The Zimbabwe captain, like the team, had an awful tour of West Indies but as put in the hard yards since returning and gained reward for efforts

Firdose Moonda in Harare17-Apr-2013Brendan Taylor brought up his fifty without much fuss. While the small crowd cheered with gusto, including one who shouted, ‘That’s it captain!’, he simply shook Malcolm Waller’s hand sternly.He celebrated his century far more boisterously. A leap in the air, a punch, an all-round acknowledgement of the crowd, a raise of the bat – all the classical things that if done with the mute button on would tell the viewer three-figures had been brought up.The job had not been done but some part of the reputation restoration had. Taylor was one of the batsmen who returned from West Indies with what was being talked about as a tattered technique. Much else about Zimbabwean cricket was also torn apart.In the weeks between the Caribbean tour and the current series, their internal strife has caused more shredding than anything Shane Shillingford did. Taylor has been at the heart of it. As the captain, he had to motivate a group that did not know when they would be paid and pacify increasingly tetchy administrators. He was, for some parts of it, nothing more than a go-between.He was also dealing with his own sub-standard showings in West Indies. As the leader, he felt he had let the team down. Personally, he knew he had let himself down. So when he battled through on his home turf, survived a chance and pulled the team to a position of some security, he had every reason to feel relieved and proud enough to show it.”That celebration was due to the poor performance we had in West Indies,” he admitted afterwards. “To fail in every game was very hard to swallow so today was very rewarding for me. I’ve prepared well, I’ve worked hard and it was nice to see it pay off.”While some batsmen in the modern age talk about preparation as something they do on a yoga mat with their legs crossed and their heads in a good space, Taylor sticks to the more orthodox methods. When he returned from West Indies, the only way he thought he could get better was by practising.Every day after training he spent an extra hour and a half in the nets with batting coach Grant Flower, who was not part of the touring party in the Caribbean. “I just hit countless balls and kept it as simple as possible. I concentrated on things like keeping my head still. I feel if I prepare well and hit a high volume of balls, then I will feel relaxed. Not having Grant in the West Indies wasn’t ideal because I work closely with him.”He must also have worked on his feet because he moved them an unusual amount. Taylor is known for not being a dancer but he was confident in bringing out the moves against both seam and spin.While the improvements in his technique were noticeable, the extent to which he stretched himself mentally was the hallmark of the innings. He came in at 22 for 2 with the ball seaming and swinging. His first 10 runs took 34 balls and the next 10, 36. His century came up in 200 deliveries. He had to be defensive for periods and could only attack for an isolated shot or two, not for any length of time.That made it the least fluent of his three centuries but “probably my most patient innings.” He admitted that it was “hard work,” and “lots of concentration was required but it was all worth it.” Only for a short while after tea, while Waller and Taylor together, did he find things eased up a little. “The fielders quietened down a bit which helped us because generally they are quite noisy and they don’t give you a sniff. It was good to grind them down.”Having survived the first ten overs of the second new ball with six wickets still in hand, Taylor is hopeful he can continue in the same fashion with the rest of the line-up. “We know they’ve got good spinners but we’ve still got some depth. It seems like they are running out of ideas as well.”Bangladesh’s coach Shane Jurgensen is still eyeing removing Zimbabwe out for under 300, but seemed disappointed enough with the number of chances they put down, for the hosts to spot a weakness they can pounce on. Taylor knows there is still much that must be done before any prolonged faith in the country’s cricket will be obtained. But he knows there is an opportunity to do so. He took part of his chance today and will want the other members of the squad to take the rest over the next four days.

After a magical win, Zimbabwe will disappear from the international stage for at least five months and won’t play a Test for double that time. So what next?

Firdose Moonda17-Sep-2013It’s a confusing time for cricket in Zimbabwe. The southern hemisphere summer is only just beginning but the international cricket season is already over.For the next few months, the moments of brilliance in Saturday’s win over Pakistan will be recounted at braais, over beers, and in boardrooms. The buzz created could bloom into a mini-boom for cricket in the country. But a glance at the calendar shows a blank. And it raises an important question: what now for the game in Zimbabwe?After demonstrating that they are capable of tussling with top teams, Zimbabwe will disappear from the international stage for at least five months, and won’t play a Test for double that time. They’re not hiding their disappointment over the lack of game time. One senior player said it will leave them feeling “as though we always have to start again”, while Andy Waller admitted it is not ideal for his plans as the team’s coach.”You can forget what it feels like to win,” he said. “It’s hard for the guys because we believe we can compete against sides. We’ll just have to work hard in the nets and get better for when we play again.”Zimbabwe’s next assignment will be the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh and their next Test series is only due next July against South Africa. The long layover is because the two-Test, three-ODI and two-T20 rubber, due to take place against Sri Lanka in October, is set to be postponed. Zimbabwean fans are so disappointed they have started an online petition to bring Sri Lanka to the country. But that is financially out of the question.That sounds like more of the same repeated rhetoric about Zimbabwe’s lack of funds, but the truth is that it would be difficult for any board to host four series in a season. Zimbabwe have already had visits from Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, and even though the India ODIs brought in revenue, the losses incurred through the other series and the debt in the country makes another tour unviable.In 2011, the MD of Zimbabwe Cricket then, Ozias Bvute, told ESPNcricinfo that the board lost around US$700,000 a series, which means they have already lost somewhere around $1.5 million this season. ZC is also $18 million in debt, which makes going further into the red irresponsible.Already, non-payment has so angered the players that they have gone on to form a union – the first of its kind in a decade – and threatened strikes through the Pakistan series. Their ultimatums were met and ZC came up with a way to pay outstanding salaries from July and August, and some match fees, but that came at the expense of paying staff.The groundsmen, the administrative workers and even the coaches are still awaiting pay for the two months mentioned. Another series would only worsen that situation and to ask for it to be held, knowing it would deprive people of the money they depend on to pay their bills, would be cruel. This is where real life and sport bump heads, because supporters believe it is equally unjust to keep Zimbabwe off the international stage.Given the difficulty of hosting more international cricket, Zimbabwe can only hope to get invited by other countries and to work on their domestic game.Currently there are no fixtures available for the 2013-14 local season, which has raised concerns about whether it will go ahead. Zimbabwe have to play domestic cricket to maintain Full-Member status and the talk is that it will be played from November. But planning and organisation will have to wait – the franchises have not been allocated budgets, so they cannot contract coaches or players yet.

