcomes demonstrated, above all else, was that no state government’s maintenance of a hard border for health or political purposes might continue indefinitely without costs as well as benefits. The complete lack of international cricket in WA and the drastic reduction of the same in Queensland will leave a sour taste in the mouths of many cricket followers in both states, and likely to leave them wondering whether more ways could have been found to reach a happier outcome.As it stands, there is no certainty about whether WA will even be able to host the Perth Scorchers and their Big Bash League fixtures. That outcome would turn WACA memberships into the sorts of loyalty gestures that AFL club subscriptions were forced into becoming earlier this year when the league had to first play matches with no crowds, and then only allow them in small numbers in Queensland, WA and NSW. Matthews, having already seen WA miss out on an India Test in the original schedule, expressed her frustration with a good deal of restraint.”It is an extremely disappointing result for our members, fans and our cricket community that WA will miss out on hosting international cricket fixtures this summer,” Matthews said, doubtless through clenched teeth. “The WACA worked tirelessly with Cricket Australia and the WA government to find a way to bring international cricket to Perth. Limitations with border restrictions, and complexities around scheduling as a result of Covid-19, led to the decision to play the three-match ODI series at the SCG and Canberra’s Manuka Oval.There is no certainty about whether WA will even be able to host the Perth Scorchers and their BBL fixtures•Getty Images

“We are dealing with circumstances and obstacles beyond our control. We respect and understand that difficult decisions need to be made to ensure our country can secure as much international cricket as possible this summer. With world-class facilities and the opportunity for cricket fans to attend matches, we maintain that WA is well-prepared to host BBL matches this summer and we will continue to work closely with Cricket Australia and the WA government on this.”There had, given the enormous uncertainty around Melbourne in particular, been opportunities for WA to step up in terms of its fixtures this season. Had the Indian team and the returning Australian players from the IPL in the UAE been able to train as well as quarantine in Perth, the matches now bequeathed to Sydney and Canberra would have likely taken place at Perth Stadium. As would also be the case with the governments of South Australia and Queensland, initial talks with CA appeared positively geared in this direction before more protectionist views ultimately held sway.As had been seen with the AFL this season, the chance existed for a change in the balance of providing allotments that might never come again: it is hard to see the Gabba hosting another Grand Final, but the switch also allowed the league road test a night-time competition decider for the benefit of its broadcaster. Instead, prevarication and conservatism – in WA and Queensland in particular – allowed NSW to swoop on the start of the tour, while Victoria belatedly dialled down its Covid-19 numbers to offer the promise of a sparsely attended Boxing Day.The words of the NSW tourism minister, Stuart Ayres, were wound up for political effect but also carried an underlying truth: “I think this is a classic case of Queensland dropping the ball at second slip and NSW picking it up before it hits the ground. There’s been a strong track record of being able to create Covid-safe events here in NSW. We had worked with CNSW (Cricket New South Wales) and CA already for Covid-safe plans for the WBBL. There’s no doubt having those plans in place gave confidence to NSW police and NSW health to move quickly on the international arrangements.”We haven’t compromised on our hotel quarantine arrangements for the Indian team, we’ve been able to facilitate training arrangements for international and elite athletes in other sports and we’ve already a track record there and we’ve been able to tailor it for cricket. I think politics has been driving most decisions in Queensland, whether that’s who you let in or who you don’t let in, think it’s been entirely driven by the date of the election. Most unfortunate that rather than having sole focus on collaboration, health and data driving those decisions, it’s been political.”In effect, these machinations eventually served to bolster the order of priority that states such as Queensland and WA have always railed against, with the feeling that their chances for fixtures are always fighting losing battles against Australia’s two biggest states and capital cities. NSW, benefitting too from greatly improved relationships between the SCG trust and cricket administrators at both state and CA levels, have a bigger share than ever. Victoria, despite all the dramas of a locked-down 2020, has at least notional retention of the jewel in the MCG crown.Indians familiar with scheduling haggles that have seen – among other things – no Test match between Australia and India at Eden Gardens, the Asian equivalent of the MCG, since 2001 will have observed these events with something like mirth.Years ago, at a time of more fractious relations between CA and the BCCI, it was observed that the Australian governing body would know the date and venue of India’s arrival “when they get off the plane”. In 2020, via the vagaries of Australia’s federal model, the condition can be amended to “when they find somewhere to land”.

