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Shane Jurgensen has quietly worked at improving the team culture in the Bangladesh squad and has been rewarded with an extended contract as head coach

Mohammad Isam04-Jul-2013Shane Jurgensen’s quiet efforts at building a hard-working environment in the Bangladesh team have been recognised, with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) extending his tenure as a head coach till 2015. The period is long enough for Jurgensen to reach two key goals: climbing higher in rankings and establishing a culture of hard work in the side.The confidence he needs to achieve these targets should come from his understanding of the team over the last two years. During this time, his rise has proved a few theories wrong in Bangladesh cricket. First, he has risen to the position of head coach after working as a member of the support staff, a career path never considered seriously by the BCB. Second, he has broken a myth that only big-name coaches are suitable for Bangladesh.Finally, he also disproved an odd belief that many in the BCB held (and still do) that a coach who played the game as a bowler isn’t right for the team’s batsmen and for the team, as a whole. Given Bangladesh’s ebb and flow, however, Jurgensen’s appointment is as appropriate as Dav Whatmore’s in 2003.When Whatmore joined the team after the 2003 World Cup, Bangladesh desperately needed a leader, someone who could guide them out of a five-year losing streak. Whatmore, with the experience of having coached Sri Lanka’s World Cup-winning side, provided that leadership for four years.In the current scenario, as the team grows into a winning unit, Jurgsensen has become a sounding board for the senior players, who are turning into match-winners, and a strict task-master for the younger group of players who are still coming to terms with international cricket.The lack of off-field drama has also translated into a more stable side. Jurgensen and Mushfiqur Rahim have stressed on personal discipline, although the captain was responsible for the only dramatic incident of the season and later admitted his mistake.After Richard Pybus’ sudden exit last year, Bangladesh have completed a season of progress. They won their fourth Test in 13 years in April, and have also drawn a Test against Sri Lanka in their backyard. They pushed West Indies in Dhaka late last year. But Jurgensen knows that perceptible improvement in the next two years is mostly possible in ODIs. The ODI series win over West Indies at home and the drawn series against Sri Lanka has encouraged him.”As long as the team improves in Test cricket, it will flow into the limited-over formats,” Jurgensen told ESPNcricinfo. “We are a decent one-day side, so my goal is to see the team climb up the rankings. It would be nice to see them move up a spot or two in the limited-over formats.”We have improved as a Test team, especially since our last game was a hard-fought win against Zimbabwe. The batting has been good, setting a few records in our first innings this season. The bowling has a new face now in Robiul Islam, but spin remains our strength.”
Bangladesh have been world cricket’s bottom-placed scrappers for more than a decade now, but they have touched the No. 8 spot a few times in ODIs in the last two years, which explains the confidence of the side compared to even five years ago. The BCB has also appreciated the team’s worth by putting a quiet man in charge, instead of remaining star-struck and seeking out the next Whatmore.

This is the youngest team in the world, so I don’t need to put them under pressure, because there is enough pressure on themShane Jurgensen