Zimbabwe need cash to host teams but can’t attract the necessary sponsors. As a result, they can’t offer the players competitive-enough contracts

When it eventually gets underway, the domestic season is expected to take the regular format of three competitions – first-class, 50-over and T20 – and be contested by five teams.This is where many feel Zimbabwe get it wrong. While the franchise system has increased both the reach and competitiveness of the domestic game, having five outfits has been deemed unsustainable. It means five venues that need to be maintained, and associated travel costs. Popular opinion is that only four are feasible, an idea that may be based on the way Zimbabwe’s domestic cricket was organised before the franchise system, with four regions competing.If that system were reintroduced, it would most likely mean Southern Rocks have to go. They are the newest and weakest of the teams, although they are getting better. They won three first-class matches last season, an improvement on their first summer, where they lost all their first-class and List A matches and won only one T20 fixture.Results aside, Southern Rocks was where Brian Vitori and Richmond Mutumbami were discovered, which makes it difficult to write them off. ZC is also faced with the tricky question of how they can continue to engage areas where the game has failed to reach in the past, such as Masvingo, and whether it is possible to finance development properly.Sponsors have been difficult to secure, as illustrated by the 20-over competition: it was backed by MetBank, still ZC’s major creditor, when it was started in 2007, and then Stanbic Bank for three seasons until last summer. It grew to the extent that it could compare with other 20-over leagues around the world. It attracted foreign players, mostly from the UK, such as Phil Mustard and Peter Trego, and also the likes of Chris Harris, Lou Vincent, Lance Klusener and Andrew Hall. It even managed to entice Chris Gayle – he was embroiled in a dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board at the time and agreed to play in Zimbabwe for a minimal fee in order to get match practice. The window he broke at the Harare Sports Club is still broken.Then Stanbic pulled out of most of its sports sponsorships in southern Africa and the Zimbabwean T20 competition was one casualty. Last season, unable to find a backer, the tournament was a low-profile event. The international element and, by implication, the glamour factor, was missing.While that is a sign of the difficulty in marketing cricket in Zimbabwe, it enabled the best local players to come to the fore. Sikandar Raza Butt, who made his Test debut against Pakistan, was the tournament’s top run-scorer, and Shingi Masakadza, who has been one of Zimbabwe’s most improved and impressive players, was the leading wicket-taker.The international players are regulars on the franchise scene. That helps keep the standard of the competition fairly high and ensures that the new talent unearthed is tested against the best in the country. Mutumbami is a case in point. He was the highest run-scorer in last season’s Logan Cup and the standout wicketkeeper of the tournament, which earned him his Test call-up.Andy Waller: “We’ll just have to work hard in the nets and get better for when we play again”•AFPIt also means the internationals, who might have learned new skills in competitions elsewhere, can pass on their wisdom. Some Zimbabwean players spend time at clubs overseas and come back having learned from others. This year, Sean Williams will play in the ongoing Dhaka Premier League and others are looking to follow suit.Where Zimbabwean fans become nervous is when their players go abroad and don’t come back. Kyle Jarvis played in New Zealand’s domestic league and considered moving there before retiring from international cricket and signing with Lancashire. He has since defended his decision by tweeting, “You all need to understand what is really going in ZC”, and “Givin the same opportunity, anyone else in the team would have left… and they still will.”But that is not entirely true. Sean Ervine committed to Hampshire and there are worries his brother Craig, who plays club cricket in Ireland, will go the same way. But Brendan Taylor turned down a similar offer because he “just wants to play international cricket”. He is fortunate to have the means to do so without relying overly on ZC to make a living.Keegan Meth, who missed out on the Pakistan series because he was getting married in Canada, aims to be back for the domestic summer provided the monetary situation is stable. Graeme Cremer opted out of the Pakistan matches too but has remained in Zimbabwe and will play cricket again once he is assured of being paid. Chris Mpofu is no longer on a central contract because he spent the last five months recovering from a stress fracture but he has hung around and aims to play this summer.Even at the lower levels, there’s a lot happening. Zimbabwe’s Under-19 team will play in a quadrangular in India against the hosts, South Africa and Australia. And the academy continues to run at Harare Sports Club, with or without equipment. On the final morning of the Test against Pakistan, children ranging from 9 to 12 were seen bowling in an organised session. Here was the future of Zimbabwe cricket and it looked healthy.What’s worrying is that it’s also stuck in a vicious cycle. Zimbabwe need cash to host teams but can’t attract the necessary sponsors. As a result, they can’t offer the players competitive-enough contracts. So the players go overseas, where the experience they gain could help Zimbabwe, but only if they return.Some want the ICC to step in but the body does not fund anyone’s bilateral series and Zimbabwe should not be an exception. There is talk the ICC may advance the grant it is due to give Zimbabwe or assist them with some of the fees from the 2014 World Twenty20, but what Zimbabwe really need is a better investment plan. That applies not just to cricket but to the whole country.What keeps them going is an endless supply of optimism. Waller, who left a comfortable job at a school in the UK to coach back home, believes the depth in Zimbabwe cricket is heartening. “We had 27 members in our training squad and any one of them can make the national side. There are some good players out there, and for me that’s exciting.” He will spend the next few months working with them so that by February, “we will be playing better cricket”.Taylor agrees that Zimbabwe can only improve. “Just because we’re not playing doesn’t mean we can’t get better. We can go to the nets and keep learning,” he said. “We’re professional cricketers and we need to live professional lifestyles.”Not that easy to do when the set-up barely allows for it.

