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All the stats, analysis and colour from the title bout of the inaugural World Test Championship

Sidharth Monga21-Jun-2021
Those in the US can watch in English or Hindi here3pm

That’s it for day 4 then

ICC/Getty Images

They have taken the call to end it here. We now have a maximum of 196 overs to get a result out of this otherwise the trophy and the award money will be shared. I leave you with this yarn from Nagraj Gollapudi:

Gopi walks from behind as I stare at the empty expanse of the wet and soggy Hampshire Bowl. We are standing at the mouth of one of the alleyways in the bowels the Shane Warne stand. “I need to decide whether to stay back or head back,” Gopi says.Gopi is from a small village in Madurai in southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. He is in London for a short duration on an assignment with an IT company. His working hours are synched with the US timezone and hence he is desperate to know whether the fourth day of the WTC final will start at all or should he head back. Gopi has to start work at 1500 hours UK time (1930 IST) but reckons he can still pull it off in case he leaves for London by 1600 hours.Monday is a very special day in his life: it is the first time Gopi has come to a cricket ground. After a work colleague cancelled his visit, Gopi bought the ticket, a gold category one, for 150 pounds (about INR 15000). Gopi paid an extra 49 pounds to get his return train ticket on Monday from London and spent another 10 quid for the bus journey to the ground.Why did he want to come to the ground when the rain had been forecast for the virtually the entire day? “I just hoped there would play,” Gopi says, mouth covered by the mask, but with twinkling eyes and a gold ear stud shimmering in the gloomy light. “It is a big day for me. I come from a middle-class family froma village near Madurai. In India I could never think of buying a ticket and going to a match while I was growing up. But now I got the opportunity so I took it up.”While at the ground Gopi went closer to the on-site team hotel to wave at some Indian players including Rohit Sharma, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami and even spotted Virat Kohli and his family holed up in their room. Will he disappointed if there is no play? “No. I came the ground and it is an experience I will not forget. I still got to watch some players and feel happy that I come.”Even if there is no play on Monday Gopi says he will be back on Wednesday when the ticket prices will be halved. He has already asked his friends to buy him one.As the drizzle carries on I leave Gopi to wrestle with the vital question: stay back or go?

2.40pm

Kohli’s non-centuries

Virat Kohli hasn’t scored a century since November 2019, but he has played some gems nonetheless. Which one do you think is the best?

Revenues set to be hit after bumper 2019 summer saw £228m go through the books

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jun-2020The ECB has announced “bittersweet” financial results for 2019-20, reporting a record turnover of £228 million while bracing for the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on cricket in England and Wales.In its strategic report, the ECB attributed the increase in turnover to the staging of last year’s World Cup, and the additional broadcast revenue from the men’s and women’s Ashes series. The ECB reported profits of £6.5 million for the financial year, up from the projected figure of £800,000, and cash reserves were recorded as £17.1m, up from £11.2m.The appointment of Ian Watmore as Colin Graves’ successor as chair was also ratified at Tuesday’s virtual AGM, with the ECB’s 41 members voting unanimously in his favour. Watmore’s appointment came under scrutiny following a series of reports in the regarding his previous role at the English Football League, but he was cleared of any wrongdoing following a conduct review.The financial report suggested that in the worst-case scenario in which no cricket was possible this summer, the ECB’s revenues would take a £252m hit across matchday revenues, broadcast and sponsorship income, with a net loss of around £154m accounting for the reduction in costs. Last month, CEO Tom Harrison told a government select committee that the total hit across the whole game – rather than just the ECB – could be as high as £380m.”Communicable disease” has been added to the list of examples of “loss of cricket due to events outside cricket’s control” in the major risks identified, alongside terror threats and periods of national mourning, though the ECB confirmed on Tuesday that its insurance policy allows it to claim for all lost tickets revenues from advance purchases for this summer.”With the impact of Covid-19 these results are somewhat bittersweet, but it is nonetheless extremely positive to know that with the right conditions, the game can continue to grow financial momentum for its stakeholders,” Scott Smith, the ECB’s chief financial officer, said.The ECB’s total headcount has also increased from 342 to 379, and administrative expenditure grew by £22m on account of “special fee distributions” of £1m made to each first-class county relating to last summer’s World Cup.Remuneration for the highest-paid director – understood to be Harrison – fell from £719,175 last year to £580,459. Harrison took a 25% pay cut for the three months from April as part of the ECB’s first round of internal measures to reduce the impact of the pandemic.As well as the ratification of Watmore’s appointment, the virtual AGM also saw confirmation that Lord Kamlesh Patel will step down as the board’s senior independent director after five years in the role. The ECB said in a press release that a replacement would be identified in the coming months.”I have made clear from the start of this process how important the cricket network is to our sport thriving across England and Wales,” Watmore said.”In a post-Covid-19 world, it is more important than ever before that we see sport connect communities and improve lives. That goal is only achievable with the support of the entire game and I look forward to working with the membership and other key stakeholders in delivering our ambitions.”

