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New Zealand bowled 208.5 overs, and had to contend with extreme conditions on the final day, to complete an innings victory

Andrew Fidel Fernando20-Mar-2023There were strong winds that blew deliveries off course and forced broadcast staff to abandon their posts at the Adelaide End, middle-order batters that fought back, and tailenders who resisted for hours.Through all that, New Zealand’s bowlers “kept on coming”, said captain Tim Southee. New Zealand had bowled 66.5 overs in the first innings, and then, having enforced the follow-on, ended up delivering 142 more – a total of 208.5 overs.And despite Monday’s conditions, which were extreme even for Basin Reserve, where strong winds frequently affect play, New Zealand still completed their innings victory, to seal the series 2-0.Related

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Southee, Tickner wrap up innings victory for NZ

“We’ve had a few follow-ons, and you’re preparing yourself to possibly be out in the field for a long time,” Southee said. “It was great to have the guys want the ball in their hand, and wanting to keep coming in. Guys putting up their hand up to bowl into the wind. I think of Blair Tickner’s spell early in the day, to come into the wind, and to get the two guys out early was massive and set up the day. Doug Bracewell coming in after a long period of time and wanting to bowl into the wind. The guys just kept on coming. That’s a characteristic of the side – to keep going in tough times.”She was pretty blustery out there. Not pleasing conditions to be out there in. I can’t remember too many times when the camera was taken down. It just shows the sheer force of the winds and the gusts that were out there today. Some horrible conditions at times. The guys just managed to find a way to get the job done.”With the Basin Reserve surface having flattened out, New Zealand peppered the opposition with short balls – Tickner started the day with a bouncer barrage that dismissed the overnight pairing of Kusal Mendis and Angelo Mathews, who on the previous tour had batted out an entire fourth day at this venue to save a Test.This time, however, they were both out in the opening exchanges of day four, out trying to take on the short ball. Sri Lanka had ended the third day 113 for 2, but were 116 for 4 pretty quickly.

“It’s been a pleasing few months in the whites. A number of guys have stepped up. We’ve won from different positions, and have shown character to bounce back from a loss at Mount Maunganui. It’s nice for Test cricket to be ticking along”Tim Southee

“It was a pretty slow surface,” Southee said. “The ball was 40 overs old, and we had Matt Henry at the other end bowling more traditional lengths, and we thought Blair bowling short was our best chance to get a couple of early wickets and it came off today.”This was New Zealand’s fourth Test in fairly quick succession, after having finished a two-Test series against England not long before Sri Lanka arrived. At the end of a big bowling effort, Southee paid tribute to New Zealand’s endurance over their Test season.”The guys are all a bit weary after a busy wee while,” he said. “Test cricket isn’t easy. The guys were a bit heavy in the legs, but very pleased to have this game wrapped up.”There’s a lot of character shown throughout the home summer, and also in Pakistan as well, which is a tough place to go. We got ourselves in positions to win both of those Pakistan matches as well. It’s been a pleasing few months in the whites. A number of guys have stepped up. We’ve won from different positions, and have shown character to bounce back from a loss at Mount Maunganui [against Bangladesh]. It’s nice for Test cricket to be ticking along.”

Australia A and Sydney Sixers seamer reunites with head coach Charlotte Edwards

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jul-2023Southern Vipers have signed Sydney Sixers and Australia A seam bowler Maitlan Brown for their remaining July fixtures.The 26-year-old Brown will be available for Vipers’ Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy clash with Thunder on Friday and will be a part of their squad for matches up to and including the one against Northern Diamonds at Arundel on July 22 with fixtures against the Blaze and Western Storm in between.Brown made her debut for Melbourne Renegades in the WBBL in 2016 before moving to Sydney Sixers for the 2021-22 season. It was in Sydney that she was coached by Vipers head coach Charlotte Edwards in the 2022-23 competition.Edwards signed Brown to Southern Brave for £18,750 (A$35,875) in the inaugural women’s Hundred draft, held in March for the upcoming season, which begins in August.Brown was part of the Australia A squad which played three 50-over games and three T20s against England A on a tour running concurrently with the beginning of the Women’s Ashes, as well as a three-day red-ball warm-up game against England ahead of last month’s Test. She made her Australia A debut in 2018 against India, where she picked up figures of 2 for 16, and she has taken 20 wickets at an average of 28.25 in 24 matches.Adam Carty, Vipers’ regional director of women’s cricket, said: “As a cricketer and a person, Maitlan has all the characteristics and attitude to be a Viper and we are delighted to bring her into the fold for what will be a pretty busy 50-over period for us.”As a highly skilled, competitive bowling allrounder, we hope we’ll provide an environment that will allow Maitlan to show her best side both on and off the pitch at a time when we’ll be without a number of our senior players.”Three Vipers players – seamer Lauren Bell, offspinner Charlie Dean and batter Maia Bouchier – are part of England’s T20 squad currently locked 1-1 with Australia in their three-match Ashes contest, with a squad yet to be named for the three ODIs which will complete the multi-format series.