Test cricket should be taken to venues outside the south-east of England if it should inspire the next generation

Sam Blackledge, UK03-Sep-2013There was a time in England when the old favourite grounds of Edgbaston, Lord’s, Old Trafford, Trent Bridge, Headingley and The Oval held the monopoly on five-day matches every summer. Then in 2003 Chester-Le-Street, now unfortunately known as the Emirates Durham International Cricket Ground, broke the cycle by welcoming Zimbabwe. The visitors were bowled out for 94 in their first dig and lost by an innings and plenty. The Riverside embraced its big moment and a change appeared to be coming – Test cricket would surely now reach more far-flung parts of the country.Over the last decade, there have indeed been matches played at Cardiff’s Swalec Stadium, Hampshire’s Rose (or Ageas) Bowl – and that’s it. Bristol has hosted ODIs, but none of the other 13 main first-class grounds get a look-in.When I was growing up, I saw a lot of cricket. I was lucky to live just down the road from Edgbaston, and my love for the game was fuelled by the all-conquering Warwickshire side of the mid-1990s. But the real thrill was Test cricket. My first Test was England v West Indies in 1991. I was six years old. On the third day, Patrick Patterson and Curtly Ambrose demolished a decent England batting line-up on their way to a seven-wicket win. Gooch, Atherton, Hick, Lamb, Ramprakash, Russell – all gone in the blink of an eye.I squinted across at the blurry city-end scoreboard showing the not-out scores of Derek Pringle and Chris Lewis, the latest pair in a long line of contenders for the role of ‘The New Botham’. I could never have known that I was in for another ten years of watching England lose in ever more inventive ways. But I knew Test cricket was for me.Next summer, India will play Tests at Trent Bridge, Lord’s, The Rose Bowl, Old Trafford and The Oval. That’s three games in the south-east, two of which are in London, and just two in the rest of the UK. Edgbaston may yet be awarded a Sri Lanka Test earlier in the summer, but it misses out on the main series for the second year running, despite being home to one of the highest populations of British Indians.Between 2010 and 2011, the pavilion end of the ground was completely redeveloped, bringing the capacity to 25,000. A handful of ODIs and a season of one man and his dog watching county cricket is in danger of wasting a top-class sporting venue.I can make my peace with Edgbaston losing out. This season they were compensated with the pick of the Champions Trophy games and a sparkling T20 county finals day. Trent Bridge is not so far away, and I know several Brummies who gladly made the trip to Nottingham for this summer’s Ashes and may do the same next year. But the south-east bias shows a disappointing lack of vision.Every overseas cricketer dreams of playing at Lord’s. Of course, a Test summer would not be complete without a visit to the home of cricket, and The Oval is always a fitting venue for the final Test of the summer. The ECB will perhaps argue London is the most densely populated area of the country and is easy to access. But adding Southampton means three of India’s five Tests will be played within a 100-mile radius.Not all county grounds are up to scratch, of course. In order to host a high-profile Test between two of the best sides in the world, you must be more than just a pitch and a pavilion. But Durham, formerly a forgotten northern outpost, is a prime example of what can be done with investment and support.Not everyone can afford to travel to see Test cricket. From where I live in Cornwall, it’s 200 miles to the nearest Test venue. Add in the spiralling cost of match tickets, and parents and children will drift away from the game, or decide not to explore it at all. The ECB must look beyond the capital and take a punt on some developing stadiums to inspire the next generation of English cricketers.If you have a submission for Inbox, send it to us here, with “Inbox” in the subject line

Stats highlights from the 2nd round of the Ranji Trophy 2013/14

Shiva Jayaraman10-Nov-2013 Sehwag’s poor run, Venugopal Rao’s first hundred in six seasons, Akshar takes maiden five-for

Virender Sehwag scored 1 and 15 in the two opportunities he got in this match; he has now gone 13 first-class innings without hitting a half-century. Venugopal Rao hit his first hundred in six first-class seasons, in Gujarat’s first innings. In five first-class seasons before this one, Venugopal had scored 939 runs from 24 matches at an average of 24.71, including five fifties. This was Venugopal’s first century for Gujarat. Playing for Gujarat in the last season, Venugopal had scored 110 runs from nine innings at an average of 12.22. Sumit Narwal took 6 for 71 in Gujarat’s first innings – this was his sixth five-wicket haul in first-class cricket. Akshar Patel took 6 for 55 in Delhi’s first innings. This was his first five-wicket haul in his first-class career in only his second match. Mithun Manhas also hit a century, the 23rd hundred of his first-class career.

Samson’s productive run

Sanju Samson followed up his double-century against Assam in the first round with another hundred against Andhra Pradesh in Kannur. This was his fourth hundred in first-class cricket and his second against Andhra in three innings. Samson followed it up with another half-century in Kerala’s second innings. Samson’s score in his last five innings read – 122, 51, 211, 115, 51*. Samson now averages 54.14 in first-class cricket in 16 innings.

Jaffer hits yet another hundred, Rajwinder takes maiden five-for

Wasim Jaffer hit his 33rd hundred in the Ranji Trophy and the 49th of first-class career, in the first innings against Punjab. Jaffer leads the list of batsmen with most centuries in the Ranji. Ajay Sharma (31) and Amol Muzumdar (28) are next in the list. Vishal Dabholkar, thrust into the role of lead spinner for Mumbai, took his first five-for and his first ten-for to wreck Punjab .

Aparajith completes 1000 runs, Badrinath hits third Ranji double-century

B Aparajith completed 1000 runs in first-class cricket in Tamil Nadu’s second round Ranji Trophy match against Madhya Pradesh. Needing just eight runs to reach the landmark before the match, he hit his fourth century in seven innings and the fifth of his career. He now averages 61.66 in first-class from 24 innings. S Badrinath hit his third double-hundred in the Ranji Trophy and the 30th century of his first-class career. He fell two runs short of his highest first-class score of 250, which he scored against Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy in 2009.

Dinda takes 200 first-class scalps, Aniket’s maiden first-class five-for

Sourabh Chouhan’s wicket in Bengal’s match against Rajasthan was Ashok Dinda’s 200th wicket in first-class cricket. Dinda has taken 203 wickets at an average of 30.64 and a strike rate of 59.3 in 58 first-class matches. Rajasthan’s Aniket Choudhary took 5 for 93 in Bengal’s first innings at Jaipur – his first five-wicket haul in first-class cricket. These were also his best bowling figures in a match.

Gokul completes 1000 first-class runs, Sibsankar hits his maiden hundred

Gokul Sharma’s 161 batting at No. 7 in the first innings against Hyderabad was Assam’s highest individual score at No. 7 in first-class cricket and his third century in first-class cricket. Assam’s Sibsankar Roy also hit a hundred in the first innings; his maiden first-class hundred from 19 matches.

Raina and Tanmay hit hundreds

Suresh Raina bettered his chances of travelling to South Africa as India’s reserve middle-order batsmen with a century in UP’s first innings. This was his 13th first-class hundred. Tanmay Srivatsava also hit a century in UP’s second innings, which was his eighth in first-class cricket.