Before they became a Test team, Bangladesh needed the likes of Mohinder Amarnath, Gordon Greenidge and Eddie Barlow as much for their star power as their vast experience. It was also the reason why they appointed Whatmore, Stuart Law and Pybus later on. In between, however, Trevor Chappell expected too much from Bangladesh cricket and Mohsin Kamal’s tenure was a misadventure. Jamie Siddons’ hands-on approach wasn’t appreciated by some players, but those who did improved themselves and their average.Jurgensen has risen from within the ranks of the Bangladesh dressing-room – he was appointed bowling coach in October 2011 and became the interim head coach exactly a year later. That arrangement has now developed into a more central role and ensures that the person in charge has the experience of working with the team, and is familiar with the players’ skills, needs and culture.”My style as a person is not to be loud, because it is about the players. I may not be a highly regarded coach, but I am decisive, and I want to develop international cricketers. I like to get personal with the players, try to have a relationship,” Jurgensen said. “My other goal is to create an environment of hard work, but keep it relaxed and enjoyable. This is the youngest team in the world, so I don’t need to put them under pressure, because there is enough pressure on them.”One of his goals is to see the seam bowlers taking the lead, but his immediate goal is the home series against New Zealand in October. He would want to remind the team of the successful 2010 ODI series, where they beat New Zealand 4-0. “I want to have fully fit fast bowlers, and we will try to give the batsmen a feel of longer-version cricket in the next three months.”If the seamers take more responsibility, we can take more wickets with the new ball. It makes it easier for our spinners. I want a complete bowling team, with the batsmen backing up with the runs,” he said.Jurgensen believes Bangladesh need to make an impact in the World Twenty20 to earn their stripes in international cricket.”People respect Bangladesh, but with it comes expectations. We have to keep working hard, and improve ourselves in the next six to twelve months. To have people hold us in high regard, we have to do well in the next big event – the World Twenty20.”Jurgensen is currently the youngest Test coach in the game and one of three Test coaches under the age of 40, alongside New Zealand’s Mike Hesson and South Africa’s Russell Domingo. At this stage of his career, Jurgensen feels his coaching assignment is a privilege, given the company he is keeping among international coaches.Among Bangladesh coaches, he has a lot in common with Stuart Law, who was the head coach between July 2011 and June 2012. Like Law, Jurgensen will also be expected to produce results because a coach’s progress is no longer measured in how many players he can develop into international stars. He will also have to ensure results remain positive, and slip-ups, like the one in Zimbabwe, do not turn into a slide in form.A two-year contract is a good place to start and his challenge will be to hold the team together and find more match-winners. His two years of experience with the team, unlike his predecessors, should work in his favour. But, like all previous Bangladesh coaches, he will face major challenges and see people treat him differently as soon as he becomes the permanent man.

The new, tight domestic schedule also allows young regional players a better chance to develop into reliable first-class cricketers

Umar Farooq23-Oct-2013Pakistan’s domestic structure has been constantly transforming over the past decade, with change occurring every two years. But this year the season’s format has remained consistent from the previous year, though the calendar is tightly planned for better financial viability. Two major first-class tournaments will run simultaneously while two List A events happen concurrently. Besides making it financially cost effective, the season has been ideally planned to stop mixing top departmental players with the regional teams in order to allow more young players to feature for the regional sides. If executed efficiently, this calendar could eventually allow an increase in the quantity of first-class cricketers in the country.Last year, the re-structuring of the domestic structure centered around the President’s Trophy, the country’s new premier first-class tournament, with the eminence of the Quaid-e-Azam trophy fading. Previously the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy was the nucleus of the first-class competition in the country, comprising 22 teams (13 regional and nine department teams) in two divisions, based on a promotion and relegation system. It was revamped last year by separating regional and departmental cricket, creating two first-class events with equal quality. This structure has created a sense of stability and promoted a competitive spirit, with the top teams in the President’s Trophy playing against a mixture of tough opponents rather than the rookie cricketers of the region. Players who might have failed in the President’s Trophy, made their way into the regional teams to work on their deficiencies.This year, the board has planned both events concurrently to maintain a balance in the levels of competition. The number of teams in the President’s Trophy has been increased from 10 to 11 with Pakistan Television being promoted to Grade1 cricket. Eleven departmental teams will play a round-robin league phase, with the top two teams making the final.As many as 350 players are registered to feature in the 14 teams in QEA, while around 220 player are signed with the various 11 department teams. The 14 regional teams will field only local and non-departmental players. Teams in QEA will be divided in two groups – the top eight will be in a super-eight group while the remaining six teams will play a plate league. The two top teams from super eights will play the final. Either way, each team will at least play nine matches. Once a prime means for players to earn national call-up, QEA is no more relevant in that regard.