The Atletico Madrid forward scored the only goal of the game as Lionel Scaloni's side earned another three points

A brilliant first-half goal from Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez was enough to see Argentina defeat Chile on the road 1-0 in World Cup qualifying on Thursday evening.

La Albiceleste enjoyed a commanding first half, and though the hosts were rampant in the closing stages of the match, nearly securing an equalising goal on multiple occasions, Lionel Scaloni's side held out to confirm that they will finish top of the CONMEBOL table with three matches to spare.

The winner from Alvarez arrived 16 minutes into the game after Thiago Almada made a blistering run into the final third of the pitch before feeding the striker on the counter, who lifted a cheeky shot over the goalkeeper and into the net. Lionel Messi came off the bench in the 57th minute of the match to help secure the result, though he had very little impact on the contest itself.

Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, though made two crucial saves in the second half, as the Aston Villa shot-stopper proved to be reliable on the international stage once again.

GOAL rates Argentina's players from Estadio Nacional Julio Martinez Pradanos in Santiago…

AFPGoalkeeper & Defence

Emiliano Martinez (6/10):

Great save at the 60th-minute mark, but was rarely tested otherwise. Came up big when called upon.

Nahuel Molina (6/10):

Quiet evening for the veteran, but he was composed defensively when tested.

Cristian Romero (7/10):

Really, really solid performance from the Tottenham star. Rock-solid defensively, he also offered a physical presence in aerial duels, while being a threat on set-pieces, too.

Leonardo Balerdi (7/10):

Good showing from the 26-year-old. He offered excellent passing out of the back, while linking up beautifully with those surrounding him.

Nicolas Tagliafico (7/10):

So tidy on the ball, and always calm under pressure. He wasn't electric going forward, but he was reliable defensively.

AdvertisementAFPMidfield

Rodrigo De Paul (7/10):

A workhorse in the middle of the park. As reliable as ever, he was aggressive and assertive.

Exequiel Palacios (6/10):

Pretty solid, but didn't offer a ton going forward. Excellent passer all night, he did what was asked of him – just never stood out.

Nico Paz (5/10):

Tough night for the Como youngster. He was replaced early in the second half after never really finding his groove.

AFPAttack

Thiago Almada (8/10):

Stupendous on the wing. Wreaked havoc all night, played a dime of a pass for the opener, and looked exactly like he belonged.

Julian Alvarez (8/10):

Menace in the final third. Navigated his position superbly and netted an exquisite finish on Argentina's opener.

Giuliano Simeone (6/10):

Missed an absolute sitter late in the match to put it to bed, and was promptly substituted. He had a decent performance overall, but just never looked like the complete part.

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Lionel Messi (6/10):

Never really found his footing, but had a few bright moments. His most important contribution was the calmness he brought to the game.

Facundo Medina (N/A):

Brought on late to close out the game.

Angel Correa (N/A):

Subbed on late to try and get a dagger, but never got going.

Juan Foyth (N/A):

Brought on in the closing stages to secure the result.

Franco Mastantuono (N/A):

On for his senior international debut in the closing stages.

Lionel Scaloni (6/10):

He handed an opportunity to two youngsters in the attack, and Almada took it and ran with it. The gamble paid off, even though it wasn't an exemplary attacking performance. It was evident they were missing Enzo Fernandez and Alexis Mac Allister, but they got the job done.

GOAL takes a look at some of the major MLS storylines emerging ahead of Matchday 27

They're back! Friday Night Lights returns as MLS hosts a six-match slate Friday evening to kick off three days of league action following the All-Star break for Matchday 27. The biggest match of the night to kickstart things? An #MLSAfterDark showcase between two of the best in the league, and a potential MLS Cup meeting as San Diego FC hosts Nashville SC Friday evening.

MVP candidates Anders Dreyer and Sam Surridge will go head-to-head, kickstarting a weekend of action across the league.

Come Saturday, Wilfried Zaha and red-hot Charlotte FC will look to continue their upward trajectory when they host Toronto FC, who are looking to turn a new leaf themselves following the departures of Federico Bernardeschi and Lorenzo Insigne. Then, in the West, Real Salt Lake and budding USMNT star Diego Luna host Cristian Espinoza and the San Jose Earthquakes in a match between two teams fighting for a playoff spot in the conference.

Meanwhile, Inter Miami clashes with FC Cincinnati in a top-tier Eastern Conference match, though the could be shorthanded for the contest. Defender Maxi Falcon is already suspended for the match due to yellow card accumulation, and both Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba have been suspended after their controversial decision to skip the MLS All-Star Game.