Keenan Vaz’s first half-century, Jakati’s five-for after a while

Goa wicketkeeper Keenan Vaz hit 99 in Goa’s first innings, which was his first fifty in first-class cricket in five games. He added another fifty to the tally in this match with a half-century in the second innings also. Vaz had scored 67 runs from six innings before this match. Shadab Jakati took a five-wicket haul for Goa in Jammu and Kashmir’s first innings. This was his eighth first-class five-for and his first since November 2010 in 18 innings.

Mayank hits 90 on debut, Nadeem’s highest first-class score

Mayank Agarwal hit 90 on his debut in first-class cricket, for Karnataka. Jharkhand captain Shahbaz Nadeem’s 85 in their first innings was the fourth half-century and the highest score of his first-class career.

Jaydev and Anureet both take their fifth five-for

Jaydev Unadkat and Anureet Singh both took their fifth five-wicket hauls in this match. Unadkat has now taken 91 first-class wickets from 32 matches at an average of 33.37. Anureet has taken 78 wickets from 23 first-class matches at an average of 29.65.

Jayant Yadav takes his first five-for, Wagh’s best bowling figures in a match

Jayant Yadav’s bowling figures of 5 for 77 in Vidarbha’s first innings were his best in first-class career and his first five-wicket haul. Jayant’s figures of 6 for 84 for the match were also his best in first-class cricket. Shrikant Wagh took 7 for 109 in the match, which was his best figures in a match in first-class cricket. This included a five-wicket haul – his third in first-class cricket.

Michael Clarke appeared distracted during his pre-series press conference, despite the many reasons he might have had for confidence

Daniel Brettig in Brisbane20-Nov-20130:00

Waiting finally over for Clarke

Few can recall a nervier Michael Clarke press conference than the one he delivered in Brisbane on the eve of Australia’s bid to wrest the Ashes back from England at home. Where usually he is polished, sunny and even given to the odd bout of verbosity, this time Clarke was clipped, terse and taciturn. Tense from the moment he walked into the Champions Room at the Gabba, Clarke’s prickliness was so evident that his media minder could be heard offering the aside “be nice and positive” in the seconds after the tapes started rolling.While it cannot be known exactly why Clarke was so distracted, it was fair to surmise that the imminent start of this series provided good reason for introspection. Clarke, his team and Cricket Australia have reached a moment of enormous import not only to all of their careers, but to the game down under. For some weeks, the hosts have projected an image of stability, calm confidence and greater enjoyment under the mentoring of the newish coach Darren Lehmann. But now, with the curtain about to rise, Clarke’s mien conveyed the nervousness that bubbles underneath.Enough members of Clarke’s team experienced the humiliation of a 3-1 defeat in the last home Ashes series in 2010-11 to know that failure is not an option. That result caused major upheaval in Australian cricket, hastening the exit of the captain Ricky Ponting, the coach Tim Nielsen, and the chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch. A second such loss on home shores would leave plenty of CA staff looking over their shoulders, not least the industrious team performance manager Pat Howard, anointed by the Argus review as the single point of accountability for the performance of the national side.Clarke struck a curious note before the previous series also, stressing that Ashes results would not define his captaincy. These words were in contrast with those of his opposite number Alastair Cook, who acknowledged the seemingly obvious point that yes, he would be historically judged largely on the strength of his results against Australia. This time, Clarke’s most expansive response suggested that he could not promise victory, and hoped Australian fans would understand this and remain supportive.”I’m certainly not going to sit here and promise the world and say everything’s going to be different,” Clarke said. “It’s going to be a tough battle like it was in England, and we have to play our best cricket to have success no matter what conditions you play in. It is nice to be playing in front of our home fans, we’ve got a lot of support throughout the country and it’s going to be great to see so many people turn out and support some fantastic cricket.”Michael Clarke cut a nervous figure on the eve of the Ashes•Getty ImagesNumerous reasons do exist for Clarke and his team to enter this series with a “nice and positive” mindset. Under Lehmann’s confident stewardship the dressing room ructions of India and England appear to have settled down, while time in the job has allowed the coach to identify and imbue belief in the players he has deemed worthy. The likes of Chris Rogers, Brad Haddin, Ryan Harris and even the debutant George Bailey have brought solid character and life experience to the team, balancing the brio of David Warner, the fearlessness of James Faulkner and the youthful enthusiasm of Nathan Lyon.Craig McDermott, John Davison and Mike Young have been called in to bolster the pace, spin and catching departments, even if the latter’s presence seemed to infringe on the role of the incumbent fielding coach Steve Rixon. The team doctor Peter Brukner has maintained his recent success in building up the fitness of Shane Watson, who now appears capable of bowling as well as batting. Former players have buzzed smilingly around the team, including Mark Taylor and Glenn McGrath, while recognition of Haddin’s 50th Test has offered an individual motivator in addition to the team imperatives.Plenty may be drawn also from the surrounds in which the Australians find themselves this week. They have not lost a Test match at the Gabba since falling foul of the West Indies in 1988, and not really looked like doing so for equally as long. So pronounced is the Gabba advantage that England regarded their second innings rearguard four summers ago as near enough to a victory, not only leaving Brisbane on level terms but also exhausting the hosts with two consecutive days in the field. In many ways it is the last fortress of the previous empire, the pacey pitch and early season spot in the schedule contributing to the downfall of many an underdone touring team.England are underdone by their own precise reckoning, having lost more than two full days of preparatory playing hours and a good deal more training time to rain in Hobart, Sydney and Brisbane. They are also less sure of the final XI for Brisbane than at this point in 2010. Back then the tourists’ nominated bowling attack had flown up to Queensland early. Now the identity of England’s third seamer and wicketkeeper will only be known for sure at the toss. For an opening partner Alastair Cook will not have Andrew Strauss but Michael Carberry – Joe Root’s demotion is a victory for Australia’s pacemen even before a ball is bowled.So there was plenty of reason for Clarke to puff his chest out while speaking publicly about the series to come, thereby enhancing curiosity about why he did not. Perhaps the greatest clue for Clarke’s trepidation may be derived from Australia’s Test match record in 2013 – played 10, won one, lost seven. It is no sort of foundation for a team, and another loss in Brisbane would shatter much of the rebuilding work that has preceded it. Asked about summoning the belief to win over five days for the first time since the New Year’s Test against Sri Lanka in Sydney, Clarke replied: “I think the belief’s there and hopefully we’ll show that over the next five Test matches.””I think” is a long way distant from “I know”, and Clarke will not know the belief is there until after this Test match has run its course. No wonder he was distracted.