Stats highlights from the thriller between Pakistan and India at Mirpur, Dhaka

Shiva Jayaraman02-Mar-2014

• The margin of victory in this match was the second-closest, by wickets remaining, in matches involving Pakistan and India. The famous Sharjah match in which Javed Miandad hit a six off the last ball is the closest between the two teams. Click here for ODIs with the slimmest margin of wins in terms of wickets remaining.
• Before this match Pakistan had lost the last five ODIs in which they were required to chase 240 or more. Since 2011, this is only the fourth time that Pakistan have successfully chased 240 or more in an ODI from 17 attempts.
• Mohammad Hafeez won the 14th Man-of-the-Match award of his career and his fifth since 2013. Only Virat Kohli has won more such awards in ODIs since 2013.
• Shahid Afridi sealed the match for Pakistan with two sixes in the last over off R Ashwin. The six he hit to win this match was his 50th against India in ODIs. He is the only player to hit 50 or more sixes against two oppositions in ODIs. His 63 sixes against Sri Lanka are the highest by a batsman against any opposition. Sanath Jayasuriya, with 53 sixes against Pakistan, is the only other batsman in ODIs with fifty or more sixes against an opposition.
• Hafeez made an all-round contribution in Pakistan’s win in this match. Apart from scoring 75 runs, he took two wickets and also held two catches. This was just the sixth instance of a Pakistan player hitting fifty-plus runs, taking two or more wickets and effecting two or more fielding dismissals in ODIs. The last such instance was by Shoaib Malik against Zimbabwe in Faisalabad in 2008.
• Hafeez and Shoaib Maqsood added 87 runs for the fifth wicket for Pakistan after they had lost three quick wickets to slump to 117 for 4. This partnership equalled the seventh-highest for Pakistan for the fifth wicket in successful chases against Test nations. Including this one, Pakistan’s last-four partnerships of 87 or more runs for the fifth wicket in a successful chase against a Test nation have come against India. The last such partnership for Pakistan was between Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan in Mohali in 2007.
• Ravindra Jadeja’s half-century in this match was his ninth in ODIs and his first in four innings against Pakistan. This was Jadeja’s 100th ODI. He has scored 1541 at 33.50 from 68 innings and has taken 116 wickets at 33.44. His fifty in this match was only the eighth by an India No. 7 against Pakistan in ODIs.
• Ambati Rayudu hit his second ODI fifty in this match and his first in eight innings. Rayudu has scored 243 runs at 40.50 in eight innings.
• Pakistan’s openers, helped by some ordinary bowling by India’s fast bowlers, added 71 runs before Sharjeel Khan was bowled by R Ashwin. Their openers haven’t had a century partnership in 37 innings. The last time Pakistan’s openers added 100 or more runs was against India in Kolkata in January 2013. Since then, in 37 innings, the openers have averaged 26.44 runs per partnership and have added fifty or more runs eight times.
• Kohli scored only five runs before he was caught behind off Umar Gul. In his last Asia Cup match against Pakistan Kohli had scored 183 runs off 148 balls to chase down a target of 330. Excluding that match, from eight innings, Kohli has managed to score just 83 runs at 11.86 against Pakistan in ODIs.

Plays of the day for the 1st T20 between New Zealand and West Indies in Auckland

Sidharth Monga11-Jan-2014The dozy moment
When Jesse Ryder cover-drove Tino Best in the second over of the match, the non-striker Martin Guptill – like all of us – thought he had hit a four. Except that Guptill should have known better. There was a sweeper-cover in place, and only after Guptill saw Ryder run hard did he realise that he would need to run. It was too late. Only a single was taken. How Best would have hoped Guptill was not dozing. That single brought him on strike, and the next three balls were smoked away for six, four and four.The blow
You should treat your captain better. Brendon McCullum had been at the wicket only for two balls when Ryder danced down to Samuel Badree. The hit was clean and down the ground, but it was so clean it gave McCullum no time to get out of the way. Good job he was wearing the box.The frenzy
The one-handed catch contest in the New Zealand crowds is turning out to be a tricky temptress. Every time the ball is hit for a six, people fall over each other to try to take it one-handed. When Colin Munro deposited a free hit from Sunil Narine over square leg, there were about 10 going for the catch in the stands, just like midfielders go up for the first touch on a high ball in football. This time, though, one man got a touch, and parried it flush onto the head of an old man standing behind him. The man came down like a sack of potatoes, but was thankfully fine.The shot
When you are bowling as fast as Best does and are sent for a six in the V behind the stumps, it usually is a mis-hit. Not when you are bowling to McCullum in the last over of a T20 innings. McCullum had just disturbed Best’s short length by dancing down and hitting him over long-on, and now guessed right that the bowler will go full and fast. That said, it is still a brave shot to go down on one knee to Best and risk a visit to the dentist. Here, McCullum ramped it right off the middle of the bat and sent the ball about 30 rows back behind fine leg. Best couldn’t quite get over that shot.