GOAL dives into all that and more in The Kickoff, a weekly preview of each MLS Matchday.

Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowGetty Images SportCharlotte reignited through Zaha

Are Charlotte back in the mix in the East?

In four matches this July, Charlotte are unbeaten after going the entire month of June without a victory. In three of those four matches, Zaha has recorded a goal contribution, while in his last seven total matches, the Ivory Coast international has recorded one as well.

Both the club and their star winger are back to form, and it's led to a fantastic stretch of late.

Saturday, they host a Toronto side coming off a narrow 1-0 loss to Nashville SC, looking to make it five straight without a loss while continuing their undefeated stretch across the month. Without striker Patrick Agyemang at the club now due to his transfer to Derby County in England, forward Idan Toklomati has stepped up in recent weeks, with two goals this month.

A win could see them climb as high as sixth, while moving up to 38 points on the season.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportLuna leading the charge

After representing the MLS All-Stars midweek, U.S. international Diego Luna will take the pitch this weekend once again as he leads Real Salt Lake out against Bruce Arena's San Jose Earthquakes in Sandy, Utah.

RSL and the Earthquakes sit just one point away from each other in the table, and both are in the middle of a fight for postseason soccer this fall, meaning this Saturday's match could have massive playoff implications come October. It will be a must-watch match between two teams that have shown glimpses of promise at different points this campaign, but the full product has yet to arrive.

For Luna, who sits on eight goals and four assists for RSL, the 21-year-old will look to snap a four-match streak in MLS action without a goal contribution. If he does so, there's a good chance it will result in RSL pushing for a result in front of their home fans.

Getty Images SportFriday Night Lights: Dreyer vs. Surridge

Two MVP candidates clashing is always fun, but when the supporting cast around them is just as good on both teams, it becomes a blockbuster.

The Western Conference hosts in SDFC, and Dreyer hosts the No. 2 team in the East in Nashville and Surridge. Dreyer, a Denmark international, is the frontrunner for MLS Newcomer of the Year and is a certified MVP candidate with 11 goals and 15 assists this campaign. Surridge, who is having a career season, is tied with Messi for leading the league in scoring with 18 goals.

SDFC have stumbled in recent weeks, with just one win in their last four, while Nashville have just one loss in their last 18 matches across all competitions. It's an important home match for San Diego to try and set things straight in the West, while Nashville looks to maintain course as they fight for an Eastern Conference title and, potentially, an MLS Supporters' Shield.

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+ With one shot on target against San Diego FC on Saturday, Nashville's Hany Mukhtar will be the first player in MLS this season to register 50 attempts on frame.

+ FC Cincinnati's Evander, who scored twice against Inter Miami last week, could draw level with Messi atop the Golden Boot race with a hat-trick against the on Saturday.

He had played just four T20 innings before this and is the latest unknown entity from MI’s scouting stable

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Mar-2024Mumbai Indians have played some of the most iconic T20 batters at No. 3 over the years, from Suryakumar Yadav to Rohit Sharma to Cameron Green. On Sunday night against Gujarat Titans, out walked Naman Dhir at No. 3 when Ishan Kishan fell in the first over of the chase of 169.It was just the sixth T20 game of Dhir’s professional career and he is yet to play a 50-over game in domestic cricket. What was he doing in the IPL then for the five-time champions?Bought for INR 20 lakh at the last auction, Dhir is the latest unknown entity from MI’s scouting stable. He is 24, a hard-hitting batter from Punjab. Known for hitting big sixes down the ground, his four T20 innings before this had earned him just 39 runs since his T20 debut a few months ago in November, with a high score of 17. For Punjab too, he has mostly batted at No. 3 in his fledgling career so far. In the Ranji Trophy, he has two centuries from 20 innings – both from last season – from 14 games for an average of 30.21.Related

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It was in the Sher-e-Punjab T20 Cup – a state T20 league organised by the Punjab Cricket Association – in August last year that he made himself noticed with his hitting exploits. In 12 innings in that tournament, Dhir smashed 466 runs (second-highest) at a strike rate of 192.56 while averaging 42.36. He scored two centuries along the way – 127 off 56 and 105 off 44 – which included a total of 30 sixes.On Sunday, he smoked three back-to-back fours against Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai and a six in the same over. Dhir lofted the first ball of the third over over mid-off, the second over midwicket and the third (after a wide) for a one-bounce four to the square-leg boundary. A dot ball later, Dhir clobbered a half-volley over long-off for an 86-meter six. Omarzai, however, fought back on the last ball of the over by trapping Dhir lbw with the help of a review.”He came out and he was very expressive. Again that lofted shot, you have got to be excited about these things,” Kieron Pollard, Mumbai batting coach, said after the match. “I thought he had a lot more to offer, his calmness even when we lost that first wicket, to continue that intent is a good start for him. This is only the start, at the end of it he scored 20 odd, let’s give him that space, let him enjoy the moment, it’s a big occasion for these guys. As a franchise we’ll continue to unearth new talent. In the future we can continue with continuity as we go along.”Kudos to the scouts, all the guys who work behind the scenes to unearth these sorts of talent within in India. He was one on our radar. He has been in the Mumbai setup over the last couple of months, going to England on a developmental tour. So, it’s something we would’ve seen in that guy.”Mumbai would have thought Dhir did his job with a 10-ball 20, but they eventually fell short by just six runs in the end.

