Stats highlights from the first 14 World Cup matches

Madhusudhan Ramakrishnan03-Mar-2011Shahid Afridi: the one spinner who has been among the wickets in the tournament so far•AFPOne-sided contests
Out of 14 matches so far, ten have been decided by a margin of more than 75 runs, or by seven or more wickets with more than 40 balls to spare. In four games, the margin was 175 runs or more, and in two others, the team chasing won with more than 30 overs to spare.Tough for the bowlers
The average run-rate in the first 14 matches is 5.27, which is well ahead of the run-rate in the 2007 World Cup (4.95). The rate in the first innings is 5.55, which is well above the mark for the 2007 World Cup (5.19). If the two low-scoring innings of Kenya are excluded, the run rate for the first innings is nearly 5.82.Spin not a huge threat yet
Shahid Afridi is the leading wicket-taker so far with nine, but the next 11 positions are all taken by fast bowlers. Spinners have been more economical, conceding 4.91 runs per over compared to 5.43 by the pace bowlers’, but their average of nearly 36 runs per wicket is considerably higher than that of the fast bowlers (29.37).High match aggregates
While the 2007 World Cup had five matches with an aggregate of more than 550 runs, there have already been three such matches in this World Cup, including the India-England game in Bangalore, which had a World Cup record aggregate of 676 runs.Century stands galore
There have been 12 century partnerships in just 14 matches so far, which is nearly one per match. If this ratio continues, it’ll be the highest for all World Cups. The 1996 World Cup comes closest, with 28 stands in 36 matches. The tournament which had the lowest rate of century partnerships per match is the 2003 World Cup, which had just 25 century stands in 52 matches.The fours and sixes equation
In the nine previous World Cups, the 1975 World Cup is, rather surprisingly, the tournament with the highest number of fours per match (38.33). In the first 14 matches, the 2011 World Cup has marginally exceeded that number, with an average of 38.57 fours per game. Sri Lanka (79 fours) and India (67 fours) have scored the most fours in the World Cup so far. While the 2007 World Cup had the most sixes per match (7.31), this edition is not far behind, with nearly five sixes per game. India and West Indies have been by far the biggest contributors with 14 sixes each in two games.Doing it in boundaries
In terms of runs scored in boundaries, India and Sri Lanka head the list, with 340 runs in fours and sixes. India also head the table in the boundary run percentage (48.02%), followed by New Zealand (47.48%). Andrew Strauss has hit the most fours (29), followed by Tillakaratne Dilshan, who has 21. Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar, with five sixes each, head the list of batsmen with most sixes in the World Cup so far.Running the threes
The most threes haven’t been run by Australia, South Africa or England – that record belongs to Pakistan, who have run ten threes, followed by Sri Lanka with nine. A part of the reason for that is the fact that they’ve played in Hambantota, which is a bigger ground than most other venues. Out of 52 threes in 14 matches so far, 14 have come in a couple of games in Hambantota.Hat-trick heroes
Lasith Malinga, with his hat-trick against Kenya, became the first bowler to take two hat-tricks in World Cups. His previous hat-trick came against South Africa in 2007, when he picked up four wickets in four balls. Malinga’s hat-trick came a game after after Kemar Roach’s effort against Canada. This is the first time that there have been hat-tricks in two consecutive matches in World Cups, and only the second time – after the 2003 edition – that a World Cup tournament has had two hat-tricks.The mandatory and bowling Powerplays
The mandatory Powerplay (first ten overs) has been a good period for batsmen, with teams scoring at a run rate of 5.08 and averaging 43.05. Teams batting first have a better average in the mandatory Powerplay (50.53) than teams chasing (36.57). In the bowling Powerplay, the run-rate drops to 4.63, and the average to 32.40. Teams batting second, though, do slightly better in this Powerplay (average 35.12, run-rate 4.68) compared to the teams batting first (average 29, run-rate 4.53).The batting Powerplay mystery
The overall run-rate in these Powerplays is 7.83, and the average 22.68, which translates into a five-over score of 39 runs for the loss of 1.7 wickets. The teams batting first have done much better, with a run rate of 8.62 and average of 27.41. In the second innings, they average just 16 and score at 6.40 runs per over.Dot-ball percentage
Kenya have faced 429 dot balls, the most by any team in the tournament. They are followed by Canada (340) and Sri Lanka (332). However, Canada have the highest dot-ball percentage of 71.72, followed by Kenya, with 71.02%. South Africa have faced the least dot-balls (113) and India have the lowest dot-ball percentage (39.06).