Robin Uthappa and Ajinkya Rahane both had plenty to play for and prove in Mirpur, and they grabbed their opportunities with aplomb

Alagappan Muthu in Mirpur15-Jun-2014Ajinkya Rahane tapped his chest and gazed skyward, as if paying thanks for the comfort he felt at the crease. The occasional punch did scuttle one of the guards at the 30-yard circle, but a lash over extra cover and a belt over midwicket against Masrafe Mortaza assured him there was no cause for worry. The requisite 5.39 per over was hardly a chore, and at the other end, Rahane had a partner who was matching his calm, yet palpable belief.Robin Uthappa had spent six years divorced from ODI cricket. The man who lost his place was a basher and was content with that role. A limited defensive technique brought him down, and eventually out of national selection.But the man who strode out to bat today looked quite settled. Though his back-and-across movement remained, Uthappa’s bat face was markedly fonder of displaying the maker’s name. He had enlisted the aid of a personal coach, was patient enough to cultivate a tighter game, translated that into productive performances- three List A tons in 2014 alone – and waited for his chance. Having finally earned it, Uthappa celebrated his comeback with an important fifty but was adjudged lbw despite an inside edge.A ferocious spell of rain and some miraculous drainage in Dhaka reduced the 273 target down to 150 in 26 overs. The pitch, having slumbered under moisture-laden covers for two and a half-hours, lent bite to the spinners.Another umpiring error returned Cheteshwar Pujara to the pavilion the second ball after resumption. The burden grew a touch heavier on Rahane’s shoulders. Fifty was needed off nine overs. However, once Rahane nudged to his half-century, he immediately clubbed a Shakib Al Hasan short ball over cow corner to ease the jitters. Ambati Rayudu started briskly and India were cruising again.But then the mistake came, with 15 needed off 24. Rahane grimaced in disappointment and with head bowed, tried restraining the lash he had attempted. Suresh Raina, his captain crossed him on his way to the middle and finished the job.This tour, as Raina had stated, was about learning the depth India have in limited-overs cricket. They will face comparatively harsher environs in England later this year and then the coup de gras in Australia.Rahane and Uthappa – who were rather unlucky not to raise a hundred partnership – chose a good time to display their thirst. They were circumspect without being bogged down, backed themselves to clear the infield at appropriate times, and also concentrated on snatching a few quick singles. A marked difference from how Bangladesh progressed in their first 10 overs to post a measly 34.A knock-on effect of discovering a useful reserve opener might be the return of Rohit Sharma to the role he feels most comfortable in. His duet with Shikhar Dhawan, while forced, had served India’s balance well. He too enjoyed the extra pace on the ball and knowing his place in the XI was secure, he was able to lay the groundwork for the middle order to work on. Should a natural opening batsman take over in his stead, Rohit can return to do what is natural to him – man the No.5 position where he averages 45 in 24 matches. Most teams would attest to the advantage of having specialists. Only MS Dhoni can do an MS Dhoni. Only Dale Steyn can do a Dale Steyn.Rahane made his case with care. He has been a perennial tourist with India sides. Perhaps the experience was on his mind when he looked to the heavens after those two crunching boundaries. Finding them has always been his strongest criticism- that he allows the bowler too many deliveries to work him over and that his orthodoxy enables the opposition to dry up the singles.The pitch was slow, but coupled with the new ball, it was not the most docile. The lessons learned from T20 cricket were on view in each of the boundaries he hit. Sometimes the good balls had to go too, and he ventured down the wicket to help with that.India eased to 50 in the ninth over and to emphasise it, Uthappa launched a comfortable six over midwicket. Although IPL cannot be construed as the most effective practice for international cricket, the confidence gained from finishing the top-scorer and cultivating a nigh unbeatable record of nine consecutive 40-plus scores was clear in his time at the crease.Uthappa was not hurried. That forward press was as emphatic as ever and Ziaur Rahman’s trundles were dispatched to midwicket without having to shift his weight back. He was among the guests at KSCA’s platinum jubilee celebrations in August 2013, flashing smiles and obliging autograph hunters. When he was wished a speedy return, he had remarked, “By the end of the year.”Rahane was a rung above him in consideration but not good enough to break into the XI. “When I was not playing I was learning from them as well,” he had said after completing a maiden Test ton in New Zealand. “What improvements they have made to their game, what kind of shots they play and how they play in different situations. Definitely I learned a lot.” Rahane knows the time is ripe to put his knowledge to use. Uthappa, having previously stated a yearning to help his country win on the international stage, will hardly argue that he is in the same boat.