Cameron Green, Ashton Agar and Nathan Ellis all included as Australia’s selectors wanted flexibility within the 15-member squad

Alex Malcolm01-May-202410:33

Is Fraser-McGurk a lock in for T20 World Cup? What are Smith’s chances?

Australia’s brightest young T20 batting talent Jake Fraser-McGurk and one of their finest three-format batters of the generation Steven Smith have both been left out of Australia’s provisional 15-member T20 World Cup squad with selectors opting to take a second specialist spinner in Ashton Agar and a spare allrounder in Cameron Green to give them more flexibility throughout the tournament.As expected, Mitchell Marsh will captain the side after Cricket Australia ratified his position as permanent T20 captain on Wednesday morning. Marsh had already led Australia in three T20I series as interim skipper over the past 12 months.Nathan Ellis has also been included as the fourth fast bowling option behind Australia’s big three Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc, while Josh Inglis was also selected as the reserve wicketkeeper and utility batter behind first-choice keeper Matthew Wade.Related

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Marsh's hamstring on track for T20 World Cup but admits he can't afford a setback

The omission of Fraser-McGurk is set to cause a stir in Australia after his stunning performances in the IPL where he has smashed three half-centuries in six innings at a ridiculous strike-rate of 233.33 despite the fact he has yet to play a T20I and has only made two ODI appearances.Smith’s omission is less of a shock despite being left out of a World Cup squad for the first time in a decade in any format. But Smith had long been on the outer in Australia’s first-choice T20I side having run the drinks through most of the 2022 World Cup. He was given a chance to open in two T20Is against India last November and two more against New Zealand in February but failed to make a case to displace Australia’s incumbent top three.The selectors opted to trust their experienced trio of Travis Head, David Warner and Marsh who were dominant at last year’s ODI World Cup. They also had long settled the middle order with Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David and Wade likely to be in the first-choice XI.ESPNcricinfo LtdGreen and Inglis were preferred to Fraser-McGurk and Smith in the final 15 because they can play multiple roles. Green provides cover for the injury-prone Marsh and Stoinis, while Inglis is the backup wicketkeeper but has batted in nearly every spot in the order with some success.Matthew Short was also unlucky to miss out after two outstanding BBL seasons and some excellent showings in his brief T20I appearances over the last 12 months.Chair of selectors George Bailey outlined the reasons why Agar and Green were chosen in the 15 ahead of the other candidates.”We believe Ashton can play a critical role in this tournament along with Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Cam Green and Mitch Marsh in complementing our front-line attack options,” Bailey said.”The batting options available allow a tailored approach to each venue and opponent.””Steve Smith, Matt Short, Jason Behrendorff, Aaron Hardie, Spencer Johnson and Xavier Bartlett were all part of long conversations, along with several others, including Jake Fraser-McGurk who is yet to play T20 International cricket but continues to impress and is developing rapidly,”Being constrained to a squad of 15 for World Cups is always a challenge given the different scenarios and options we’d like to cover. We will continue monitoring several players who have missed out on this preliminary squad and note that if we wish to change this squad, we have the option to do so over the coming weeks in accordance with ICC regulations.”Ultimately the balance of the final 15 needs to provide the best chance of being successful in this campaign.”Marsh said he was thrilled to lead the side to a World Cup.”It’s been an immense privilege to play for my country and now an even greater honour to lead the squad to a World Cup,” Marsh said.”I am extremely grateful to have such a good group of people in our players and staff. We have had some strong success in recent times and I am hopeful that will continue in what looks like a wide-open tournament. We take a very experienced group to the West Indies, I very much look forward to the challenge and working alongside Andrew [McDonald], the coaches, players and staff.”Australia T20 World Cup 2024 squadMitchell Marsh (capt), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade (wk), David Warner, Adam Zampa

The 23-year-old finally returned to training, admits that it "sucks being away from the team and being away from soccer'

Rodman discusses long-term back injuryAdmits she's been in pain "all the time"Winger in contract year, teams allowed to approach herFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

U.S. women's national team star Trinity Rodman finally returned to training with the Washington Spirit after a lengthy absence, time spent receiving specialized treatment for a persistent back injury she says caused her pain "all the time."