Sri Lanka’s Test captain Angelo Mathews talks about his evolution as a batsman, the lessons he has learnt as a leader, and his goals for his team

Interview by Andrew Fidel Fernando19-Jan-2014As a captain and batsman, you rarely seem fazed by the match situation. Where does that come from?

It’s coming [from] within myself, I think. I don’t really blow out my emotions. I just try to absorb it and I try not to be too harsh or rude to the players on the ground because after all, we all make mistakes. We must appreciate all the hard work the players do, so I keep all the emotions to myself.As a batsman it has been coming to me since the age of 16, I suppose. I used to captain the Under-15s, Under-17s and Under-19s, so I’ve got this thing in my head saying that when I’m batting, especially, I should carry on till the end. I should not give my wicket away, because I’m a sort of a player who can always catch up. I don’t really mind taking a few balls to get set.Because I’m batting at No. 5 or 6 it means I have to finish up games more often than not. It’s not easy. You can’t say I’m not under pressure. There’s a lot of pressure when I go to bat, and a bit of nervousness. There are butterflies in your tummy but it’s just that I actually don’t blow away my emotions.Would you say that you’ve got more self-belief than the average cricketer?
No. Most of the players do believe in themselves. I’m one of those. I believe in my ability. I’m not into personal goals. I want my team to win all the games, so I do whatever it takes for the team to win.How do you think becoming a captain at 25 has affected your game?
I think it has affected it in a good way. I’ve taken more responsibility, I think. I mean, I used to be a very free-flowing scorer, and sometimes as a captain I tend to take a lot of responsibility and reduce the risk. Whereas when I first came in, even in a Test, I used to just jump out of the crease and slog a few sometimes. I think I’ve improved quite a bit in that way.You’ve got a lot to focus on with the captaincy and your own batting. How do you see yourself as a bowler in the future?
I think it’s all about managing yourself. I’ve been hit by a few [batsmen] in the past. That has nothing to do with my bowling. If I’m fit I try to bowl as much as I can. The schedules we have now, we hardly have any time to rest and have a few days off. You need to manage yourself, and you might have to reduce a bit more bowling and training, and you might have to do a bit more gym work. So I’m doing everything possible to keep myself fit.Mahela Jayawardene has said that the biggest priority as captain is ensuring you contribute as a player. Is that something you agree with?
Yes, definitely. As a captain you’re not only going there to handle the team in the middle, you play a major role in performing as well, have a bit more authority within the team. I agree with that. You need to perform as a captain and try and stamp your authority on the team. You have more respect when you perform.What goals do you have for your career?
I just want to be as consistent as I can. I don’t have huge goals in mind but I want to be the best allrounder in the world. I’m working hard trying to get there, but I still have a long way to go. I’ve gotten into a routine where I feel I’m giving myself the best chance to perform well in the middle.In the past you’ve spoken of a difficulty in converting fifties into hundreds. After your 157 not out in Abu Dhabi, do you feel you’ve resolved that?
You need to concentrate really hard. Sometimes when you bat with the tail you have to play shots. If you get set with another batsman, you can go for some runs. But you need a lot of concentration for that and I think I’m working really hard on that. That’s the secret for a batsman. I mean, when you saw Mahela in this series, in the first Test he failed and I thought his comeback was brilliant. All of us can learn something from that. The guy is so mentally tough. He’s a tough character and the way he went about things was amazing.What are the characteristics of a good leader?
Self-belief, having confidence in the team, killer instinct, and also not giving up. Those are the things that you need to have as a player and as a captain, because we all know how hard Test cricket is. You need to fight your way through all the time. You get those phases where you feel like you can’t handle it. But you need to hang in there. You need to fight it out and ultimately you’ll be the winner.

“I just want to be as consistent as I can. I don’t have huge goals in mind but I want to be the best allrounder in the world”

You’ve shown those fighting qualities, in ODIs especially. Where does that come from?
I believe in myself. I try to fight all the time. Especially when the pressure is on, you need to keep fighting. We as players sometimes just give up. Being able to fight is one of the things that’s in me.What do you think are your strengths as a captain?
As a captain you need to listen to people. I don’t think you can handle each player in the same way. To help players you need to understand what they say and try to get the best out of them the way you want.Are there leaders you admire, and if so, why?
I was just a little kid when Arjuna Ranatunga was captain and I used to watch him on TV and he used to stand with authority. He used to be a great leader. He is one of the best leaders that Sri Lanka has ever produced. Also Mahela and Sangakkara, the way they handle stuff. When it comes to player management they are pretty brilliant.What have been some of the biggest lessons for you in your 11 months as captain?
Again, it’s to do with player management. With players, you can’t put your foot down and say, “You should do this. You should do that.” As a captain you need to be able to listen to them. You need to be able to talk them through whatever they want to talk, and try and get the best for the team.Mahela and Sanga are great resources to have in the team. How have you used them?
I get a lot of advice from the seniors, Dilshan, Mahela, Sanga, and when it comes to bowling, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Kulasekara and Rangana Herath also give their opinions. But when it comes to decision-making, it’s me and the coach. It doesn’t really matter if they’re seniors or juniors. You should be able to get their ideas as well. There will be instances where a junior comes to you and says something very important and you need to be able to listen.You took charge at a time of upheaval around the team, and there was a contracts crisis before you played your first Test as captain. Did that affect the way you looked at the job?
No, not really. When it comes to the players, when they pass that white line, when they get out onto the field, we just want to win. It doesn’t really matter what happens outside.Sri Lankan captains haven’t had long life spans recently. Is this a job that you’d like to do for a long time?
I haven’t planned anything as such. I’m just enjoying my stint currently. The future is totally up to the selectors. I have no personal targets when it comes to captaining. I just want to do my best for the country and have the team win all the time.”When it comes to player management Mahela and Sanga are pretty brilliant”•AFPWhat are some aspects of Sri Lanka’s team culture that you feel are vital and want to protect?
We enjoy each other’s success, and that has been the biggest part in our cricket. The culture is so different to other countries. We help each other out. The bowlers help the batsmen, the batsmen help the bowlers. So we all work for one target and it’s about winning. We help everyone all the time and we drag everyone with us.In what ways do you mean the culture is different from other countries?
I really haven’t been part of other teams, but in most teams there might be instances where they go for individual goals, individual targets, whereas our team is all about winning. It’s all about the team. Team comes first before any individual and that has always been our policy. That’s the best thing that I like about my team.Sri Lanka’s international schedule has come under huge threat from the domestic T20 leagues in the past few years. How can Sri Lanka deal with those challenges?
As players we can’t decide on anything. It’s totally up to the cricket board and the tour organising committee. We’ve signed the contracts and we are obliged to our contracts. Whatever the board decides, we have to do it, and as players it doesn’t worry us at all because we want to play for the country and when we go out there it doesn’t really matter if it’s some other big tournament.Others in the team have spoken out about not having enough Tests.
Yes. Test cricket is the ultimate form of cricket and we’d like more of them in our calendar. We’ve got a few coming this year as well, and we hope that we’ll be winning more Tests.The selectors are grooming a leadership unit, with Dinesh Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne being looked at as future leaders. How has splitting the captaincy affected the way you lead in ODIs and Tests?
I haven’t even thought of it because when it was announced that I was the Test and ODI skipper I said to myself, “You’ve been given a great responsibility and you have to live up to your expectations.” So I’m not really looking at captaining all three formats or just one format or whatever because the selectors decided what’s best for me and I’ve got to go with that. But I exchange ideas with Chandimal and Thirimanne. They are two great players and they think about it in a positive way and also have a lot of ideas.What are the major challenges for the team in the coming years?
There are so many tours coming up and I think we would like to be in the top three in Tests and ODIs. We’ve got to work really hard towards getting there. It’s not easy because all the teams are quite even and you have to have that slight mental edge to win against all opponents. All the tours are tough and it’s going to take a lot out of us if we have to keep winning.