The diagnosis, carried out a couple of days ago at a Dhaka hospital, revealed that the tumour is in its early stages

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Mar-2019Bangladesh cricketer Mosharraf Hossain has been diagnosed with brain tumour. Mosharraf is currently trying to complete visa formalities for Singapore where he wants to get the tumorous lump removed. The diagnosis, carried out a couple of days ago at a Dhaka hospital, revealed that the tumour is in its early stages.”It needs an operation,” Mosharraf told the Dhaka-based newspaper . “I want to get the operation done abroad. The visa is under process, and is likely to take a couple of days more. I will leave as soon as I get the visa. What is giving me relief is that the tumour is at an early stage. My family had completely broken down but now I think they are feeling a little better.”Mosharraf is yet to inform the BCB officially although senior cricketers including Shakib Al Hasan and board officials such as Akram Khan have already contacted him.”I haven’t informed the BCB [yet],” Mosharraf said. “I came to know myself only earlier this week. Everyone is telling me not to worry. Mental support is giving me a lot of confidence, and it is also making me quite emotional.”By Mosharraf’s estimation, the initial cost of the first operation is likely to be at least Tk 40 lakh (USD 50,000 approximately) which will increase further if any follow-up is needed.Mosharraf, who has played five ODIs for Bangladesh, made a brief comeback in 2016, eight years after his debut. A domestic stalwart, he has taken 392 first-class wickets and scored over 3,000 runs from 112 games.

The three teams join table-toppers Netherlands in the qualifiers while Kenya drop to division two ahead of the final set of WCL matches

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Dec-2017
ScorecardSafyaan Sharif holds his arms aloft after taking the final wicket•Peter Della Penna

Scotland claimed a place in the World Cup qualifier in March 2018 with an eight-wicket victory over Kenya in Dubai. Put in to bat, Kenya were bowled out for 140 and watched their opponents bash through to the target with 132 balls to spare.Fast bowler Safyaan Sharif vindicated Scotland’s decision to field at the toss by picking up a wicket in the very first over. Opener Rushab Patel was the first of the procession as four of the top six batsmen were kept to single digits. Collins Obuya, the 36-year old who was part of the 2003 squad that made the World Cup semi-final, top-scored with 26 as Kenya lurched from 31 for 2 in the 10th over to 95 for 6 in the 32nd. The tail did its best to play out the full quota of overs, but they couldn’t handle Sharif (3 for 33) and Chris Sole (2 for 20) when they came back in the death overs. Left-arm spinner Mark Watt had a fine day as well, finishing with figures of 10-2-17-1.Half-centuries from captain Kyle Coetzer (52) and Calum MacLeod (56*) put the finishing touches on a game Scotland dominated from start to finish.
ScorecardRohan Mustafa gave UAE a solid start at the top of the order•Getty Images