"I'm just happy to be back and actually in team training and not coming back on the side from step one," Rodman said Tuesday.

Rodman has been battling the injury for many months, but returned to the U.S. squad in early April for friendlies against Brazil, scoring just minutes into her return. The match was her first for the USWNT since the 2024 Olympics. The 23-year-old stepped away again, however, and hasn't played for the NWSL side since April 12, when she came off the bench to play 45 minutes in a 2-0 win over Racing Louisville.

"I think for me mentally, it was really hard," Rodman said. "Now being better and fixing the problem – I can now kind of openly say I was in pain all the time – working through that was difficult. Obviously, it sucks being away from the team and being away from soccer in general. But I got to work on things that I wouldn't have gotten to work on if I was in the team environment all the time, so I think that was a positive."

Rodman said she is now better prepared to adjust her game to benefit her long-term health.

"I'm still gonna be intense, and I'm still gonna give it 100 percent all the time," she said, "but I think there's parts of my game where I need to save energy or adjust to certain tackles. And I think I've been doing a pretty good job with that so far coming back in training."

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Rodman has become an integral figure for club and country. At the 2024 Olympics, she was part of the esteemed "Triple Espresso" attack – along with Sophia Wilson and Mallory Swanson – that led the USWNT to a gold medal.

For the USWNT, Rodman has amassed 47 caps, scoring 11 goals and recording nine assists. In 2024, she made 26 appearances for the Spirit, scoring eight goals and recording six assists as she helped lead Washington to the NWSL championship game, where they fell just short against the Orlando Pride, 1-0.

"It's tough for me coming off such a good season and the Olympics and then going into an injury and now trying to find my place again and find my role and rhythm," she said during the USWNT's April camp. "I think having such an incline of momentum of going and going and going and then getting injured to where it's like 'Am I starting again?' Because you can't just get right back into it.

"It's been the mental battle of 'I can't be the Trinity I was at the Olympics' now coming back from injury, so I'm trying to play the role as best as I can and still be effective in a different way as I build back up into it."

WHAT RODMAN ADDED

The 23-year-old's contract with the Spirit concludes at the end of the NWSL season. Teams are now allowed to approach her with pre-contract agreements ahead of a potential departure from the club next season. Spirit CEO Kim Stone recently told media that team owner Michele Kang is in negotiations with Rodman's camp over a new deal.

Rodman added that it's a "weird situation" to be in while she's dealing with her return from injury. Ahead of the NWSL season, Rodman admitted that at one point in her career, she would like to play in Europe, and that it is "only a matter of time" before a move like that comes to fruition.

"This is the first time I've kind of been in a situation where it's like, 'What's happening?'" she said. "Dealing with this injury the whole time, like I barely played. So, it is a weird situation. I'm trying not to stress about it or put too much pressure on it, because at the end of the day, I'm worried about health first, and then everything else can come next."

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The Spirit next return to the pitch on Sunday, when they take on the Portland Thorns. Rodman has no specific timeline to make her return beyond training, though she is expected to play for the Spirit before the end of the season.

After the run-fest in the Test series, India and Pakistan prepare to clash in five one-day internationals, and if recent history is any indicator, we have another leather hunt in the offing

George Binoy05-Feb-2006

How long Shahid Afridi spends in the middle could have an important influence on the series. © AFP
After the run-fest in the Test series, India and Pakistan prepare to clash in five one-day internationals, and if recent history is any indicator, we have another leather hunt in the offing. In their last 15 matches (30 innings) 300-plus totals have been achieved ten times while the teams have posted scores between 275 and 300 on seven occasions.Head-to-head
Since losing 3-2 at home to India in 2003-04, Pakistan have beaten India eight times in ten matches including a 4-2 win in India after trailing 2-0 in the series. Pakistan have been on a recent hot-streak, beating West Indies 3-0 and England 3-2. India recovered from tournament losses in Sri Lanka and against New Zealand and trounced Sri Lanka 6-1 at home before drawing the series against South Africa 2-2.Allround advantage
While both teams boast heavyweight batsmen, Pakistan have three superb allrounders in Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik and Abdul Razzaq to India’s fledgling Suresh Raina and, of late, Irfan Pathan. Malik averages 44.53 (career average 32.58) and has three fifties in his last four ODIs against India. Afridi scores 26.84 per innings against India but during his last tour of India he walloped 211 runs at a strike rate of 172.95.Individual battles