South Africa’s batsmen had laid the foundations, but the pitch looked slow and low. Then Morne Morkel took the ball in his hand and the Test match gained a different complexion

Firdose Moonda in Port Elizabeth22-Feb-20140:00

Cullinan: Bat for an hour, then go hard at Australia

Morne Morkel has stood head and shoulders, in every sense, above the other quicks in this Test•Getty ImagesContrary to on-field evidence, Morne Morkel does not hate Australians. Later this year, he will marry one.Morkel actually does not hate anyone. The term gentle giant was invented for him, even though his job is to make people feel as uncomfortable and scared as possible when they are 22 yards away from him on a cricket field.The Port Elizabeth pitch was supposed to make him a more realistic impression of his moniker. Slow, low and generally unresponsive, Morkel should have been like a manual labourer in the modern age – made to work hard for very little reward. Instead, he was the Pied Piper and made both the ball and the opposition dance to his tune.Morkel was, by some distance, the best bowler on a surface which did nothing to flatter any of them. He was the only one who could consistently generate bounce, get good carry and cause problems for the batsmen. Morkel managed all of that for three reasons: his height, his speed and his accuracy.Being the tallest man around has many advantages and it is one of the reasons Morkel can make the ball travel past batsmen’s ears more often than not. But that would mean nothing if it was doing it without pace – his was up over 140kph for almost every ball he bowled and even went over 150kph on occasion – or direction. Morkel aimed at the body with ever increasing aggression after he had David Warner dropped late on the second day.The nightwatchman Nathan Lyon bore of the brunt of Morkel’s frustration as the quick bombarded him. He struck the helmet, he struck the glove, he aimed at his face and he eventually made him back away. Lyon had been given a working over and would have slept uneasy even though he had not been dismissed in eight Tests.Morkel started against him this morning and after four balls hit him on the glove again. The ricochet struck him the shoulder. There will probably be a bruise. Lyon’s stubbornness made Morkel crank up the pace and beat him with that, instead of the ball, for a change. Lyon did not know where the ball was when he looked to flick it away. By the time he did, it was past his inside edge and in AB de Villiers’ hands.The inevitable happened when Lyon backed away to a short ball he ended up wanting to play and hit it into his stumps. It may not have been the way Morkel would have wanted him to go but the first mission was accomplished and Morkel only became meaner.As though he was trying to give Mitchell Johnson a taste of his own medicine on behalf of the entire batting line-up, when Morkel saw him there was only one thing on his mind. With the first ball he struck him on the glove and then the ribs. With the next, he pinged the helmet.Morkel did not account for Johnson in the end, and had to satisfy himself with having Steven Smith out on review followed by Ryan Harris, but he was central in the softening up to allow South Africa’s other bowlers to cash in. He did not let up against the tailenders either. Bouncer after bouncer made the surface South Africa were operating on seem a different one to which Australia bowled on.I can make an impact in different ways – Morkel

Morne Morkel revealed his inner mongrel came out because of conditions, which would usually not suit a bowler like him, and the runs South Africa’s batsmen had posted innings, but said they want a few more in the second innings before going for the victory.

“Last night we had a nice little window before close of play to bowl with the runs we had on the board, I knew at the back of mind that working with my lengths smartly would be key for me,” he said. “Because I am not a big swing bowler and my strength is bounce, when there is bounce, I usually bowl for one dismissal and that’s caught behind. When the wickets are slow it allows me to make an impact in a different way.

“Not having Wayne Parnell is a big blow for us because he knows conditions well and he is a guy who can swing the ball. With rain forecast for Monday, the most important thing for us is to respect the game and see from there. We’ve got two guys who can score quickly and we can see where we are after the first drinks break.

“450 seems to be the magical number these days and we’ll need to look at time in the game. There’s nothing nicer than scoreboard pressure with the wicket keeping low and now we’ve got dangerous guys. Vernon and Dale will be able to make an impact. The key is to get the ball to reverse. It’s also a tough field to score on. Hopefully we can pull it off.”

