We’re better than that – Dawid Malan deflects England heat from Matthew Mott

Dawid Malan believes it would be unfair for England head coach Matthew Mott to take the blame for a dire Cricket World Cup campaign, suggesting the players themselves “need to take responsibility”.

England arrived in India as reigning champions and among the favourites but have unravelled in dramatic fashion over the past month.

After six games they sit bottom of the table in 10th place, with a solitary win against fellow strugglers Bangladesh, putting Mott’s white-ball role under scrutiny.

Matthew Mott is facing growing questions as England’s white-ball head coach (Nick Potts/PA)

Speculation over the Australian’s position increased when Eoin Morgan, the side’s World Cup-winning former captain, claimed the squad seemed “unsettled” and later suggested England “take a leaf out of Baz’s book” – a direct reference to Test coach Brendon McCullum.

Malan, the top run-scorer and solitary centurion in an underperforming lineup, told BBC Sport: “Motty is not the one walking out on the field.

“We are being given everything we need to perform. The facilities and work, everything is being done as it always has been, we just haven’t been able to find a way to get wins on the board. It has been frustrating from a players’ point of view because we know we’re better than that.

“I’m not involved in selection or any of those things, so I don’t know how that works or who is in charge of all that, but as players we need to take responsibility when we cross that rope.”

Malan broadened the focus away from Mott’s future, insisting that everyone involved in the campaign would be feeling the same heat.

“I guess whenever you have a poor campaign there is always someone who’s going to be targeted whether it be the captain, players, coach or selectors,” he said.

“People’s jobs being scrutinised and players’ careers being scrutinised. We have a hell of a lot to play for in the last three. The only way we can get the noise off the coach is by performing. And it is up to us next three games to win these games and take that narrative away because we have not performed.

• Lost to New Zealand, 9 wickets
• Beat Bangladesh, 137 runs
• Lost to Afghanistan, 69 runs
• Lost to South Africa, 229 runs
• Lost to Sri Lanka, 8 wickets
• Lost to India, 100 runs

“I know people say that a lot when their backs are against the wall but genuinely, we still back each other and we’re still here for each other. We just haven’t been able to put those performances out on the pitch.”

Malan recently accepted a new one-year central contract with the England and Wales Cricket Board and, at 36, was neither surprised nor aggrieved to miss out on one of the new multi-year offers.

He still hopes to play a part in next summer’s T20 World Cup but does not shy away from the fact that he is entering a different phase of his career.

Malan confirmed that his latest deal with Yorkshire was as a white-ball only deal, effectively ending a first-class career that brought more than 13,000 runs, 22 Test caps and the high point of an Ashes century in Perth.

“I’m not going to be playing four-day cricket, but I still have a contract with Yorkshire to play the Blast and I’ll still be playing the Hundred if I can get a contract in that,” he explained.

“I’ll probably try and play as much white-ball cricket as I can for the rest of my career. It’s prioritising spending a bit more time at home because my winters are so busy with internationals or franchise tournaments.”

India fans celebrate the wicket of England’s Dawid Malan (Manish Swarup/AP)

Malan does not know how long his England days will last, but the appetite for fresh blood and renewal of an ageing side may hasten the end for several members of the current squad.

With that in mind, he knows the 2025 Champions Trophy may be a step too far for him but remains eager to clinch a top-eight finish in India and guarantee the next generation do not miss out of qualifying for the tournament.

“Two years feels a long way. I’m pretty sure I’ll be done but I’d love the guys to play in that,” he said.

“If the decision gets made to move on from players, the last thing you want is that we haven’t done well enough to give other players the opportunity in future to play in big tournaments. It’s definitely not going to be a situation where we just go through the motions because we’re potentially out of this World Cup. We have a lot at stake and a lot of pride for England to be in that Champions Trophy in two years’ time.”

The post We’re better than that – Dawid Malan deflects England heat from Matthew Mott appeared first on Cricket365.

from Cricket365 https://ift.tt/m4svCUt

Today’s NZ vs SA match, World Cup 2023: Dream11 fantasy prediction and tips, playing XIs

New Zealand play South Africa at the MCA International Stadium in Pune on November 1: here’s the NZ vs SA Dream11 fantasy preview, including predictions and tips for CWC 2023 Match No.32.

CWC 2023: New Zealand vs South Africa match preview

After a strong start to the World Cup, New Zealand have faltered a bit, losing their last two games. They will be up against another strong opponent in South Africa in Pune. One more loss and panic might start setting in, with Afghanistan and Pakistan making late charges towards the top four. Kane Williamson is still unavailable due to injury, while Tim Southee might still not make it to the XI despite also being fit. Jimmy Neesham, meanwhile, will likely keep his place after his solid performance in the last match.

South Africa are coming off a tense one-wicket victory against Pakistan in Chennai. With five wins from six games, they are sitting pretty on the second spot. They have a well settled team with hardly any underperforming players. Tabraiz Shamsi might have to sit out on the batting paradise of Pune and make way for Kagiso Rabada if he has fully recovered from his back spasms. If not, Lizaad Williams might get his second game in this World Cup in his place.

NZ vs SA fantasy tips 

# Rachin Ravindra has scored 407 runs at an average of 81.2 in this World Cup, with two incredible hundreds against England and Australia. The true pitch of Pune will also aid his batting. He should be one of the top captaincy picks in your side.

# Gerald Coetzee has gone at 6.95 runs per over in this World Cup, but more importantly, he has taken a wicket every 19 balls, with 12 wickets from five games. He should be in your team for this match.

# Marco Jansen has lit up this World Cup with both bat and ball. With the bat, he averages 47.7 and has struck at 128.8, while with the ball, he has taken 13 wickets from six games. Pune will offer him some assistance with the new ball as well. He should be in your side.

# Glenn Phillips has contributed with both bat and ball in this World Cup. From six games, he has taken six wickets at an average of 17.2 and has scored 126 runs at a strike rate of 92. He should make it to your side.

New Zealand vs South Africa: Predicted XI

New Zealand: Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (c) (wk), Glenn Phillips, Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult, Matt Henry.

South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Temba Bavuma (c), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Gerald Coetzee, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi

NZ vs SA: Dream11 team

Wicketkeepers: Quinton de Kock, Devon Conway, Heinrich Klaasen

Batters: David Miller

All-rounders: Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Marco Jansen

Bowlers: Trent Boult, Matt Henry, Lungi Ngidi, Gerald Coetzee

Captaincy options: Rachin Ravindra, Marco Jansen, Quinton de Kock

Potential swaps: Jimmy Neesham in place of Trent Boult, Rassie van der Dussen in place of David Miller

To bet on the World Cup with our Match Centre Partners bet365 head here.

The post Today’s NZ vs SA match, World Cup 2023: Dream11 fantasy prediction and tips, playing XIs appeared first on Wisden.

from Cricket News: Stories, Features, Interviews, Opinion, Reports | Wisden https://ift.tt/Eserw8P

Jos Buttler: My future as captain out of my hands as England near World Cup exit

Jos Buttler accepted his future as England captain was out of his hands after another painful defeat sent his side tumbling towards the World Cup exit door.