While Sehwag has hammered the Pakistan bowlers in Tests, he averages just 29.76 against then in ODIs with just one century in 17 games. His chief scourge has been Rana Naved, who has dismissed him six times in all (four in the last five matches) while conceding 102 runs off 109 balls. If Rana Naved can repeat his success against Sehwag he will nullify Pakistan’s biggest threat.
Agarkar may leak runs at 5.61 an over against Pakistan but he’s managed to pick up Inzamam, who averages 45.29 against India, twice for the cost of just 19 runs. Agarkar’s incisive wicket-taking ability may prove crucial in a high-scoring series.
India’s chances in the series may depend on whether they are able to contain Afridi. At Kanpur in 2004-05, he smashed the second fastest ODI century and shut India out of the game as early as the 15th over of the chase. Pathan and Zaheer haven’t had the happiest time against Afridi. He’s clobbered Zaheer for 77 runs off 52 balls and Pathan for 41 off 24.
Akhtar is Pakistan’s premier strike force and his success versus Indian batsmen has been varied. Sachin Tendulkar has scored 104 runs off 110 balls but got out thrice against Akhtar. But he has managed to keep Dravid under his thumb. Dravid has a strike rate of just about 50 and has fallen to Akhtar twice. Yuvraj, on the other hand, has been able to score at a cracking pace of 121 (61 off 50 balls) and has fallen just once to him.Recent form – India
Dravid has been in sparkling touch, averaging 82.80 in his last ten ODIs while Yuvraj averages 53.16 from nine innings against Sri Lanka and South Africa. Mahendra Singh Dhoni excelled against Sri Lanka but didn’t cross 20 in three hits against the pace and bounce of South Africa. The real worry for India is their likely opening pair. Tendulkar made a superb comeback from a tennis elbow with back-to back fifties against Sri Lanka but his form has gone into freefall thereafter. He averaged just nine (36 runs in fours innings) against South Africa. Sehwag on the other hand hasn’t been able to convert his starts . He has made at least 30 in six out of his last ten knocks but managed to cross fifty just once.Recent form – Pakistan
Kamran Akmal has been supreme form this season and averages 43.42, with back-to-back hundreds against England, in his last nine innings. While Inzamam also averages 58.33 in his last ten matches, India’s tormentor Younis Khan hasn’t been in the best of form, he managed just 30 runs in the series against England. Perhaps most relieving for India, is Afridi’s average of 17.40 in his last ten innings, with just one score above fifty. His last three innings against India read 40 off 23 balls, 102 off 46 and 44 off 23.

Australia have tended to start the stronger … and continue that way as well

Andrew McGlashan21-Jul-2005The first day of an Ashes series is arguably the biggest moment of any Anglo-Australian cricketer’s life. But, as Andrew McGlashan demonstrates, the recent history of opening-day encounters shows that Australia have tended to start the stronger … and continue that way as well.