It rained all day in Manchester on what would have been the fourth day of the fourth Test, had India not thrown away their wickets on Saturday

Sidharth Monga10-Aug-2014India’s players better not have withdrawn the curtains in their hotel rooms on Sunday. For they will have seen rain that began early in the morning and refused to relent through the day. It did stop around 2pm, only to resume after a brief sunny spell. It wasn’t the lashing apocalyptic rain that you associate with hurricanes, but persistent and steady downpour with cold breeze. When it finally seemed to have stopped by 4pm, down it came 20 minutes later, and stayed on and off since then.On the second day of the Test, it had rained for much less time. It began to fall at around 2pm, and it was enough to wash out the rest of the day’s play. Given the drainage problems the ground encountered after that sharp shower, it is highly unlikely there would have been any play on Sunday. There is an option of adding an extra hour at the end of the day’s play, but for that play needs to start by 6pm.This, of course, would have been the fourth day of the fourth Test. A Test on the third day of which India lost nine wickets in under one session. Had they batted more doggedly – everybody knew the forecast for day four – they could have kept the game alive. A whole day is lost, England get a little impatient, Stuart Broad is injured, and you never know what is liable to happen. There is more rain forecast for Monday. With the amount of rain Old Trafford has taken, who knows, even the fifth day might not have begun on time.In an ideal world the coach Duncan Fletcher would drag the players by their coattails and take them to Old Trafford and show them what might have been. That would be too uncool, though. This team, we are told, is too cool for a rocket. Processes are important, not results. They can’t afford to be seen as desperate. They live for the moment, they say; not the future, not the past. Test cricket is different. You have to plan ahead, and think of all sorts of permutations and combinations.Virat Kohli nearly holed out to long leg sweeping Moeen Ali before he eventually fell to a meek push outside off. Ajinkya Rahane drove hard at Moeen and offered a simple return catch. MS Dhoni stepped out and was caught at midwicket. Bhuvneshwar Kumar ran himself out. This was not a team that was giving the outside chance an outside chance. Dhoni later said something to effect of, what is the difference how many days it takes you to lose; a loss is a loss.When asked if any instructions were sent out to the batsmen keeping in mind the forecast, Dhoni said: “We are talking about a set of batsmen well experienced, not necessarily in Test cricket, but they have been part of the side enough to know what has to be done in each situation. We also tell them to break each session into small sessions of half an hour, and set small targets for them to achieve. That helps you to achieve what you want to, and as you said, bat 60 overs.”If you look at it, 60 overs is a big target, and what you need to do is to break into four or five overs and set a target to achieve. That’s the kind of spell bowlers go with – five or six overs. If you want to look at the positive, then all the batsmen have passed the tough passage when two bowlers were bowling well and then they have got out. Most of them have scored 20 to 30 runs before getting out. So the most important part is to convert those starts into big scores.”Make what you will of this.This is similar to the time in Australia in 2011-12, when with one match to go in the triangular ODI series India had an outside chance of making it to the final. Journalists knew it, fans knew it, commentators knew it, but despite carrying a plethora of support staff, the Indian team didn’t know it. Dhoni was informed of that outside chance at a press conference.Maybe the lack of desperation, of fighting until you have been beaten officially, is a cultural issue. Even before Dhoni arrived, India showed similar lack of awareness in the West Indies in 2002, incidentally the last time India played five Tests in a series. There too, India had taken a 1-0 lead, squandered it, but on the final day of the series, Zaheer Khan slogged wildly, became the last man out and handed away the series to West Indies. Even before Zaheer reached the dressing room, it began to pour – as was expected. The presentation had to be held indoors, and it rained for two more days.This is not to say India would have drawn this Test, but this is not about the end result, although chances of drawing this had India not lost on Saturday were greater than getting wickets by asking Ravindra Jadeja to bowl darts into the pads with a 7-2 leg-side field. This is about the process through which this defeat arrived. India should know, they care more for it than the results.