England knew nothing less than victory over Sri Lanka would be enough to keep alive their fading hopes of reaching the semi-finals and they responded with arguably their worst performance yet in a campaign littered with low points.

After choosing to bat first, they were skittled for a meagre 156 in 33.2 overs, then watched as their opponents cantered home by eight wickets in Bangalore with almost half of the innings unused.

The thrashing, which followed heavy losses to New Zealand, Afghanistan and South Africa, left the reigning champions ninth in the standings with an eye-watering net run-rate.

With four games to go – including table-topping India and bitter rivals Australia – they are being kept off bottom spot by the only associate nation at the competition, the Netherlands.

Remarkably, England are not yet mathematically out with four games to play, but the route is fanciful in the extreme and Buttler acknowledged the game was up.

“It certainly looks that way and that’s incredibly disappointing. It would need a few miracles,” he said, glassy-eyed after another draining day.

“You get on the plane with high hopes and a lot of confidence and belief that we can challenge for the title, so to be sat here now with the three weeks we’ve had is a shock. It’s a shock to everyone.

“I’ll walk back in the dressing room after this, look at the players sat there and think ‘how have we found ourselves in this position with the talent and the skill that’s in the room’?

“But it is the position we’re in, it’s the reality of what’s happened over the last three weeks and that’s a huge low point.”

Pressed on his own status in charge of the side Buttler indicated a desire to continue but a realisation that the verdict may not be his to make.

In reality, England do not have an obvious successor lined up and Buttler is relatively new in the role, having inherited the mantle following Eoin Morgan’s retirement last summer.

He also has a T20 World Cup win in the bank and there has been no indication that managing director of the men’s cricket, Rob Key, has an itchy trigger finger.

“I think you’re always questioning as captain how you can get the best out of players, how you can get the team moving in the right direction,” Buttler admitted.

“I certainly have a lot of confidence and belief in myself as a leader and captain and first and foremost as a player, but if you’re asking if I should still be captaining the team, that’s a question for the guys above me.

“The tournament’s gone nowhere near the way we wanted it to…that much is obvious. As a leader, you want to lead through your own performance and I’ve not been able to do that.”

Head coach Matthew Mott joined Buttler in writing off the chances of sneaking through to the last four, telling BBC Sport: “Yeah, it’s over now, I think.

“I’m not a mathematician, but with our net run-rate and too many teams who are going to take games off each other, we have to come to terms with that. From now we’re playing for a lot of pride.

“We feel like we’ve let our fans down, our families and supporters and everyone in that dressing room, we haven’t put our best foot forward and in professional sport, that’s what you’re judged on.”

The post Jos Buttler: My future as captain out of my hands as England near World Cup exit appeared first on Cricket365.

from Cricket365 https://ift.tt/n0bjvNs

Matthew Hayden: I wouldn’t coach Australia after the way Justin Langer was treated

Matthew Hayden has said that he would not accept a role within the Australia coaching set-up following the treatment of his longtime opening partner Justin Langer during his spell in charge.

Langer was appointed as the head coach of the Australia men’s side in the aftermath of Sandpapergate in early 2018. He oversaw a relatively successful period for the Australia side, leading them to the T20 World Cup title in 2021 and a 4-0 home Ashes series win in 2021/22 but resigned from his role in February 2022 following the offer of just a six-month contract extension despite his recent success as coach. It was reported at the time that the relationship between Langer and several senior players had deteriorated.

Langer would later remark that he was happy in his role at the time of his departure except for what he described as the “bulls*** politics” that he saw as being associated with the job.

Hayden, who alongside Langer formed the second-most prolific opening partnership in the history of Test cricket, has said that Langer’s experience in the role has put him off wanting to work with Australia.

Speaking to Melinda Farrell in the latest issue of Wisden Cricket Monthly, Hayden said: “I wouldn’t [coach Australia], no. After Justin and his treatment, I wouldn’t have any part of trying to coach Australia because I just don’t feel that’s something I would enjoy. I really love Australian cricket and I really love broadcasting on the current cricket team. I think they’re a magnificent team but in terms of an investment, no, it’s not something that I’d even consider.”

Hayden is currently commentating on the ongoing on World Cup in India but was recently part of the Pakistan coaching staff. The former Australia batter also commented on the current absence of ‘greats’ in the running of Australian men’s cricket. “What’s quite interesting is that there’s not a former great that is actually at the helm of Australian cricket. Not on,” said Hayden. “Not as a chairman of selectors, not as a coach, not as a board director. At no layer is there leadership that’s got a former great player of Australian cricket operating within that team unit. And that, to me, is surprising considering we’ve just come out of three great eras or decades of Australian cricket.”

You can read the full interview with Hayden in issue 72 of Wisden Cricket Monthly, out now.

The post Matthew Hayden: I wouldn’t coach Australia after the way Justin Langer was treated appeared first on Wisden.

from Cricket News: Stories, Features, Interviews, Opinion, Reports | Wisden https://ift.tt/zFCbB2u

CWC 2023: Brook, Atkinson, Carse – England need to back young guns if they are to ‘salvage’ anything from the World Cup

England suffered yet another humiliating defeat in the 2023 World Cup in Lucknow, their fourth in consecutive matches. Their decision-making and selection continue to show a clouded thought process, writes Katya Witney.

England’s World Cup title defence is as good as over, and has been in reality since their loss to South Africa. For the game that came after that, against Sri Lanka, Jos Buttler made two non-enforced changes to his starting XI, an admittance that their balance had been horrifically skewed in the match that preceded it.

Those changes were to drop Harry Brook and Gus Atkinson, for Moeen Ali and Liam Livingstone – the two lower-order all-rounders giving the side a more familiar feel than when David Willey came in at No.7. But, when England were bowled out for 156 with Livingstone returning a single run off his six balls and Moeen a run a ball 15, Buttler and Matthew Mott were once again left scratching their heads.

The all-rounder plan hadn’t worked, and the loss to Sri Lanka left the nails in place and waiting to be hammered into the coffin lid. After the match, Mott said that the team would try to “salvage some really good stuff out of the back end of this, but realistically we’re in a lot of trouble.”

Apart from the pride of not being torn to pieces by the Netherlands, Australia and Pakistan, there really is very little left to salvage. A group of players, most of whom are playing their last round of ODIs, taking away a couple of consolation victories from a car crash of a tournament isn’t much to inspire. A better use of their time would be to bed in the two players in their squad earmarked to be the future core of the side.

Brook’s non-selection against Sri Lanka allowed England to get the all-rounders they wanted into the XI, but realistically weakened their batting. Before the game against India, Livingstone’s top score across five innings in the tournament was 20. Moeen had once again been jettisoned in a World Cup, this time after the first game against New Zealand in which he scored 11 and went wicketless.

England were crying out for another bowling option against South Africa, but forcing Livingstone and Moeen into the same team at the expense of Brook not only makes their batting lineup even more volatile, but doesn’t provide the reward they’re searching for with the ball. Against Sri Lanka, once they’d been bowled out for 156 it didn’t matter what they did with the ball.