Nasser Hussain rues his infamous decision to bowl first at Brisbane © Getty Images
Brisbane 1986-87
Before the first Test a British newspaper famously said of England: “There are only three things wrong with this team: they can’t bat, they can’t bowl and they can’t field”. They had suffered a poor preparation against typically fired-up states and had a side which included stars reportedly passed their best. However, England ended the first day at Brisbane on 198 for 2 – nothing extraordinary but vital in blunting the Australian attack and media criticism. Bill Athey – who had struggled for form in the warm-up matches – battled his way to 76 and Mike Gatting, the captain, made 61, on the tour that was to seal his place in English cricket folklore .Headingley 1989
Australia were the underdogs going into this series but, not for the first time, a captain erred at Headingley and stuck the opposition in. This time David Gower inserted Australia after packing the England side with seam bowlers, but was left to rue his decision. Phil DeFreitas and Neil Foster managed an early strike each but Mark Taylor laid the foundations for a huge total, ending the day on 96 not out. Allan Border was at his cussed best, adding 117 with Taylor, as Gower became increasingly short of options. Although this first day would not finish as England’s most painful of the series it certainly set the tone, not just for this series, but for an entire generation.Brisbane 1990-91
A career-threatening hand injury for Graham Gooch threw England into turmoil before a ball had been bowled, and without his talismanic captaincy, the infection spread throughout England’s batting. On a bowler-friendly Gabba pitch, England struggled to 194 all out despite at one stage being 117 for 2. Bruce Reid provided most of the problems with his booming left-arm inswingers, taking four wickets, including Gower, who top-scored with 61. The missed opportunity on the opening day was to be a recurring theme throughout the tour, as England continually failed to nail Australia when they had a glimmer of a chance.Old Trafford 1993
Under Border’s leadership, Australia had lifted themselves out of the malaise that surrounded them during the 1980s, and the nucleus of a potential world-beating team had been formed. Another part of the jigsaw, Michael Slater, made his Test debut at Old Trafford and on the first day added 128 with Taylor in a manner that would become wearily familiar to England’s bowlers. Phil Tufnell and Peter Such, who was also on debut, kept England in the match by reducing Australia from 183 for 1 to 232 for 5. Taylor was caught and bowled by Such for 124 but the success of England’s spinners should have served as a warning – this match was to become the story of a certain Australian legspinner.Brisbane 1994-95
England arrived in Australia on the back of Devon Malcolm’s 9 for 57 against South Africa at The Oval but Malcolm missed the Brisbane Test with chicken pox. In his absence, DeFreitas led the attack, and served up two juicy long-hops in his first over. Slater dispatched them and had smashed 176 by the time he lobbed a catch to Gatting off Gooch in the closing overs of the day – the combined age of England’s fielders (78) summed up one of England’s many failings of the tour. Darren Gough was England’s only shining light, dismissing David Boon and Michael Bevan, but Australia were 329 for 4 at the close and England had been given their first long day of a long, tough tour.Edgbaston 1997
After an hour and a half the score was 54 for 8 – the Australian score that is – as Malcolm, Gough and Andrew Caddick stunned them with pace and bounce on a hot, sultry Edgbaston morning. Taylor had decided to bat – expecting the pitch to deteriorate – but it was their batting that crumbled. Skittled for 118, Australia quickly had England 50 for 3 and spectators were checking their refund policy for the third day. But Nasser Hussain and Graham Thorpe began constructing England’s best partnership of the 1990s and by the close England already led by 82. England went on to complete a nine-wicket win despite centuries from Taylor and Greg Blewett but as false dawns go, this was huge. Australia went on to win the series 3-2.Brisbane 1998-99
England had sealed a 2-1 win against South Africa – their first in a five-Test series since the 1986-87 Ashes – and Alec Stewart had an attack of Gough, Dominic Cork and Angus Fraser that he thought could challenge Australia. For two-thirds of the opening day they did, and at 178 for 5 England were a wicket away from taking the honours. But Fraser and Hussain grassed a chance each during the final hour as Steve Waugh and Ian Healy launched one of their trademark fightbacks. Australia closed on 246 for 5 so the match was still in the balance, but England knew they had missed their chance and Australia, unsurprisingly, made them pay.Edgbaston 2001
Australia grabbed the series by the scruff of England’s neck and never let go. England had started with genuine hope after winning in Pakistan and Sri Lanka but a demoralising one-day series and a mountain of injuries were hardly ideal preparation. England approached lunch on 106 for 1, but four balls before the break Shane Warne dismissed Mark Butcher. Australia were on a roll, although they were halted by a barnstorming last-wicket stand of 103 between Stewart and Caddick. However, Gough’s opening over went for 18 and any advantage England had was gone. Slater flayed the attack to all parts as 427 runs were scored in the day. The excitement didn’t last; the Ashes were over in 11 days.Brisbane 2002-03
Nasser Hussain made the inexplicable decision to bowl first – although at least one team-mate had suggested this might be the right course to take – and Australia cashed in on a perfect batting track, wayward England bowling and shocking fielding. England did manage to remove Justin Langer before lunch, courtesy of Simon Jones, but during the afternoon session Jones’s Test career was brought to a 16-month halt as he ruptured his knee ligaments attempting a slide near the boundary. It had one-sided enough with a full quota of bowlers, but shorn of their fastest option, England had nowhere to hide. Matthew Hayden ended the day on 186, Ricky Ponting made a classy 123, and a close-of-play score of 364 for 2 gave the Australian media enough ammunition for the rest of the tour.