An unbeaten 81 from Ghulam Shabber, assisted by a fifty from the captain Rohan Mustafa helped UAE cruise to a comfortable win against Nepal in Abu Dhabi. UAE won by seven wickets, and with 25 balls to spare, to go one spot above last-placed Namibia.That Nepal managed to score only 221 in the first innings, despite losing only five wickets, stems from the fact that their openers started slow. When the first Nepal wicket fell in the 15th over, they were only at 43. Ahmed Raza and Amir Hayat kept the brakes on the Nepal batsmen, together conceding only 41 runs in their combined 18 overs. Sharad Vesawkar, Nepal’s No. 3, also scored an unbeaten 81, but he found no assistance from the middle order.The UAE openers Mustafa and Ashfaq Ahmed (17-ball 19) gave them a flying start to the 222 chase, before the partnership was broken for 42 in the seventh over. Shabber took over from Ashfaq, adding 81 for the second wicket with Mustafa in quick time. Mustafa fell in the 23rd over, but not before completing his fourth List A fifty, after while Shabber shepherded UAE till the end.Babar Hayat raises a half-century•Peter Della Penna

ScorecardPapua New Guinea’s 23-run loss to Hong Kong handed the WCL Championship to Netherlands. PNG failed to chase down 231, but did well to recover from a position of 29 for 4 in the ninth over. Babar Hayat set up the first innings, with 77 off 120 balls, to take Hong Kong to a respectable total.Hayat was helped by Anshy Rath (37) the rest of Hong Kong’s middle order, as they went past 200 despite losing regular wickets. Four PNG bowlers took two wickets each, and they never allowed Hong Kong’s batsmen – except Hayat – to settle. A late surge from Tanwir Afzal (21-ball 26) helped Hong Kong set a 231 target.PNG’s innings started poorly, with Afzal and Nadeem Ahmed running through their opponents’ top order. It took a 98-run fifth-wicket stand between Mahuru Dai (60) and Sese Bau (59) to give PNG some sort of hope, but the end of that partnership brought another collapse, with the team eventually folding for 207 in the 45th over.With the top four slots decided, the final day of WCL games are set to be dead rubbers.

The BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke has requested the ECB to bear the expenses of its team during England’s upcoming tour of India

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Nov-2016The BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke has requested the ECB to bear the expenses of its team during England’s upcoming tour of India. Shirke said the BCCI was unable to sign the MoU with the ECB at this time because the board could not enter into contracts without directions from the Lodha Committee.”Dear Phil, I warmly welcome you for the upcoming cricket series. I am however at great pains to inform you that the BCCI is at present not in a position to execute the MoU between the Indian Cricket Board and the ECB,” Shirke wrote to the England team’s operations manager, Phil Neale, according to the . “This is due to restrictions on execution of contracts imposed on the BCCI by a Court order.”Certain courtesies such as hotel, travel and various other arrangements have been extended to you on arrival of the team in India. However, till the MoU is executed, the BCCI is not in a position to commit to paying for the same. Please make arrangements to remit such payments. The BCCI will inform you as and when further instructions are received by the BCCI from the Lodha Committee. I apologise on behalf of the BCCI for inconvenience that is being caused.”While the BCCI had contacted the Lodha Committee seeking approval for the MoU, the Lodha Committee in its response to the board said forming cricket policy was not part of its remit, but that directions regarding payments could only be given after the BCCI provided more information about the transactions involved.It is understood that Shirke then sent the committee the unsigned MoU via email late on November 3 evening, but despite being asked for details the email did not contain what the Lodha Committee wanted.However, there is a larger issue between the Lodha Committee and the BCCI. On October 21, the Supreme Court had directed the BCCI not to distribute funds to state associations until they agreed to comply with the Lodha Committee’s recommendations, which the court had approved in an order on July 18. The court also asked Shirke and Thakur to meet the Lodha Committee in two weeks’ time and placed several restrictions on the board’s ability to enter into contracts, which forced the IPL broadcast and digital rights tender process to be put off indefinitely and prevented the BCCI from signing the MoU with the ECB.The Lodha Committee then asked the BCCI for an undertaking from Thakur that the board would implement the Supreme Court order of October 21, a step that would indicate that the BCCI was willing to implement the recommendations of the Lodha Committee. As of November 3, Thakur had not given such an undertaking and he and Shirke had not met the committee either.The Lodha Committee – comprising former Chief Justice of India RM Lodha and retired Supreme Court judges Ashok Bhan and R Raveendran – was formed in January 2015 to determine appropriate punishments for some of the officials involved in the 2013 IPL corruption scandal, and also to propose changes to streamline the BCCI, reform its functioning, prevent sporting fraud and conflict of interest.