But against India, having understandably wanted more spin options on a turning track, Livingstone was expensive while Moeen rattled through his overs for no reward. Their most violent batting capitulation in the tournament to date followed.

The pre-tournament calls for Brook to be included in England’s World Cup squad despite his lack of experience shows the talent he possesses and the impact he’s already had in his short international career. That he was then chosen over Jason Roy days before the squad flew out was a remarkable overthrow of one of the 2019 big guns. The three-year contract he was awarded last week is also evidence of the central role England see him playing in their long-term plans. Yet, he sat on the sidelines in a yellow bib in Lucknow watching one of the oldest ODI XIs there has ever been disintegrate.

Not only has Brook been one of England’s ‘better’ batters in the tournament, averaging 32 with 128 runs across four innings, but he could well be the only member of that batting lineup still playing the format when this horror show eventually comes to an end. Livingstone is 30 and averages 30.87 in ODIs without a single hundred. Moeen is the oldest member of England’s squad, and his place in England’s best ODI XI is never far from question.

It doesn’t have to be about Moeen and Livingstone only, any number of England’s batters based on their performances in the last four games could drop out of the side. There’s also nothing now to lose in blooding the other young guns in the squad, Atkinson and Brydon Carse. Atkinson showed himself more than capable against South Africa and was arguably their seamer with the most control. Flying Carse out to India for a front-row seat to the end of a demolition job also seems counterproductive.

There are so many things England could’ve and possibly should’ve done differently in the tournament. But none of that matters now. What matters is how they rebuild and, in the words of Matthew Mott, ‘what they can salvage.’ They won’t salvage anything if they don’t try and learn anything.

To bet on the World Cup with our Match Centre Partners bet365 head here.

The post CWC 2023: Brook, Atkinson, Carse – England need to back young guns if they are to ‘salvage’ anything from the World Cup appeared first on Wisden.

from Cricket News: Stories, Features, Interviews, Opinion, Reports | Wisden https://ift.tt/eUr1uaP

Today’s Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan World Cup match, where to watch live: TV channels and live streaming for SL vs AFG

Sri Lanka and Afghanistan will face off in Match 30 of the ICC Men’s World Cup 2023 at Gahunje in the outskirts of Pune on October 30. Here is where to watch the SL vs AFG World Cup 2023 match live, including TV channels and live streaming details.

Sri Lanka have a spotless record over Afghanistan at the World Cup, winning two out of two matches. In 2019, they prevailed by 34 runs after restricting their opponents from chasing a DLS-revised target of 187 in 41 overs.

They are coming into this match with an eight-wicket win against title-holders England. The late inclusion of Angelo Mathews in the squad as an injury replacement has bolstered their line-up. Playing against England, Mathews bowled for the first time since the global lockdown and picked up 2-14 from his five overs. Sri Lanka have batted well, but their bowling has put them down. With two wins from five games and a net run-rate of -0.205, they are placed fifth on the points table.

Another injury blow to Sri Lanka

In their latest injury setback, Lahiru Kumara, who took 3-35 in his last match to be named the Player of the Match, was ruled out because of a thigh injury, making way for pacer Dushmantha Chameera in the squad. Earlier, Chamika Karunaratne and Mathews had been called in as replacements for injured Dasun Shanaka and Matheesha Pathirana.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan have finally managed to break the jinx of succumbing in crunch situations against arch rivals Pakistan. After several close games lately between the two sides, Afghanistan prevailed for the first time in eight meetings. Their other win came against England.

On both occasions, spin played a big part for them. With two wins from five matches, they are two spots below Sri Lanka on the points table at seventh place, because of their inferior net run rate of -0.969.

Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan, where to watch live: TV channels and live streaming for SL vs AFG

Sri Lanka: TV – TV1, Sirasa TV, Shakthi TV. Live streams: sirasatv.lk

Afghanistan: Live stream – arianatelevision.com, sports.afghan-wireless.com, ariananews.af (highlights, Australia v South Africa, South Africa Vs Netherlands, semi-finals and final only)

India: TV – Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 HD, Star Sports 1 Hindi, Star Sports 1 Hindi HD, Star Sports 1 Telugu, Star Sports 1 Telugu HD, Star Sports 1 Tamil, Star Sports 1 Tamil HD, Star Sports 1 Kannada. Live stream – Disney+ Hotstar

UK: TV – Sky Sports Cricket, Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Mix, Sky Showcase, CHANNEL 5 (highlights). Live stream – SkyGO, Sky Sports App, MY5 App (highlights)

Australia: TV – FOX CRICKET, FOX505, FOX503, Channel 9, HD 9GEMHD. Live stream – FoxtelGo, FoxtelNOW, Kayo, NineNow

South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa: TV – SuperSport Grandstand, SuperSport Cricket, SuperSport Action. Live stream – SuperSport app

Continental Europe and SEA (excluding Singapore): Live stream – YuppTV

Bangladesh: TV – GTV, T Sports. Live stream – Rabbithole

Pakistan: TV – PTV Sports, PTV National, A-Sports. Live streams: ptvflix, Daraz, Jazz, ARY ZAP

New Zealand: TV – Sky Sport. Live stream — skygo.co.nz, skysportnow.co.nz

New Zealand: TV – Sky Sport. Live stream — skygo.co.nz, skysportnow.co.nz

Canada: TV – Willow TV. Live stream – Willow TV

The Caribbean: TV – ESPN, ESPN2. Live stream – ESPN Play Caribbean

Central & South America and Mexico: Live stream – ESPN+

Hong Kong: TV – TV channel: Astro Cricket via NowTV. Live stream – YuppTV

Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan: Live stream – Yupp TV

Malaysia: TV – Astro Cricket. Live streams – AstroGO, Yupp TV

MENA: TV – Criclife, CricLife Max (UAE only). Live stream – StarzPlay, Switch TV

Singapore: TV – HubSports 4, HubSports 5. Live stream – StarHub TV+

USA: TV – WillowTV. Live stream – ESPN+ app

To bet on the World Cup with our Match Centre Partners bet365 head here.

The post Today’s Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan World Cup match, where to watch live: TV channels and live streaming for SL vs AFG appeared first on Wisden.

from Cricket News: Stories, Features, Interviews, Opinion, Reports | Wisden https://ift.tt/XY1xUnk

Today’s IND vs ENG match, World Cup 2023: Dream11 fantasy prediction and tips, playing XIs

India play England at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on October 29: here’s the IND vs ENG Dream11 fantasy preview, including predictions and tips for CWC 2023 Match No.29.

CWC 2023: India vs England match preview

Both teams are coming into the game with vastly contrasting form and fortunes. India have won all five of their matches so far, while England have managed only one victory out of five. England have failed to put up even 200 in the last two games and have a lot of catching up to do if they are to challenge India in their current form. They are unsure of their best balance and might spring up few more changes in their XI for this match.

India look well settled despite the absence of Hardik Pandya who is recovering from an ankle injury sustained in the Bangladesh game. There is no clarity on his availability but it’s more than likely that he will miss this game. India might toy with the idea of bringing back Ravichandran Ashwin for Mohammed Shami if they feel the pitch will offer assistance to spinners.