There was intensity in South Africa’s attack because they saw one of their own making something happen. Before this Test match, Makhaya Ntini told ESPNcricinfo if Steyn is not able to spearhead the pack, Morkel should take over. It was as though Morkel took that as an order. He lifted the morale by lifting his own game and South Africa prospered.But better than that, his hostility was sandwiched between two South African batting efforts that were as workmanlike and aggressive as their bowling has often been. You could argue that this is the first time since August 2012 against, England at Lord’s, that South Africa’s batsmen have successfully responded to being under pressure batting first to find a way to give the team an advantage. Then they fought back from 54 for 4 to score 309 which ultimately proved enough to secure the win that took them to No. 1 in the world.Since then, South Africa have won four matches by more than an innings, an indication of the strength of their line-up but also a sign that they were relatively untroubled in their victory march. They have also been engineered by dominant first-up bowling displays. In their other four triumphs the foundations have occasionally been built by the batting but it has again often been their bowling which has been credited with throwing the first punches in anger and winning matches.South Africa’s attack has brought them into matches when they have started slowly – The Oval in 2012 for example – and blasted the opposition away when their batting has been under pressure; Pakistan for 49 in Johannesburg and 99 in Dubai, the match after a defeat, come to mind. With those “reference points,” as Graeme Smith calls them, in mind South Africa’s line-up has often been able to trust the attack would make-up for any indiscretions on their part.Perhaps it took a pitch like this to force them into seizing the initiative as they did. Dean Elgar and JP Duminy batted with responsibility, AB de Villiers batted like the best batsman in the world, which he is at the moment, and South Africa had a first innings total they could really work with. They needed swift damage from their attack, which Morkel and Vernon Philander orchestrated, and then they needed quick runs to turn an advantage into a winning position. Hashim Amla answered that call.He also played himself back into form, after seven innings without a fifty. It looked as though the lean run would stretch when his first boundary came through an edge but with a bit of early luck he was able to spend time at the crease. He showed the touch was still there and the back-foot drives had not evaporated from his memory.He put South Africa in a position where their only decision will be based on the clock. With rain forecast throughout Monday, South Africa will have to look at a declaration early on the fourth day if they hope to beat the weather. Otherwise they will have to hope the weather, unlike Morne Morkel, is not engaged to an Australian.

Steven Davies on the pain of keeping to Stuart Meaker, rainy days in the Surrey dressing room, and who’d play him in a movie

Interview by Jack Wilson24-May-2014You have shared a dressing room with legends of the game, like Graeme Smith and Ricky Ponting. What have you learned from them?
The beauty of having these guys around is, I can tap into their experience. Graeme has immense leadership abilities and I’m trying to pick things up about that from him. Ricky has played in all sorts of conditions all around the world that I could pick his brains about.How do you rate your England career?
Pretty brief, to be honest with you. I’m looking to change that and get back into it. I think I’ve got a good chance to break back in, providing I start the season well.Which bowler hits the gloves the hardest?
Definitely Stuart Meaker. He’s an absolute nightmare. He’s 5ft 5in, tiny, but bowls at 92mph and swings it and wobbles it. I’m standing pretty close too, because he doesn’t get much carry.Who is the tidiest gloveman in county cricket?
James Foster.Which of your team-mates would you least like to be stuck in a lift with?
Jason Roy would be a nightmare. He’s all over the place. He has a lot of energy and I don’t – and it wouldn’t mix well.Who would play you in a film?
Leonardo Di Caprio.You wear the squad number nine. Why?
I’m a striker.When it’s tipping down with rain, what’s going on in the Surrey dressing room?
A lot of messing around. We’ve played a lot of indoor cricket recently too. I’d like to say gym work but no, chilling out and messing around.Who do you least want to be near during a rain break?
He’s not boring but Zafar [Ansari] has always got his head in his books. He went to Cambridge and is always studying something. We leave him to do his thing.What’s the toughest thing about being a wicketkeeper?
Standing up to seamers who are pretty quick. It can be pretty daunting at times.If you weren’t a cricketer what would you be?
A tennis player.You are a big Arsenal fan. Do you want Arsene Wenger in or out?
I think it’s time for a change. I’m getting rid of him. I want to freshen things up.You have to choose a five-a-side football team for Surrey. Who would you have in it?
My team would be Davies to captain the side, obviously. I’d be running the centre of the park. Rory Burns, Dom Sibley, Jack Winslade, and I’ll put Jason Roy in there too.And who would be nowhere near it?
Tim Linley.

After two and a half years in the job, John Inverarity has stood down as Australia’s chairman of selectors. ESPNcricinfo presents a selection of his winning decisions, and some of those that didn’t work out.

Brydon Coverdale02-May-2014

HITS

Chris Rogers
For many years, it seemed that Rogers was destined to become a one-Test player, his only appearance filling in for an injured Matthew Hayden against India in 2008. But the departures of Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey left Australia in need of batting experience for last year’s Ashes tour and Inverarity called on Rogers, who at 35 would not have been considered by some selection panels, despite possessing nearly 20,000 first-class runs. A steady top-order influence, Rogers became the leading run scorer from either team across all 10 Ashes Tests in 2013-14 and added a fourth Test century to his tally in Port Elizabeth.David Warner
It is easy to forget that Warner was yet to make his Test debut when Inverarity’s panel first convened back in 2011. The first team they picked was for the Gabba Test against New Zealand and the absence of several key men due to injury meant there was no easing in to the job. Warner, James Pattinson and Mitchell Starc debuted and all eyes were particularly on Warner, who had played only 11 first-class games and had to prove he was more than a Twenty20 basher. In his second Test he carried his bat for a patient 123 that narrowly failed to deliver victory in Hobart, and a rollicking 180 followed against India at the WACA. Inverarity will depart with Warner at the peak of his Test powers, having made five tons and averaging 71.06 in the 2013-14 summer, and with Rogers and Warner a strong, established opening pair.George Bailey
Bailey the Test player may not have been such a success, although he contributed to the 5-0 Ashes clean-sweep, but Bailey the short-form batsman has been one of the triumphs of Inverarity’s tenure. Impressed by Bailey’s cricketing brain and his leadership with Tasmania, Inverarity installed him as the T20 captain in early 2012, before he had played for his country in any format. A place in the one-day side followed and it was there that Bailey proved himself a match-winning middle-order striker, comfortably topping Australia’s ODI run tally during the Inverarity era with 1647 at 53.12. The success of the T20 team under Bailey has been varied, although they were always likely to struggle in the past two World T20s in spinning conditions in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.Bringing Brad Haddin back for last year’s Ashes Tests proved a wise move•Getty ImagesMitchell Johnson, the comeback
Admittedly, this was due more to circumstance than the panel’s judgment, but the selectors still had to write Johnson’s name down in their 2013-14 Ashes squad and trust that his past struggles were behind him. Not picked for the tour of England, Johnson impressed the selectors with his pace in the one-day series in India that bisected the two Ashes battles and when they had to pick a Test side minus the injured Starc, Pattinson and Jackson Bird, they turned to Johnson. The rest – as well as a few England careers – is history.Brad Haddin, the comeback
Unlike Johnson’s return, the re-emergence of Haddin as a key Ashes player purely down to selectorial shrewdness. Having dumped an out-of-form Haddin for the younger Matthew Wade in 2012, Inverarity’s panel could have been expected to put a line through Haddin’s name and look solely to the future. But as they showed with Rogers, and with men like Brad Hogg and Brad Hodge in the T20 side, they were prepared to ignore age and focus on form and experience when the big moments arrived. At 35, Haddin was reinstalled ahead of the struggling Wade for the Ashes tour and made vice-captain, and while solid in England it was in the home series that he really thrived, rescuing Australia in nearly every Test with the bat. Only Warner scored more runs in the home Ashes.