ESPNcricinfo previews the third Test between Pakistan and England

The Preview by Andrew Miller31-Oct-2015

Match facts

November 1-5, 2015
Start time 10am local (0600 GMT)1:28

Team changes for England and Pakistan

Big Picture

It’s been an unexpectedly tough struggle for supremacy, but after 10 out of a possible 15 days of their series against England, Pakistan have established the primacy that they had always assumed would be on the cards. The valiant struggles of Alastair Cook’s men to stay in touch and, for a heady afternoon in Abu Dhabi, to surge into the ascendancy have come to nought. The hosts are now dormie as they head into the Sharjah finale, their proud unbeaten record in series in the UAE guaranteed for another year.England have had a week to recover from the agony of their near-miss in Dubai, where Adil Rashid’s late-evening aberration against his legspinning counterpart Yasir Shah rendered futile the resolve he had shown through his preceding 171 deliveries. Thirty-nine more deliveries of dead-batted obduracy and England could genuinely be scenting a slice of history this week. From bad light to bad shot selection, the margins in both Tests have been extraordinarily fine.However, the fault, as Cook rightly pointed out after the Dubai defeat, lay not in that lax moment from Rashid but instead in England’s hopeless performance on the third morning of the match. That day had dawned amid visions of a decisive first-innings lead; instead it degenerated into the session from hell that England had always feared might come to pass in such hostile conditions.It has been isolated in its ignominy as well. The competitive spirit on show for the other nine-and-two-thirds days of the series has been faultless, but that morning’s loss of seven wickets for 36 would prove insurmountable.And so, with lessons learnt and changes – enforced and otherwise – made, England regroup and Pakistan restart, with one last five-day push to the finish in the offing. The batting of both teams has proven fallible and faultless in equal measure, with the magisterial performances of Alastair Cook and Joe Root for England and Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan for Pakistan atoning for some notable weaknesses elsewhere in both line-ups.For Pakistan, Shan Masood has spent most of the series in James Anderson’s pocket, while even Shoaib Malik, with series scores of 245, 0, 2 and 7, has been more bust than boom. And as for England’s middle order, the less said the better. The best of a bad bunch have been Ian Bell, who with scores of 63 and 46 appears to be battling himself as much as the conditions, and Jonny Bairstow, who has shown grit on occasions as well as a technique against the spinners that is fraught with danger.The unsung heroes on both teams have been the seam bowlers – Wahab Riaz’s Man of the Match award at Dubai was hugely deserved and a tribute to his stamina and impact in strength-sapping conditions, even though his overall match figures of 5 for 144 aren’t much to write home about. He has been matched in menace if not method by England’s quiet achiever, Anderson, whose canny spells with new ball and old have been repelled (or not, in Masood’s case) with utmost respect and caution.Jos Buttler is set to be replaced behind the stumps by Jonny Bairstow•Getty Images

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)
Pakistan WDWLW

England LDLWW

In the spotlight

The most likely quick bowler on either side to open up a game, Wahab Riaz continues to mature as Pakistan’s attack leader. His pace, stamina and ability to extract significant reverse swing have been impressive but he will have to back it up again after a five-day gap, particularly with his new-ball partner, the steady Imran Khan, missing through injury.James Taylor is back in an England Test shirt and raring to go. A confident player of spin, he thrived on his return to the ODI side in Sri Lanka last year and added a maiden hundred against Australia in September. Looked in good touch during his one tour appearance so far and is ostensibly in the sort of form to shore up England’s middle-order issues.