IND vs ENG fantasy tips

# Jos Buttler averages 14.8 from 12 ODIs in India. At Lucknow, against the Indian spinners, it would be a good idea to not pick him.

# The Indian top three should feautre in your XI, given the kind of form they are in. Whether India bat first or chase, all three of Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli have a good chance of scoring runs.

# Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja should feature in your XI for sure. If the Lucknow surface aids spin, both Jadeja and Kuldeep will be a handful for the England middle order. In fact, if India pick Ravichandran Ashwin in the XI, he should make it to your team as well, given the number of Left Handers England has.

# Dawid Malan has been in good form, but Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah are ideally suited to exploit his weakness, which is ballsn angling away from him in the fourth and fifth stump channel. If they are accurate with their execution, Malan will find it hard to score. It might be a risky move, but you can avoid picking him.

India vs England: Predicted XI

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj.

England: Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler (c) (wk), Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Adil Rashid.

IND vs ENG: Dream11 team

Wicketkeepers: KL Rahul

Batters: Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Joe Root, Shubman Gill

All-rounders: Ravindra Jadeja, Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone

Bowlers: Adil Rashid, Jaspirt Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav (vc)

Captaincy options: Rohit Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja

Potential swaps: Ravichandran Ashwin in place of Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes in place of Liam Livingstone

To bet on the World Cup with our Match Centre Partners bet365 head here.

The post Today’s IND vs ENG match, World Cup 2023: Dream11 fantasy prediction and tips, playing XIs appeared first on Wisden.

from Cricket News: Stories, Features, Interviews, Opinion, Reports | Wisden https://ift.tt/W4nbrCv

Explained: Why Mitchell Starc’s high full toss in the last over wasn’t reviewed for a no ball

A debated no-ball call proved crucial in the Australia-New Zealand World Cup classic today (October 28) but there was no review of the decision. Here’s why.

The moment came on the penultimate delivery of the game, with Jimmy Neesham threatening to pull off the highest chase in World Cup history. New Zealand needed seven off two balls, with the all-rounder on 58 off 38 deliveries, when he received a high full toss from Mitchell Starc.

The ball was there to be hit into the stands, but Neesham only managed to cloth it into the legside. He attempted to run two, but was run out at the striker’s end. No.11 Lockie Ferguson was not able to hit the final ball for a match-winning six, with Australia victorious by five runs.

Immediately, there was debate over the legality of the Starc delivery, with suggestions that it was too high, and should have been called a no ball. While it being a no ball would have made no difference to the dismissal, with run outs possible off all deliveries, it would have significantly eased the Black Caps’ equation. Instead of needing six off one, they would have needed five off two, with the rebowled penultimate ball a free hit.

I’ve only seen the replay once, at full speed, so have no idea.

But if it had been called a no ball, Lockie would have come in needing five runs from two balls – the first of which would have been a free hit. https://t.co/yRjDiO8cUK

— Michael Appleton (@michelappleton) October 28, 2023

But there was no no ball called on the field, and no review either. This might seem odd for a pivotal moment in a thrilling game, but it was correct under the ICC’s protocol for the competition.

Appendix D of the ICC’s playing conditions deals with reviews, with section 2.6 covering umpire reviews for no balls. This states that a review for no ball can only take place “If the bowler’s end umpire is uncertain as to the fairness of the delivery following a dismissal…either affecting the
validity of the dismissal or which batter is dismissed”.

While this review would have followed a dismissal, whether it was a no ball or not would not have affected the validity of the dismissal, or changed which batter was out, so it could not be reviewed.

This means that, strangely, Neesham might have been better off if he had hit the ball in the air and been caught, because then a review for no ball could have taken place.

It is not clear if a review would have changed the outcome. The Laws of Cricket outlaw full tosses passing “above waist height of the striker standing upright at the popping crease”, with replays indicating it would have been touch and go in this case.

The issue of whether technology should be used to help decide important non-wicket or boundary moments is an increasingly discussed one. Jofra Archer asked if it were possible to review a wide during the 2019 World Cup final super over, while in the recent Indian Premier League, teams were empowered to review any umpiring decision, rather than just in the case of a dismissal. This move is yet to make it to international cricket, however.

To bet on the World Cup with our Match Centre Partners bet365 head here.

The post Explained: Why Mitchell Starc’s high full toss in the last over wasn’t reviewed for a no ball appeared first on Wisden.

from Cricket News: Stories, Features, Interviews, Opinion, Reports | Wisden https://ift.tt/dAl6HtW

Today’s AUS vs NZ match, World Cup 2023: Dream11 fantasy prediction and tips, playing XIs

Australia play New Zealand at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on October 28: here’s the AUS vs NZ Dream11 fantasy preview, including predictions and tips for CWC 2023 Match No.27.

CWC 2023: Australia vs New Zealand match preview

Both teams head into this highly anticipated Trans-Tasman rivalry on the back of contrasting results. New Zealand suffered their first defeat of the tournament, against India at the same venue, in their previous game, while Australia defeated Netherlands by more than 300 runs in the biggest victory in World Cup history.

Australia would be looking forward to the return of Travis Head in their XI. If he comes back, Mitchell Marsh will have to shift down the order and either Marnus Labuschagne or Cameron Green will have to make way. Tim Southee is available for selection for New Zealand, but given the way their current seam bowling trio have performed, it’s unlikely that he will get a look in.

AUS vs NZ fantasy tips 

# David Warner has a poor record against Matt Henry, having been dismissed four times by him at an average of 22.50. While Warner is in good form, the conditions in Dharamsala are spicy for fast bowlers and will make it difficult for him. Leaving him out of your XI is a risk you can take.

# Dharamsala has been conducive to seam bowling, particularly under lights. Pick as many seam bowlers from both sides as possible, with Mitchell Starc, Trent Boult, and Matt Henry being certainties.

# The New Zealand middle order has been consistently coming good in the last couple of games. Daryl Mitchell scored a hundred at this venue in the last game and negotiated Kuldeep Yadav well. He should feature in your XI.

# Glenn Maxwell scored the fastest World Cup hundred in the previous game. He is also regularly bowling for Australia at this World Cup. He is a must-have in your fantasy XI.

Australia vs New Zealand: Predicted XI

Australia: David Warner, Travis Head, Steve Smith, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Josh Inglis (wk), Cameron Green, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa.

New Zealand: Will Young, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (c) (wk), Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Mark Chapman, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult, Matt Henry.

AUS vs NZ: Dream11 team

Wicketkeepers: Tom Latham, Devon Conway

Batters: Steve Smith, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips

All-rounders: Glenn Maxwell

Bowlers: Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc (c), Trent Boult, Adam Zampa, Matt Henry (vc)

Captaincy options: Matt Henry, Mitchell Starc, Trent Boult

Potential swaps: Travis Head in place of Glenn Phillips, David Warner in place of Adam Zampa

To bet on the World Cup with our Match Centre Partners bet365 head here.