The cricket world reacts to the passing away of Phillip Hughes

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Nov-20142:01

‘A cherished son, brother, friend and team-mate’

No no no no no. RIP Phillip Hughes

— Adam Gilchrist (@gilly381) November 27, 2014

For eternity the spirit of Cap No. 408 #RIPPhilHughes

— Adam Gilchrist (@gilly381) November 27, 2014

63 on a cricket scoreboard should be seen as a very special number …a round of applause will be in order to celebrate Phil Hughes life

— David 'Bumble' Lloyd (@BumbleCricket) November 27, 2014

This is how I will remember you legend! The most infectious smile and best friend anyone could have! Forever with us! pic.twitter.com/ukFwZejzlG

— Aaron Finch (@AaronFinch5) November 27, 2014

Heart broken! A very dark day. You will be missed, Phil Hughes. My prayers and thoughts go out to his family & friends.

— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) November 27, 2014

Just heard the worst news possible..our thoughts & prayers are with Phil, his family & friends. RIP Phil Hughes!!

— Mahela Jayawardena (@MahelaJay) November 27, 2014

Totally saddened by the passing of our cricket brother and friend Phil Hughes. Terrible loss! Deepest condolences 2 his family! #RIPHughes

— Dale Steyn (@DaleSteyn62) November 27, 2014

Totally , totally sick inside and have no words.thinking and praying for friends and family. #RIPPhilHughes

— Graeme Smith (@GraemeSmith49) November 27, 2014

Can't comprehend it. Shaking. Our deepest condolences to Phillip Hughes's family and friends. #RIPPhillipHughes

— Jason Gillespie (@YCCCDizzy) November 27, 2014

Shocked and saddened by the news of Phil Huges. Horrible day for cricket. RIP Phil and may your family gain the strength to cope.

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) November 27, 2014

Rest peacefully our little brother…may God hold you in the palm of his hand forever. Deepest sympathies to the Hughes Family and friends

— Matthew Hayden AM (@HaydosTweets) November 27, 2014

No words can describe the loss Rip pic.twitter.com/3kOm5MkVsc

— Brett Lee (@BrettLee_58) November 27, 2014

Shocked to hear about Phil. Sad day for cricket. Deepest condolences to family, friends and well wishers. RIP #PhilipHughes

— sachin tendulkar (@sachin_rt) November 27, 2014

I've never before felt so keenly the loss of someone I'd never met. My thoughts go out to his family and friends. RIP Phil Hughes.

— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) November 27, 2014

My heartfelt condolences to the family of Australian cricketer Phil Hughes on the sad demise.

— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) November 27, 2014

Really Sad news to hear this morning. RIP philip Hughes. Condolences to his family – you will be missed.

— Chris Gayle (@henrygayle) November 27, 2014

Absolutely shocked to hear the news of Phil Hughes passing away! Thoughts and prays are with his family as well as Sean Abbott!

— Shaun Pollock (@7polly7) November 27, 2014

I love you little brother. I'm so sorry I couldn't help you.

— Daniel Smith (@13DSmith) November 27, 2014

WOW!! You little legend! RIP My deepest sympathies go out to his family and close friends. Sad sad day!!

— Andy Bichel (@BichelAndy) November 27, 2014

Saddest day in cricket fraternity. Rest in peace mate and Sean Abbott stay strong #PhilHughes

— Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) November 27, 2014

Shocked and saddened. Phil Hughes you will live on in our hearts. RIP worst day in world cricket #peace #PhilHughes

— Suresh Raina (@ImRaina) November 27, 2014

Couldn't fit it all in mate so here goes #408 #RIPPhillipHughes #loveyamate pic.twitter.com/Eeq1ft4OLp

— Tim Ludeman (@tludey) November 27, 2014

Very sad news to wake up to. Thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Phil Hughes. #RIPHughesy

— David Miller (@DavidMillerSA12) November 27, 2014

Absolutely shattered. Condolences to Hughes family. What a little legend. R.I.P mate

— Clint Mckay (@clintmckay27) November 27, 2014

He had a tough, uphill fight against him but little Hughy lost the battle. Please have his family and friends in your hearts. #RIPHughesy

— Jason Krejza (@JK404) November 27, 2014

Devastating news, Phillip Hughes #RIP you will be sadly missed by us all, thoughts & prayers go out to the Hughes family.