MISSES

John Hastings
The Perth Test of 2012-13 will be remembered mostly for Ricky Ponting’s retirement, but it was also a low point for the Inverarity panel. The heavy workload imposed on Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus in Adelaide a few days earlier meant the controversial rotation policy, or as Inverarity called it, “informed player management”, was brought into effect. At least, that was how it first appeared. Only later did it emerge that Siddle and Hilfenhaus were less than 100% fit, but whatever the reason, the choice of Hastings as a replacement seemed odd when men like Jackson Bird and Ben Cutting were also performing well in the Sheffield Shield. Hastings posed little threat to the South Africans and finished his one Test with 1 for 153.John Hastings had little impact in his one Test appearance•Getty ImagesRob Quiney
In the absence of an injured Watson, Quiney was put in at No.3 for the first two Tests against South Africa in that same 2012-13 series for scores of 9, 0 and 0. But it was not just the failures of Quiney that caused consternation among fans, it was the feeling that he had been thrown to the wolves to protect Phillip Hughes, who was brought in for the following series against a friendlier Sri Lankan attack. “We did feel that throwing [Hughes] into a Test against the world No.1 with their attack was probably not the ideal set of circumstances for him,” Inverarity said when he announced Hughes was to play Sri Lanka.Xavier Doherty
Andrew Hilditch’s selection panel had discovered during the 2010-11 Ashes that Doherty was a limited-overs bowler who would struggle for impact in Tests, but that did not stop Inverarity and his colleagues picking Doherty for last year’s Test tour of India. The selectors said that Doherty’s one-day form had played a part in his selection, and not surprisingly when he was included in the side he looked a containing bowler rather than a wicket taker. The decision to include Doherty and Glenn Maxwell, who was promoted before he was really Test-ready, and to drop Nathan Lyon was made when Inverarity was the selector on duty. Lyon returned later in the series and took nine wickets in the Delhi Test.Ashton Agar
Another spinner who was thrust into Test cricket at the expense of the accomplished incumbent Lyon was Agar. And while he captured the imagination of the Australian public on debut with his 98 batting at No.11, and with his youthful exuberance, Agar was not yet a Test spinner and was dropped after two matches, by which time Australia were 2-0 down.Brad Hogg
It was worth a shot. Inverarity and his panel should be congratulated for their bravery in picking older veterans like Hogg and Hodge, men who are now T20 specialists, in the search for a World T20 title. But ultimately the inclusion of 40-plus-year-old Hogg for the tournaments in Sri Lanka in 2012 and Bangladesh in 2014 made no difference. Despite his teenage-like enthusiasm and BBL success, Hogg managed 2 for 186 across the two tournaments, while costing 7.75 an over, and one of the most adventurous selections in Australia’s recent history must be judged as a failure.

A younger, inexperienced Ireland will have to tackle the target placed on them for being the top-ranked nation in the warm-up stage of the World T20

Andrew McGlashan16-Mar-2014

Overview

With success and standing comes expectation. Ireland are now used to that, but it does not mean the pressure is any less each time a world event comes. They are the top-ranked nation in the qualifying section of the World T20, sitting above their Full Member counterparts of Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. It certainly will not have gone unnoticed that the team above them in eighth position in the current rankings is England.And that could yet be a match-up that occurs at the World T20: if Ireland progress from Group B they will be alongside England in the second phase of the tournament. First, though, there is the cut and thrust of the next week to get through. William Porterfield, the captain, gave an interesting perspective of the competition to join the top eight teams, saying that the sides that progress could well be at advantage given the competitive cricket they will have played.While Ireland are rightly lauded for the progress being made, conversely it also has to be said that failure to qualify will have to be viewed as a significant setback.There is a more youthful look about Ireland’s squad compared to the previous global event, the 2012 World T20 in Sri Lanka. Gone are Boyd Rankin (now with England) and Trent Johnston (retired) so the bowling, in particular, includes some inexperienced names. Seam bowlers Stuart Thompson and Craig Young, along with spinners Andy McBrine and James Shannon are those tasked with filling the large shoes.It means the onus will be on Ireland’s batting. That is where the bulk of the professional experience sits, from the captain Porterfield and his opening partner Paul Stirling, to Ed Joyce, the O’Brien brothers and Gary Wilson.

Key player

Paul Stirling gives the ball a hefty thump and, as Porterfield picked out earlier this week, offers a valuable option with his offspin in conditions that should favour the slow bowlers. While there remains a place for deftness in T20, sheer power is what intimidates oppositions and Stirling, if he can hold himself together, can dominate a bowling attack.Given the aforementioned absence of some senior figures from the bowling attack, George Dockrell‘s four overs could well shape an innings for Ireland. Still just 21, he is now one of the more experienced campaigners with the ball.

Surprise package

Twenty-year-old Andy McBrine is uncapped at international level but made his first-class debut against Scotland last year. In Ireland’s warm-up match against Nepal he took 2 for 22 from his four overs and could yet be a partner for Dockrell.

Weakness

After Tim Murtagh and Max Sorensen, the pace bowling is a little thin with the changing of the guard, so if Ireland’s slower bowlers do not prove to be as effective as hoped they could struggle for a Plan B.

World T20 history

Their best result came in the 2009 tournament stages in England when they beat Bangladesh to move into the second stage. They came close to a repeat in 2010 when rain denied them a winnable chase against England in Guyana, but last time in 2012 they did not really get out of the starting blocks following an opening defeat against Australia before rain forced an abandonment at the half-way stage against West Indies.

Recent form

Their results in the build-up to the World T20 have been mixed. They lost two of their three matches in the Nagico Super 50 tournament in Trinidad, shared the T20 series against West Indies 1-1 on turgid Sabina Park pitches, lost the following ODI, then were beaten by Hong Kong in Sharjah before, perhaps more significantly, beating Nepal in Fatullah once they had reached Bangladesh before losing to the hosts.