The post Today’s AUS vs NZ match, World Cup 2023: Dream11 fantasy prediction and tips, playing XIs appeared first on Wisden.

from Cricket News: Stories, Features, Interviews, Opinion, Reports | Wisden https://ift.tt/WG9wbc4

Matthew Mott wary of ‘raging favourites’ as England look to avoid further shame

Head coach Matthew Mott admits England’s calamitous Cricket World Cup campaign could get even worse this weekend, placing India as “raging favourites” to inflict yet another defeat on his side.

The 2019 champions have blown their title defence in remarkable fashion, losing four of their first five matches in thumping fashion to lie ninth in the table, and things are about to get even tougher in Lucknow.

The hosts have been in swaggeringly good form, sitting pretty on top of the standings with a 100 per cent record, and carry all the momentum heading into Sunday’s meeting.

Sri Lanka win by 8️⃣ wickets in Bangalore. #EnglandCricket | #CWC23 pic.twitter.com/K72Gk2k9AL

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) October 26, 2023

Even at their lowest historical ebbs England have never lost four on the bounce at a World Cup before but even the man in charge of ensuring that does not happen this time accepts the odds are against his team.

“We play India in a couple of days, the hosts, and they are probably raging favourites at the moment,” he said.

“But I think that’s an opportunity to restore some pride and confidence in the group. Every opportunity we get to play together is vital now to try and find our mojo again. It’s obviously too late for this tournament but we need to do that, we’ve got to find a response.

“We’ve definitely not performed anywhere near the level that we want to in this tournament, but our first priority at the moment is to make sure we come out and give India a good scrap and hopefully perform a lot better than we have.”

Despite knowing they will watching the knockout stages from home, England face the unenviable prospect of collecting even more aimless air miles between now and their final game on November 11.

And while rallying from the depths of their current position, fractionally above associates the Netherlands, is some motivation, even Mott has acknowledged a potentially grisly post-mortem awaits on the other side.

Jos Buttler has already reiterated his desire to oversee the next chapter and Mott is equally bullish about his position.

Jos Buttler has overseen a poor campaign so far (PA Wire)

“There’s no silver bullet for this,” he said.

“We’re going to have to sit down at the end of this tournament and look ourselves in the eyes and say ‘what can we do a little bit better?’.

“Jos and I are incredibly aligned and united. When you lose tournaments like this, everyone’s under scrutiny, everyone’s place will be questioned.

“I certainly feel like I could have done things a lot better but I’ve been in the job 18 months, we’ve won a World Cup and lost a World Cup. I think I’ve shown the capability that I can coach his team.

“I’ve shown an ability to be able to turn things around so that’ll have to happen pretty quickly, but, yeah, what will be will be.”

Between them, Mott and Buttler must now decide what to do about their team selection, which has been a revolving door since the start of the competition. Against Sri Lanka they fielded an entire XI aged 30 or above for the first time ever and came across a group that was demonstrably past its peak.

Former England seamer Steve Harmison has called for them to pass the torch immediately, picking Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Gus Atkinson and the recently arrived injury replacement Brydon Carse at the expense of older players.

Brook is sure to be a cornerstone player in the next four-year cycle and will surely come in to face India, but Mott insists he will not be picking a team purely by birth date.

“As one of the selectors I never look at age, I look at performance and form and all the things that go into it,” he said.

“I would say we’ll just try and keep picking our best side for the conditions, as we’ve tried to do all the way through.”

The post Matthew Mott wary of ‘raging favourites’ as England look to avoid further shame appeared first on Cricket365.

from Cricket365 https://ift.tt/foLGI48

Battered in Bangalore and undone in Delhi: Ranking England’s post 1992 World Cup disasters

England’s disastrous 2023 World Cup campaign is shaping up to be their worst-ever following their third consecutive loss of the tournament.

It’s by no means unfamiliar territory for England fans, if disappointing after their 2019 triumph. However, in the context of how they’ve performed in other tournaments over the last three decades, 2023 is in keeping with a sub-par trend, 2019 being an anomalous result.

With that in mind, here are all of England’s World Cup disasters from the last three decades ranked, from the post-1992 success flop in 1996 right the way to Jos Buttler’s motley crew.

8. 1996

Fresh from losing to Imran Khan’s Pakistan at the MCG in 1992, England’s next bid for a first 50-over crown was a typically damp squib. In a pre-cursor to 2023, they lost their opening match of the tournament to New Zealand in Ahmedabad. They picked up with big wins over the UAE and the Netherlands before coming unstuck against South Africa in Rawalpindi. They were then beaten by Pakistan but still managed to make the quarter-finals given the top four teams from the group advanced to the knock outs. Sri Lanka comfortably beat them by five wickets, chasing down 236 with ten overs to spare. In the scheme of things, while disappointing, the tournament lacked the big upset it needed to make it a truly great England disaster-class.

7. 2007

2007 was another where England made it through to the knock outs thanks to a favourable format. The tone was set when Ed Joyce was out off a no-ball re-bowl from England’s first ball of the tournament. From there after qualifying for the Super Eight by virtue of beating Canada and Kenya, England were beaten by Sri Lanka by two runs, Australia and South Africa. They missed out on the semi-finals despite beating West Indies, Bangladesh and Ireland, finishing the tournament as the fifth-placed side. No disgrace.

6. 1999

Having started out their campaign strongly with an eight-wicket win over Sri Lanka (the last time they recorded a victory over Sri Lanka in a men’s 50-over World Cup) and a nine-wicket win over Kenya, their campaign rapidly came off the rails. Big losses to South Africa and India dealt such a blow to their net run rate that not even a seven-wicket win over Zimbabwe could save them. They missed out on Super Six qualification by 0.35 on net run rate.

5. 2011

The abiding memory of England’s 2011 campaign is Kevin O’Brien’s masterpiece in Bengaluru. However, it’s worth remembering that by that point in the tournament England had already beaten the Netherlands and tied with eventual winners India. They then beat South Africa thanks to four wickets from Stuart Broad, but were shocked by Bangladesh. Despite two upsets, England once again found themselves in a World Cup quarter final, where they were thumped by ten wickets by Sri Lanka.

4. 2003

2003 marks the start of the proper ‘wheels off’ tournaments on this list. A lot of that comes down to the forfeit to Zimbabwe, which was outside of cricketing reasons, but thumpings from Pakistan and India were disappointing affairs. While they essentially beat all the teams they were supposed to beat in the Netherlands and Namibia, a two-wicket loss to Australia sealed their fate, and England were knocked out in the group stage. Nasser Hussain immediately resigned following the tournament.

3. 1999

Having started out their campaign strongly with an eight-wicket win over Sri Lanka (the last time they recorded a victory over Sri Lanka in a men’s fifty-over World Cup) and a nine-wicket win over Kenya, their campaign rapidly came off the rails. Big losses to South Africa and India dealt such a blow to their net run rate that not even a seven-wicket win over Zimbabwe could save them. They missed out on Super Six qualification by 0.35 on net run rate.

2. 2015

England fans will have hoped 2015 would forever hold the top spot in their World Cup capitulation hall of fame. The memories of it are truly nightmare inducing. Eoin Morgan tossed the captaincy weeks before the tournament, an opening thumping to Australia, bowled out for 123 by New Zealand, and that’s before we even get to the Bangladesh loss. The only redeemable feature of that tournament from an England perspective was the wholesale change which followed it, the origins of their 2019 triumph.