— Tom Moody (@TomMoodyCricket) November 27, 2014

What a great man we lost, what a lovely person he was.U left us too early brother.We r all heartbroken. A dark day in history of Cricket

— Fawad Ahmed (@bachaji23) November 27, 2014

Extremely sad news about the passing of Phil Hughes… RIP Hughesy. Condolences to his family & the people of Australia.

— Alviro Petersen (@AlviroPetersen) November 27, 2014

Totally blown away and deeply saddened to hear of Phil Hughes passing. Thoughts are with his family and team mates. #RIPHughsey

— Brendan Taylor (@BrendanTaylor86) November 27, 2014

Thoughts go out to Phillip Hughes family and the entire cricket community on this sad day. He was an incredible cricketer #Gonetosoon #RIP

— Paul Adams (@PaulAdams39) November 27, 2014

Deepest sympathy's to Philip Hughes' family. I'm in complete shock. @seanabbott77 stay strong, our thoughts are with you too. Total accident

— Dav Whatmore (@dfwhatmore) November 27, 2014

Absolutely gutting to hear the terrible news of Phil Hughes! Feel sick to my stomach! God bless his friends, family and teammates!

— Kevin O'Brien (@KevinOBrien113) November 27, 2014

We lost a little ripper today. Honesty, hard work and humour typified the man, taken away way too soon. Always 63no. pic.twitter.com/2Sgi7cwexC

— Tim Nielsen (@nielsen514) November 27, 2014

Unbelievable to hear about Phil Hughes – condolences to his family. R.I.P bro

— Robin John Peterson (@robbie13flair) November 27, 2014

No way! Can't believe what's just happened. Thoughts and prayers go out to family, friends and team mates of Phil Hughes

— William Porterfield (@purdy34) November 27, 2014

Devastated to hear the news about Philip Hughes.A huge talent and a great Australian lost too soon. We will never forget you #CricketFamily

— Damien Martyn (@dmartyn30) November 27, 2014

Shocked and saddened by the tragic news. Thoughts and prayers with family and friends. Sad day. #RIPPhilHughes

— Jos Buttler (@josbuttler) November 27, 2014

Totally shocked to hear the death of Phil. Life is so uncertain. #RIPPhillipHughes

— Lahiru Thirimanna (@thiri66) November 27, 2014

My deepest sympathy and condolences to the Hughes family and all who were close to him. Phil, you will be sadly missed #RestPeacefully

— James Franklin (@jecfranklin) November 27, 2014

Heartfelt condolences to the family of Phil Hughes, a huge loss for the cricketing fraternity..RIP Phil..thoughts go out to sean Abbott!

— Umar55 (@mdk_gul) November 27, 2014

Although there has been a lot of criticism against Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard’s omissions from the West Indies’ ODI squad for South Africa and later the World Cup, their recent statistics indicate the axe might be justified

Noel Kalicharan 14-Jan-2015When Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard, among others, engineered the pull-out of the tour of India, I wrote that the players involved should never play cricket for the West Indies again.However, in recent days, we have heard that Bravo and Pollard were “victimised” by being dropped from the ODI team. They are talking as if Bravo and Pollard have consistently played important roles in the 50-over game, as if they have been making regular, sterling contributions to the team effort. Their recent record does not support this.In the aborted series against India, Bravo had scores of 17, 10 and 0. He bowled a total of 20 overs and took 4 wickets for 130 runs. Hardly awe-inspiring. Go back, if you will, to the previous series against Bangladesh. He had scores of 5, 6 and 3 not out. He bowled 12 overs and took 5 for 64. His batting average for his last six innings was 8.2. One has to go as far back as February 2014 to find a good score, 87 not out in the first match of England’s tour to the Caribbean. This was followed by scores of 20 and 27. One good score in nine innings.Forget that he belongs to your cricket club. Do you really consider such a performance worthy of your ODI captain? If a player is dropped for such poor performance, why would anyone claim that he is being victimised?Now let’s look at Pollard. In the tri-series with India and Sri Lanka in June 2013, he played four matches and scored 0, 4, 0 and 0. He retained his place for the Pakistan series which followed, but after scores of 3, 30 and 0, he was dropped for the remaining two ODIs. His average in seven matches before being dropped was 5.3, hardly the stuff on which a claim of victimisation can be made.In August 2014, Pollard was back in the squad to play Bangladesh. He started off well with 89 in the first match. But, like Bravo, faltered to 26 and 10 in the next two and finished with one good score in 10 innings since the tri-series in 2013.And then came India in October 2014. Pollard played three matches with scores of 2, 40 and 6. He also bowled 3 overs, taking 0 for 22 and a workload so slight might indicate that even his captain does not consider him an allrounder. Bravo did not give him a single over in the Bangladesh series.So, in his last 10 innings for West Indies against decent opposition, Pollard’s batting average was 8.5. If you include the matches against Bangladesh, his average in his last 13 innings climbs to 16.2. An improvement but, still, hardly remarkable.So, based on their recent performances, the selectors’ decision to drop Bravo and Pollard from the ODI team, should not be construed as an act of victimisation.If you have a submission for Inbox, send it to us here, with “Inbox” in the subject line.