Team news

Azhar Ali missed the first Test with a toe infection and the second because of the death of his mother-in-law, but he is ready and waiting to resume his place in the side, with Masood making way. Whether it will be in his preferred slot at No. 3 or as an opener, for only the fourth time in Tests, remains to be seen. Pakistan are definitely on the lookout for a replacement opener in the bowling stakes, following the news of Imran’s hand injury, sustained while fielding on Friday and requiring four stitches and ten days’ rest. Rahat Ali, the left-arm seamer, is set to resume his place in the side having missed out in the second Test to accommodate Yasir Shah’s return. In better news for Pakistan, their reserve spinner Bilal Asif has been cleared to resume bowling by the ICC after undergoing biomechanical testing in Chennai.Pakistan (possible) 1 Mohammad Hafeez, 2 Azhar Ali, 3 Shoaib Malik, 4 Younis Khan, 5 Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), 6 Asad Shafiq, 7 Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), 8 Wahab Riaz, 9 Zulfiqar Babar, 10 Yasir Shah, 11 Rahat AliChanges are afoot in the England line-up, for a variety of reasons. Mark Wood’s gallantry at Abu Dhabi and Dubai cannot mask a bowling style that seems destined to send him to the knacker’s yard before his spirit is even close to waning. He has received injections in his troublesome ankle and will rest up ahead of the one-day series next month. Into the picture, most probably, comes Liam Plunkett, although Samit Patel retains a chance of playing if England think the pitch will support a third spinner. Plunkett is arguably the fastest of the England quicks on tour and a man who can be relied upon to keep up the aerial bombardment that has been a feature of England’s competitive spirit in this series.England have confirmed that Jos Buttler will be given a break from the front line – a top score of 42 in seven Tests since July would be no justification for selection even if his wicketkeeping was at its sharpest, and as a couple of galling errors behind the stumps in Dubai would testify, his all-round game has suffered. Bairstow is primed to take over the gauntlets, with Nottinghamshire’s Taylor making his first Test appearance since 2012. Moeen Ali has been backed to continue as Cook’s opening partner, so Taylor’s county team-mate Alex Hales will have to wait at least until the South Africa tour in December to make his bow.England (possible) 1 Alastair Cook (capt), 2 Moeen Ali, 3 Ian Bell, 4 Joe Root, 5 James Taylor, 6 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 7 Ben Stokes, 8 Adil Rashid, 9 Stuart Broad, 10 Liam Plunkett, 11 James Anderson

Pitch and conditions

Cricket in Sharjah has come a long way since pitches were just “rolled sand”. England played their warm-up matches at the ground, with Steven Finn recording notable success in the second, but the Test surface is very dry and likely to favour spin – if it favours anything other than run-making. The forecast, unsurprisingly, is for another hot one.

Stats and trivia

• This will be England’s first Test in Sharjah, although they have tasted ODI success here, winning the 1997 Akai-Singer Champions Trophy
• Two of Pakistan’s three lowest Test totals – 53 and 59 – came in the same match against Australia at Sharjah in 2002
• The team batting second has won the last two Tests at the ground

Quotes

“Obviously you have to think positively and we will do our best not leave any stone unturned and play well and win. Obviously your confidence is high after winning the last game and our team’s confidence is high, so its an important match for us and we will do our best to win it.”
Misbah-ul-Haq promises there will be no let up now Pakistan are ahead in the series“Over this tour I think we’ve been a fairly consistent side, just that third morning in the second Test has cost us the result. Nine-and-a-half days we’ve matched Pakistan really well. The challenge is not having that session and about coming into the latter stages of the game and putting Pakistan under some pressure with the series at stake.”