1. 2023

Even just over halfway through the campaign, the 2023 World Cup takes the top spot as the worst of England’s modern horror shows. They went in as defending champions, odds on to be in the semis if not the final, but any hopes of that were quickly vanquished, first by the Rachin Ravindra show, before Afghanistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka piled on the pain. If you can set aside how out of form every single one of their players look, the most torturous part of the campaign is the format. England still have to play four games before they can head home with their tails between their legs once more. They also still have to play two of the best teams in the tournament. Once again, they find themselves asking, it can’t get any worse, can it?

To bet on the World Cup with our Match Centre Partners bet365 head here.

The post Battered in Bangalore and undone in Delhi: Ranking England’s post 1992 World Cup disasters appeared first on Wisden.

from Cricket News: Stories, Features, Interviews, Opinion, Reports | Wisden https://ift.tt/cxJry8b

Today’s ENG vs SL match, World Cup 2023: Dream11 fantasy prediction and tips, playing XIs

England play Sri Lanka at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on October 26: here’s the ENG vs SL Dream11 fantasy preview, including predictions and tips for CWC 2023 Match No.25.

CWC 2023: England vs Sri Lanka match preview

England in the 2023 World Cup have been a shadow of their former selves, managing only a solitary win against Bangladesh in their four outings. They are reeling in the bottom half of the points table in eighth. After heavy defeats versus New Zealand and Afghanistan, the 229-run loss to South Africa has dented their net run rate further, pushing it to -1.248. To make matters worse, Reece Topley has fractured his hand and will not participate in the rest of the tournament. Brydon Carse has been named as his replacement.

Sri Lanka opened their account with a win against the Netherlands in their previous match. They are placed just above England on the points table with the same number of points (2) from four games but possess a superior net run-run-rate of -1.048, owing to their better batting displays – 326 against South Africa and 344 against Pakistan. In their latest injury setback, veteran Angelo Matthews has replaced an injured Matheesha Pathirana for the rest of their campaign. Previously, they lost skipper Dasun Shanaka to a quadriceps tear.

ENG vs SL fantasy tips

# Although Kusal Mendis hasn’t delivered in his last two outings, his 76 off 42 against South Africa and 122 off 77 against Pakistan are enough to convince what he brings to the table. A big knock is due from the dashing Sri Lanka skipper. The Bengaluru belter is the perfect stage for it.

# Sadeera Samarawickrama has been the highest run-scorer for Sri Lanka this season, racking up 230 runs from four matches at a staggering average of 76.66 while striking at 103.13. Samarawickrama’s unbeaten 91 steered his team home against the Netherlands. He also scored 108 (89) against Pakistan. The wicketkeeper-batter should be a no-brainer in the side.

# England are desperate for a win to revive their teetering campaign, and there isn’t a better crisis man than Ben Stokes. Although he missed the initial three matches due to a sore hip, a low score with the bat against South Africa on his return will motivate him to pull off something grand. Just an innings before this failure, he scored a career-best 182 against New Zealand in an ODI series.

# Dilshan Madushanka has scalped 11 victims in the World Cup 2023 and jointly reigns the third spot alongside Jasprit Bumrah on the wicket-takers list. He can defy the Chinnaswamy pitch, infamous for being a kryptonite for bowlers.

England vs Sri Lanka: Predicted XI

England: Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c/wk), Liam Livingstone, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood.

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis (c/wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Angelo Mathews, Dushan Hemantha, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Dilshan Madushanka.

ENG vs SL: Dream11 team

Wicketkeepers: Kusal Mendis, Jos Buttler, Sadeera Samarawickrama

Batters: Kusal Perera, Ben Stokes, Dawid Malan

All-rounders: Liam Livingstone, Dunith Wellalage

Bowlers: Mark Wood, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madhushanka

Captaincy options: Kusal Mendis, Ben Stokes, Liam Livingstone

Potential swaps: Pathum Nissanka for Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow for Dilshan Madushanka

To bet on the World Cup with our Match Centre Partners bet365 head here.

The post Today’s ENG vs SL match, World Cup 2023: Dream11 fantasy prediction and tips, playing XIs appeared first on Wisden.

from Cricket News: Stories, Features, Interviews, Opinion, Reports | Wisden https://ift.tt/YoZ4hHK

‘A horrible idea’ – Glenn Maxwell criticises mid-innings World Cup light shows

Glenn Maxwell criticised the mid-innings light shows that have been a feature of some of World Cup games after his Player of the Match performance in Australia’s record win over Netherlands at Delhi.

Maxwell enjoyed a spectacular outing against the Netherlands, blitzing a 40-ball century – the fourth fastest in the history of ODI cricket and the fastest ever struck at a World Cup. He reached three figures despite only facing his first ball in the 41st over of the innings.

Australia posted a total of 399-8 off their 50 overs, a target they defended with ease. Netherlands were bowled out for just 90 as Adam Zampa secured this third four-wicket haul in as many games.

The final margin of victory was a whopping 309 runs, the most ever recorded in a World Cup game.

It wasn’t a totally perfect day for Maxwell, however, as the Australia all-rounder took issue with a light show that was on display during the Dutch innings. According to reporters at the ground, Maxwell held his hands over his eyes during the performance.

Quizzed on the display after the game, Maxwell explained that he has never been a fan of mid-game light shows. “Well, something like that light show similar happened at Perth Stadium during a Big Bash game,” said Maxwell. “I just felt like it gave me shocking headaches and it takes me a while for my eyes to readjust. I just think it’s the dumbest idea for cricketers when you’ve got this thing coming at you quickly and your eyes take so long to adjust and I think we just lost a wicket and the Perth Stadium lights went nuts.

“I was at the other end and it took me ages to get my eyes to go again and I felt like I had a headache – so I just try and cover up as much as I possibly can and ignore it but it’s a horrible, horrible idea.”

To bet on the World Cup with our Match Centre Partners bet365 head here.

The post ‘A horrible idea’ – Glenn Maxwell criticises mid-innings World Cup light shows appeared first on Wisden.

from Cricket News: Stories, Features, Interviews, Opinion, Reports | Wisden https://ift.tt/h4GJXiD

Moeen Ali eager to get anxious England playing with a smile again

Moeen Ali is planning to bring the fun factor back to England’s World Cup campaign after realising the defending champions have “lost the enjoyment” in India.

Moeen is set to return to the side for Thursday’s must-win match against Sri Lanka after being confined to drinks duties for the past three games, during which time things have gone from bad to worse for the 2019 winners.

Despite being left on the sidelines, Moeen remains the squad’s designated vice-captain and has watched and learned from crushing defeats to Afghanistan and South Africa that have left ninth-placed England with the narrowest of paths to the semi-finals.

His conclusions are clear: the team have become too anxious, too rigid and too fearful. The smiles have gone and the 36-year-old has made it his mission to bring them back at Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium, once his IPL home with Royal Challengers Bangalore.