Richardson has opted to stay in Adelaide with his wife and newborn son

Alex Malcolm18-Nov-2020Perth Scorchers fast bowler Andrew Tye has been called up to Australia’s ODI and T20 squads as cover for Kane Richardson, who has elected to stay home in Adelaide to be with his wife and newborn son.Cricket Australia undertook a mass airlift of players from around the country on Tuesday after a small Covid outbreak in Adelaide’s northern suburbs forced heavy restrictions to be imposed in the city.A raft of Australia’s ODI, T20, and Test squad members who had recently travelled from Adelaide to their home states were forced to fly to Sydney early to avoid being stuck in quarantine in their home states, while the Adelaide Strikers flew to Coffs Harbour in New South Wales at short-notice to prepare for the upcoming BBL.Richardson, who opted out of the IPL and missed a couple of Shield matches due to the birth of his son, chose to stay at home in Adelaide with his family, forcing the selectors to call up Tye who has recently returned from the UAE.”It was a difficult decision for Kane to make but one which has the complete support of the selectors and the entire playing squad,” national selector Trevor Hohns said.”Kane wanted to remain in Adelaide with Nyki and their newborn son. We will always support our players and their families; even more so given the challenging environment we are in.”We will miss what he brings to the team but completely understand and support his decision.”Andrew Tye could play for Australia after a gap of almost two years•Getty Images

Tye was part of Australia’s tour of the UK this year and was also part of the Rajasthan Royals squad in the IPL. He played just one match in the IPL and it was his only professional match in the last 12 months after requiring elbow surgery in November last year, though he did play three matches for his Perth Premier club Scarborough in late February and early March. Tye lost his Western Australia domestic contract during the winter but is still seen by Australia’s selectors as one of the best short-format bowlers in the country, giving him the nod ahead of Nathan Coulter-Nile and James Pattinson, who both played key roles in Mumbai Indians’ IPL title.”AJ is incredibly skilled in both forms of the short game. He impressed in the UK with his high work ethic and his positive energy around the squad,” Hohns said. “He is a great player to be able to call on.”Western Australian batsmen D’Arcy Short and Josh Philippe have also been called on to train with Australia’s limited-overs group in Sydney next week despite both being left out of the initial squads.Short flew to Sydney on Tuesday with fellow Western Australian Cameron Green as a precaution after both had been in Adelaide for the Sheffield Shield earlier in the month. Philippe is currently in hotel quarantine in Sydney following his return from the IPL in the UAE.Short and Philippe will join their respective BBL teams, Hobart Hurricanes and Sydney Sixers, ahead of the start of the BBL on December 10.

“”I think with the ball we were not that effective. We just didn’t hit the areas that we wanted to consistently.”

Sidharth Monga29-Nov-20202:15

We need to accept that Australia played better cricket – Rahul

India’s captain Virat Kohli and vice-captain KL Rahul have both admitted that the team needs to get better on flat batting wickets, following their series defeat to Australia.India conceded 374 and 389 on consecutive games, leaving their batsmen unrealistic targets to chase. Over a patchy press conference line, Rahul sought to defend his bowlers – “struggle is not the right word” – but did accept that they needed to get smarter when faced with such flat tracks.”I wouldn’t agree with you when you say it is struggling,” Rahul said. “The challenge for bowlers is to adapt quickly. Sometimes you have to sit back and accept that the opposition batsmen have played really well. We haven’t done a whole lot wrong but it is a learning for us to sit back and think of how we can do better when we play on such good batting wickets.”The mood in the camp has been, and is, still very positive. Sometimes as teams you learn to accept that the opposition played better cricket. It is home conditions for them. They plated better cricket. We have played 50-over cricket after a long long time so yeah still a long way to go on the tour. But we are doing a lot of things right. Just need to learn how to bowl better on such beautiful batting surfaces. That is the learning. Not a lot we have done wrong. So we need to get better with our skills and execution and need to figure out what best can we do on such wickets.”One of the bowlers you expect to adapt quickly is Japsrit Bumrah, but he has now taken just three wickets in eight ODIs this year, averaging 146.33. However, Bumrah has shown time and again that he can turn slow starts around spectacularly. Rahul expects more of the same.”Look, we all know Jasprit is quite fiery and he is very very competitive on the field,” Rahul said of the bowler’s show of frustration on the field. “And he has very high expectations of himself. And New Zealand was a long long time ago. I am sure he sets the bar very high… he means a lot to this team and to this set-up and we know the value of Japsrit.”It is about time a champion player like that will come back and deliver and get wickets for us. You also have to understand that New Zealand and Australia, the wickets are so good to bat on. You will see top bowlers not getting wickets [once in a while]. So that is acceptable.”Kohli asked for better execution of plans for longer periods from his players.”We were completely outplayed,” he said at the post-match presentation. “I think with the ball we were not that effective. We just didn’t hit the areas that we wanted to consistently. And they have got a pretty strong batting line-up, and they understand these conditions and pitches and the angles on the field well.”We had to bowl in one area for long enough, and we didn’t. We got to 340 and still fell short by 50 so the chase always felt a bit too steep. The areas they bowl, invariably they were in the position that some chances would be created. They used the dimensions of the field pretty well, which we unfortunately did not.”One bright spot for India was that Hardik Pandya returned to the bowling crease sooner than expected. He was introduced “out of nowhere”. Kohli just asked him how he felt about bowling, and Pandya said he felt okay for two overs, but ended up bowling four. Both the captains acknowledged that in the process he gave away the blueprint of bowling cutters into the pitch to the Australia bowlers.”Refreshing, isn’t it?” Rahul said of Pandya’s comeback. “If he starts bowling, then it is a load off the skipper and the team. We need allrounders for the team balance balance. He quite enjoyed it himself. He loves to get into contests and he is itching to go.”