The staff at Cricinfo pick their Champions Trophy Dream Team

Nagraj Gollapudi and Jamie Alter07-Nov-2006

Chris Gayle waltzed his way to the top of run charts © Getty Images
A tournament that began a month ago wound its way past some spectacles and some surprises to the inevitability of Brabourne on Sunday. Those matches featured the world’s best players – as good a chance as any for us to pick out a Dream Team. We did this in the usual democratic manner: Votes from our staff. The results won’t please everyone, of course, and some omissions are more notable than others – Adam Gilchrist, Kevin Pietersen, Kyle Mills, Shane Watson, Brett Lee, Shivnarine Chanderpaul – but, hey, that’s democracy.The eleven players are in batting order, picked to play in Indian conditions (more Mumbai than Mohali) and strictly on the basis of performance over the past month.Chris Gayle
Six hundreds were recorded in the entire Champions Trophy and Gayle scored half of them, including the breathtaking, unbeaten 133 against South Africa in the semi-finals. Gayle just about mauled every bowler that came his way in the trademark stand-and-deliver fashion and waltzed his way to the top of run charts. Bonus was his ability to pick wickets at crucial junctures and stem the run-flow, which played a vital role in West Indies’ runStephen Fleming
This was the tournament when he established a world-record 194 ODIs as captain. Fleming played true to type, unruffled, shrewd and steely, the thread that stitched together the Kiwi fabric. If his 89 against South Africa in a low-scoring thriller played on a bad wicket was the difference between the two sides then his commanding 80 against Pakistan, with the hot-and-cold Scott Styris, helped New Zealand become the first team to enter the semi-finals.Ricky Ponting
He didn’t set the stands ablaze or reach the kind of form that saw him scoop the ICC Player of the Year award but Ponting did become the first Australian captain to lift the Champions Trophy. No big scores, a tournament average of 23.60 – two ducks, including the final – but he had two fifties that played more than a crucial role in Australia’s road to glory. One was the effortless 58 – the drives were perfect and the running exemplary – to shove India out of the contest at Mohali, the other an identical score in a semi-final win over New Zealand.Damien Martyn
Australia’s first Champions Trophy triumph owed a lot to Martyn. On Diwali day, amid the noise and under the lights against arch-rivals England, Australia needed all of birthday boy Marto’s composure to get them past those initial hiccups when England got three quick wickets. Martyn then outclassed India, making sure that dangerman Harbhajan Singh didn’t get a foothold in the Aussie camp, with another of those unassuming innings which he keeps playing.Andrew Symonds
There weren’t too many middle-order batsmen who got going in the tournament but in Symonds’ case it’s a matter of just not getting the chance in the middle. His run-a-ball 58 in the semi-final was as sublime a Symonds-innings as they come, and he finished with a healthy 34.66. His fielding, at cover for the most part, was outstanding, unsurprisingly. His offspin proved a partnership breaker.Dwayne Bravo
One of the best all-rounders in the game today, along with Shane Watson. With 164 runs and seven wickets, Bravo made his presence felt, picking up his maiden one-day hundred, bamboozling batsmen with his lethal slower balls, and patrolling the field like a livewire. His dismissals of Michael Clarke in a thrilling 10-run win over Australia, and Chris Read in the defeat by England, were superb examples of how he’s mastered that slow yorker. Impressively, and importantly for the future of the West Indies middle-order, he batted through to the end too.Mark Boucher
As a modern-day wicketkeeper-batsman, only Gilchrist comes close to Boucher. But Boucher has proved he can handle pressure well with the bat and hold together an innings as a lower-order bat. South Africa’s second-highest run-scorer in the tournament, Boucher was one of the few batsmen ready for a scrap when the conditions got tough. His 69 against Pakistan at Mohali was the difference between victory and defeat, and proof of his regular ability to lead a rescue mission. Six dismissals – including a sensational full-length, one-handed take down the leg side – highlighted his tidy glovework.

Age was hardly a deterrent to Glenn McGrath who was at his miserly best © Getty Images
Harbhajan Singh
Forget the return of two wickets at 51.50; focus on the economy rate of 3.67, proof that Harbhajan was the best spinner on view, constantly keeping the batsmen under pressure and stifling the run rate. Against West Indies, Harbhajan was the dominant partner in tandem with Virender Sehwag as the run rate quietly crept up to a run-a-ball and a simple chase turned into a last-over scramble. Batsmen were wary of hitting him and he consistently found sharp turn and bounce.Glenn McGrath
Too old? Lost his edge? Pigeon answered these questions emphatically, getting his bunnies – Sachin Tendulkar once, Brian Lara twice – and maintaining that choking length, inch-perfect accuracy and the cunning knack to work batsmen, ending up with an astonishing average of 15.8 from five of the seven games Australia played. In the final Gayle blasted him for 14 runs in the second over, but McGrath once again confirmed his big-game temperament by first getting past Lara’s outer edge and then delivering three maidens with another wicket of Runako Morton.Jerome Taylor
Steaming in fast, with purposeful eyes that betray no emotion, Taylor has the ability to make the batsman hop and skip with pace and bounce. Michael Holding terms him as a ‘finisher’ for his ability to not lose direction bowling at death. One of the most improved fast bowlers, Taylor became the first West Indies bowler to bag a hat-trick in ODIs, and he did that against the mighty Australians. He was visibly dismayed after the final but he can put his chin up; he finished as the highest wicket-taker in the tournament with 13 in seven games.Makhaya Ntini
Farveez Maharoof may have shocked West Indies with 6 for 14 at Mumbai, but Ntini’s fiery opening burst of 5 for 8 against Pakistan was the most devastating spell all tournament. Aided by a Mohali pitch that offered zip, and backed by close-in catchers who plucked off beauties, he was in demolition mode and left Pakistan withered and beaten. That awesome spell booked South Africa’s place in the semi-finals, but there were other potent spells that saw Ntini finish with eight wickets at 16.12.