A monumental victory for South Africa against England 🤯#CWC23 #ENGvSA pic.twitter.com/fdavtyu5ZW

— ICC Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) October 21, 2023

“When you sit out sometimes, you can see things that you don’t see when you’re playing,” he said.

“You can see from the outside that we’ve probably lost the enjoyment. We haven’t enjoyed it as a team as much, because we’ve been losing and we’re not playing that well.

“That spark is missing, that thing where they’re enjoying taking bowlers down, enjoying going out to bat.

“I think we’re probably taking it too seriously in certain ways. I think sometimes we can probably get a bit anxious. It’s almost having that carefree kind of attitude – ‘Who cares? It’s a game of cricket’.

“You’re going to make mistakes, you might as well make them doing what you’re good at. We’re making mistakes anyway, so let’s do it with a smile on your face.

“If I get my chance, I’m going to use all that intent that I have. Take it on. I’m going to take the situation out a lot of the time and just enjoy it as much as I can.”

Moeen has been stung by his extended absence from the XI, which sits at odds with his role as a key sounding board for captain Jos Buttler and his calming influence on the field has been a loss.

“Speaking to a few of the players, they’ve certainly said that they’re miss having me at mid-off or whatever,” said Moeen.

“I think I can try and hopefully bring a bit of help maybe for Jos, being at mid-off a lot of the time with the bowlers, because it’s not always that easy for a wicketkeeper to communicate.

“It’s hard for me to say. That’s the hardest bit…when Jos asks me what I think of the side and I don’t put myself in or if I do put myself in. You try and do what’s best for the team as much as you can.”

The man plotting England’s downfall this time around is Sri Lanka coach Chris Silverwood, a man who once thought he would be leading their title defence.

Silverwood was England’s fast bowling coach they won the tournament in 2019 and stepped into the top job soon after when he was chosen to succeed Trevor Bayliss.

Former England coach Chris Silverwood is now in charge of Sri Lanka (Jason O’Brien/PA).

But his reign came to an ignominious end when he was sacked after the 2021/22 Ashes debacle, with England subsequently opting to split the job between red and white-ball specialists.

England have already been bested by one of their own in India, with former batter Jonathan Trott guiding Afghanistan to a shock win in Delhi, and are aware of the extra layer of intrigue created by Silverwood’s appearance in the opposition dugout.

“I’m sure he’s got that motivation to do well in this game, definitely,” said Moeen.

“They’ve only won once, so they’ll want to get on a winning run as well and he’ll be thinking more about that and his own team.

“But I’m sure deep down, like everybody else, he’ll be trying to prove a point or whatever it is and that will motivate him a little bit more.

“He’s a good coach and a nice guy, and I enjoyed (working with) him. But he’s not the one going out to bat and bowl, it’s his team. He’ll be trying to get them ready.”

Chris Woakes is set to return to the England side alongside Moeen Ali (Manish Swarup/AP).

England radically altered the balance of their side against the Proteas, banishing their core of all-rounders in favour of their top six batters and five specialist bowlers.

A 229-run thrashing is likely to see that formula banished, with Moeen and Chris Woakes both pencilled in to return in place of the injured Reece Topley and Gus Atkinson. Sam Curran is also vying for one place with David Willey.

Topley’s injury replacement, Brydon Carse trained for the first time on Wednesday afternoon but will not be considered at this stage.

The post Moeen Ali eager to get anxious England playing with a smile again appeared first on Cricket365.

from Cricket365 https://ift.tt/PNOJwQ0

Quinton de Kock is leading South Africa’s run-laden, record-breaking charge to World Cup glory

A geometric progression is defined as a sequence where each element is obtained by multiplying the preceding element by a constant. Quinton de Kock‘s batting averages at ODI World Cups have followed a geometric progression of sorts, with each edition being nearly twice as good than the previous.

Start with the 2015 World Cup in Australia where he had a dismal outing, scoring just 145 runs from eight games at an average of 20.7, then move to an improved show in England in 2019, where 305 runs came at an average of nearly 40, and finish with the all-timer of a campaign that he is having this time around in 2023, averaging 81.4 after five matches. De Kock might have taken three attempts, but one of the finest wicketkeeper-batters of the modern game has finally turned up at the biggest stage in cricket and is leading his team’s charge to the top.

From 17 innings in 2015 and 2019 combined, de Kock managed a grand total of zero hundreds at the World Cup. This time, he has managed three from five innings already. His latest one, a record-breaking 174 at the Wankhede Stadium against Bangladesh today (October 24), took South Africa to 382, their second consecutive 380-plus total.

Having missed out on a belter of a surface against England three days back, de Kock dug in and made amends today. His first 50 balls fetched 54 as he eased through the first half of the innings. While some batters would have accelerated at that point, de Kock played the long game, ticking strike over as Bangladesh tried and failed to employ the spin-choke.

It was only after reaching his hundred in the 35th over, the 20th of his illustrious ODI career, that de Kock upped the ante. The next 20 balls fetched 26. The last 19 fetched 48. When he was dismissed for 174 off 140 balls, South Africa’s innings still had 4.5 overs to go. A double hundred was a realistic possibility.

De Kock went past AB de Villiers’ 162 not out against West Indies in the 2015 World Cup to register the second-highest individual score by a South African batter in World Cup history. The record is still held by Gary Kirsten for his epic 188 not out against the UAE in the 1996 World Cup.

De Kock’s hundred meant South Africa crossed 380 at the 2023 World Cup for the third time today. To put this in perspective, no other team in the history of the men’s ODI World Cup has put up more than two totals of 380 across editions. South Africa have done it thrice in their last five games. And two of those three occasions have involved a Quinton de Kock hundred.

Quinton de Kock put on a show for the Wankhede crowd against Bangladesh

Coming into the World Cup, de Kock wasn’t in the greatest of form. His last 13 ODI innings before the 2023 World Cup had brought just one half-century and no centuries. In fact, his last ODI hundred had come way back in January 2022. South Africa needed one of their most experienced batters in Indian conditions to turn up at the World Cup. And turn up he has.

The first match against Sri Lanka saw him score a breezy 84-ball 100 that set the platform for South Africa to post the biggest total in World Cup history. The second, a sterner test against Australia in Lucknow, had a similar outcome as de Kock scored 109 off 106, helping South Africa reach a match-winning total of 311. The third and fourth were blips, but that was what they were, blips. At the Wankhede against Bangladesh today, he roared back and how.

South Africa have been a beast while batting first lately. This was their seventh consecutive victory by 100 or more runs while batting first. In fact, dating back to 2015, this was the third consecutive ODI where South Africa scored 380-plus at the Wankhede Stadium. Mid-way into the World Cup, things are looking better for South Africa than they were expected to. While the entire team has contributed in some way or the other, de Kock has been at the forefront of the charge.

Yes, they have only won while setting a target and not while chasing one so far at the World Cup, but given the way they have recovered from the defeat against Netherlands and the way their individual brilliance is adding up to produce collective results, South Africa would like to believe that no challenge will be too big for them going forward. And Quinton de Kock will be there, being the first line of attack at the top, no matter what.