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Feb-2015Viv Richards 181 in 1987: He walked out to face the hat-trick ball, and gave himself time to settle down, his first 50 runs coming in 62 balls. He then opened out and there was no stopping him. He finished with 181 off 125 as Sri Lanka wilted and were left facing a gargantuan target of 361•Getty ImagesSourav Ganguly 183 in 1999: Sri Lanka had a torrid day in Taunton as Ganguly shattered several records. Besides notching up the second-highest score in World Cups, Ganguly was involved in a 318-run stand with Rahul Dravid, the highest in limited-overs internationals at the time.•Getty ImagesGary Kirsten 188*in 1996: Kirsten’s batting style was the opposite of Chris Gayle’s but, against the amateurs of the UAE in Rawalpindi, he cranked up the tempo to produce 188* off 159 balls, the highest score in the World Cup. Until Gayle wreaked havoc•Getty Images

Plays of the day from the match between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore in Chennai

George Binoy04-May-2015The mis-match
Dwayne Smith will be embarrassed to watch a recording of the first over of the game. He did not get bat on a single ball from Mitchell Starc. Smith tried to play at four of the first five deliveries – having left the other one – but was extremely late on the shot every time and beaten outside off stump. Starc simply readjusted his radar for the sixth delivery, homing in on the stumps instead of just outside. Smith, with stagnant feet, was woefully late again and his off stump took a beating.The injury
Raina drove the last ball off the eighth over firmly towards point, where Mandeep Singh – the hero of Royal Challengers’ chase against Kolkata Knight Riders – dived smartly to his right to cut off the shot. The ball rolled a short distance away from Mandeep, though, and the instant reaction was to wonder why he wasn’t up and haring after it to prevent runs. Immediately it was apparent that all was not well because Mandeep got up and wrung his right hand in pain, his little finger appearing to have been dislocated. His team-mates converged on him in concern and he needed to go off the field for treatment.The huge hit
Super Kings boast a line-up filled with muscular batsmen who can bash the ball – Smith, McCullum, Raina, du Plessis, Dhoni, Bravo and Jadeja. The biggest six of the evening, however, was struck by small and wiry Pawan Negi, and it was humongous. He danced down the pitch to Yuzvendra Chahal and lofted straight and far with a mighty swing. The ball travelled so high that when it bounced, it bounced on the roof of the MA Chidambaram Stadium.The failed experiment
Royal Challengers had a misfiring opener of their own. Having replaced the resting Chris Gayle, Nic Maddinson was intent on charging Ishwar Pandey repeatedly. He was struck on the pad once and then missed a few other deliveries. There seemed to be little method to his aggressive approach and when the end came it was to one off the tamest deliveries he could hope to get. Maddinson charged at a straight full toss from Pandey, simply missed it with his clumsy swing, and was bowled.The hammer and feather
AB de Villiers could have beheaded Ashish Nehra had he hit the ball lower. So fierce was the drive off the front foot that all Nehra could do – and no one would have expected otherwise – was duck as the ball rocketed over him and to the straight boundary. A few balls later, de Villiers displayed a more delicate touch. With the keeper up to the stumps for the seamer, first slip standing back and a short third man in place, he dabbed Pandey late from off stump, placing it between the fielders with precision.