To bet on the World Cup with our Match Centre Partners bet365 head here.

The post Quinton de Kock is leading South Africa’s run-laden, record-breaking charge to World Cup glory appeared first on Wisden.

from Cricket News: Stories, Features, Interviews, Opinion, Reports | Wisden https://ift.tt/M12vQkq

CWC 2023: Where has it all gone wrong for Pakistan?

Pakistan were touted as World Cup contenders before the competition, and now face a battle to make the semi-finals. Aadya Sharma tries to work out what’s gone wrong for Babar Azam’s side.

Shaheen Afridi stood at third man, gesturing at Hassan Ali and Mohammad Rizwan with his hands. “Slow it down!”, he appeared to say. Rizwan looked, but Hassan didn’t. He was already at his bowling mark, ready to robotically repeat his routine. Shaheen hung his head in disappointment.

By then, Afghanistan were cruising, and would navigate a middle-over stutter and stall to pull off their greatest ever win. Afridi’s gesticulations didn’t work like his bowling had.

Monday evening was replete with many such disharmonies. Drooping shoulders, lowered heads and listless faces were the common denominators. After the game, Babar blamed the bowling and fielding. Iftikhar Ahmed blamed the batting. Babar said the team’s plan was a total around 280-290. Iftikhar said it was a 300-plus wicket.

Pakistan are still fifth out of ten teams, with half the league stage to go. But there’s already a sense of relinquishment evident. Babar’s press conference was filled with blank spaces and vagueness, far from projecting any steeliness that could galvanise the ‘cornered tigers’. Their trajectory so far matches Pakistan’s 1992 resurgents, but there is little sign of any Babar-inspired roaring.

Against Afghanistan, they had quite a few things going their way. They posted 278, the fourth-highest score ever at the Chepauk this century batting first (ignore the 2007 Asia XI-Africa XI anomaly). Four days ago, New Zealand had scored less and trounced the same opposition at the same ground.

Then, just over halfway into the chase, Afghanistan slowed down significantly, managing merely 43-1 between overs 25 and 35 (the 36th being a maiden). An opening looked possible, and yet, it seemed inevitable that Afghanistan would chase it down.

For the first 21 overs, Pakistan went through the motions as Afghanistan’s openers put on a stand that turned from steady to commanding. It required Shaheen’s re-entry, not for the first time in the competition, to bring Pakistan back into the equation.

Among the many problems is the bowling, hailed by many – including Babar and Iftikhar – as the best attack on the planet. Naseem Shah’s loss was colossal, but great attacks don’t run on solo acts. Haris Rauf, who took 5-18 against the same opposition a month ago, ended wicketless. He’s bowled second-change eight times in his ODI career, three of which have been at this World Cup. The economy rate in these has been 6.4, 7.16 and 10.37. Against Afghanistan as first-change, it was 6.62. He went for 17 runs in his first over.

Hassan has been adequate, holding things down during Afghanistan’s lull. He took a four-for against Sri Lanka in his second game after a year-long gap, but now has just two wickets from his last 24 overs. It’s not been enough support to his new-ball partner Shaheen.

Despite appearing to be at less than a 100 per cent, Shaheen has been Pakistan’s best bowler. He pulled back Australia during an onslaught of epic proportions, provided a breakthrough against Afghanistan, but most of his success has come in his second spells. The last two games have seen opening stands of 259 and 130 against Pakistan.

Which takes us to the spin attack, their symbol of struggle in the recent past. For anyone with at least one wicket in this competition, the top three worst strike rates are three Pakistan spinners – Iftikhar Ahmed (120), Usama Mir (105) and Mohammad Nawaz (94.5). Since the start of 2022, the strike rate (48.6) of Pakistan spinners ranks 17th out of the 22 teams to play men’s ODIs. Shadab Khan, their out-of-form vice-captain, was dropped against Australia, provided lower-order batting stability on return, but couldn’t find a wicket when they most needed him to, across Afghanistan’s middle-overs crawl.

Shadab is also a great fielder, which most of his other teammates aren’t. Usama’s dropped catch of David Warner was one of several botched efforts, although that one hurt the most. The ground fielding has been shoddy: from over-running at the ropes to mistiming dives through overthrows aplenty, you name it, Pakistan have done it. Other teams have been guilty too, but Pakistan’s misdemeanours have stood out.

When asked about it, Babar didn’t venture beyond revising page one of the fielding basics: “Fielding comes with attitude. And I don’t see that attitude from the team. You need to show effort, be extra fit. Focus should be on the ball, our mind shouldn’t be elsewhere. You need to be proactive when the ball comes.”

And lastly, the batting, which, on paper, could have compensated for a weaker bowling line-up. When teams like India are looking to revamp their early approach, blitzing through the first ten, Pakistan have been a stark contrast. Their first ODI powerplay six of 2023 (!) came against Afghanistan. Starts have been steady but a sluggishness takes over the middle overs, and if there’s no Iftimania, there’s not enough blitzing at the end either. Take, for example, the two big partnerships last night: Shafique and Babar scored 132 in 167 balls. Gurbaz and Ibrahim managed 20 more runs in one ball fewer.

In their three losses, their aggregates between overs 20 and 40 have been as follows: 84-6 (India), 141-5 (Australia) and 91-3 (Afghanistan). The number against Australia was when they were chasing 368.

There’s still much to play for. It would be very Pakistan to somehow turn the tide. In typical fashion, external factors have only added to the drama. Rumours of discord within the squad (and a very counter-intuitive release refuting it), censure of Babar’s captaincy from ex-cricketers, the visa problems for journalists and a dearth of fans have all been ingredients in one big pot of mayhem.

To top it off, a viral infection has affected several players to varying degrees at different points in time. Shaheen, for instance, was down for four days and hardly trained before the Australia game, Nawaz had to sit out against Afghanistan, and others fell ill and recovered.

But even with what they have, Pakistan are far, far from what they can be, with excuses now drying out. The Chepauk had ample Pakistan support (and played Dil Dil Pakistan, mind you), the squad is back near full fitness and they have now played five matches in different Indian conditions. Tougher fixtures await, but the real battle is internal: it’s between Pakistan and Pakistan. Overdependence on a few players won’t give them a top-four spot. They need to find more of the fight from within.

It will also be the ultimate test of Babar, the captain. At several points against Afghanistan, he looked like a half-interested observer on the pitch, hands behind his back, listening to Rizwan’s animated suggestions. He had little to say, and sometimes he’d be the third wheel in a two-way conversation. When asked about his message to a disappointed team, Babar circled around ‘trying to talk about positives’, ‘different opponents, different approach’ and ‘bringing a positive vibe’.

Hopefully, the actual message to the team is clearer. Otherwise, it’s another ODI World Cup campaign in the bin, marred by internal confusion and external chaos. And that’s not ‘The Pakistan Way’ anyone would want to remember.

To bet on the World Cup with our Match Centre Partners bet365 head here.

The post CWC 2023: Where has it all gone wrong for Pakistan? appeared first on Wisden.

from Cricket News: Stories, Features, Interviews, Opinion, Reports | Wisden https://ift.tt/xiL47y9