To appreciate Sachin Tendulkar’s effort today – his fourth century off his first innings in each of the last four years – it is important to appreciate the most exciting bowler in world cricket at his best

Sidharth Monga at Newlands04-Jan-2011Years later, or weeks later, or days later, when they talk about this series, regardless of the result, they will talk about two Dale Steyn spells that started the first two sessions of the third day of the Cape Town Test. Perhaps the 11 best overs anyone can bowl for just two wickets. It was perfect outswing bowling at high pace, often pitching leg, missing off, too often too good for the batsmen. And if it can be considered possible, after that wicketless first spell, Steyn came out to bowl even better. If one were to strain and look for a possible criticism, it was that he bowled just one straighter one and two bouncers in the first chunk of five overs. Everything else was close to perfect. There wasn’t even a no-ball; loose balls were a distant thought altogether.To appreciate Sachin Tendulkar’s effort today – his fourth century off his first innings in each of the last four years – it is important to appreciate the most exciting bowler in world cricket at his best. It was just such a day of Test cricket. Of the 66 balls from hell that Steyn bowled in those two spells, which went for 13 runs and took two wickets, Tendulkar negotiated 48. In that mix of some masterful defending, some luck (he could not have survived without luck), and huge responsibility, is the difference between India’s being even and being woefully behind by the end of the third day.There was no counterattack there: Steyn was too hot to touch for that. It was good old-fashioned buckling down, doing your best and hoping that the good deliveries are too good for the edge. Then again, Tendulkar played five back-to-back Steyn overs for 10 runs – six of them unintentional – and in this modern world, that calls for an injudicious shot to release the incredible pressure. He reserved the releasing of pressure for Lonwabo Tsotsobe, who bowled well too, but in comparison to Steyn he was like Mother Teresa. Calculated risks were taken: the premeditated pull and the upper-cut in Tsotsobe’s first over of the day.Tendulkar had tired Steyn down, Gautam Gambhir had done the same to Morne Morkel, and with some sort of authority established over Tsotsobe’s bowling, it was time for Tendulkar to reap the rewards for the hard work in the first hour. As South Africa awaited the new ball, out came the delicate run-scoring shots, the drives through cover and extra cover, the check drives straight down the ground, the nudges, the paddle sweeps, and the steers to third man. Then, as he approached his century and also the second new ball, Tendulkar saw Gambhir get out, and contributed to Laxman’s dismissal through a lovely straight hit off Paul Harris. Time, again, for the old-fashioned Test batting to kick in.This time he was surer with Steyn, coming well forward to defend, using soft hands, and leaving better, sometimes perilously close to off stump. That couldn’t be said of Cheteshwar Pujara, who got an unplayable one from Steyn, and MS Dhoni. Three of Tendulkar’s four recent new-year centuries have featured partnerships with the tail – in Sydney, in Chittagong and here. It is something we don’t appreciate often enough with Tendulkar, because those after him have in the past inflicted heartbreak on him.Today, Tendulkar took the responsibility again. He shielded Harbhajan Singh from Steyn, and asked him to go after the others. It worked. And in a strange show of outdoing MS Dhoni in terms of defensive captaincy, Smith spread out the fields. That was the only downer on a perfect day of Test cricket, but Tendulkar would have taken it any day. He started manoeuvring the strike, and soon even Harbhajan saw spread-out fields. The partnership bloomed, and Tendulkar got surer, better and more severe on loose deliveries. Even through those deep fields, Tendulkar found runs, hitting Harris for a six over long-off, driving Morkel through the covers, and cutting between the third man and deep point to take couples to retain strike.If respect from the opponent were a yardstick to measure an effort, Tendulkar came out glowingly from his examination today. Even though on the field, Steyn had a verbal go at Tendulkar, and even though the series is now getting a bit ugly as it approaches its end, Steyn has this to say about Tendulkar’s innings: “Sachin is a really good player. I have heard one or two guys remark about the speed and everything I have been bowling at, but he is such a good player, there is no point wasting your energy bowling at him. You tend to save your energy and tend to bowl at other guys. If you bowl a good bowl to him, or a No. 11 batter, it’s going to remain a good ball. So it was a good contest going on.”Tendulkar’s role in making today one of the best days of Test cricket in recent memory cannot be overstated. But for him, it would have been a much more memorable day for Steyn and South Africa, but we would not have been entertained as much as we were. If Rafael Nadal hadn’t come around, we would have remembered Roger Federer’s incredible shots, not his matches.

As the dust settles on the IPL auction, ESPNcricinfo runs the rule on each of the squads

George Binoy and Siddarth Ravindran08-Jan-2011

Chennai Super Kings
MS Dhoni will lead a familiar side in this year’s IPL•AFPNo. of players bought: 18 (8 Indian, 10 foreign)
Money spent: $8.6 million
Big-ticket signings: R Ashwin ($850,000), S Badrinath ($850,000)
Bargain buy: Michael Hussey ($425,000)
Eyebrow-raiser: Dwayne Bravo ($200,000)
One that got away: Muttiah Muralitharan (Chennai bid up to $1million)
Chennai were perhaps the most disappointed at being disbanded ahead of this auction, and understandably so. They had reached two IPL finals (they won one), a third semi-final, and were also champions of the Champions League. And so they attempted to keep the core of their unit intact, first by retaining four players – three of whom are Indian batsmen who would have been highly sought-after at the auction – and then by buying back as many of their players as they could. They managed seven. Chennai are unlikely to ever be short of bowling options because, in addition to the eight specialists, they have three allrounders in their squad. A rather well-balanced side in terms of skills and the Indian-foreign break-up.Squad
Batsmen: Suresh Raina (retained), M Vijay (retained), Michael Hussey ($425,000), S Badrinath ($850,000), George Bailey ($50,000)
Bowlers: Doug Bollinger ($700,000), R Ashwin ($850,000), Ben Hilfenhaus ($100,000), Joginder Sharma ($150,000), Nuwan Kulasekara ($100,000), Sudeep Tyagi ($240,000), Suraj Randiv ($80,000), Faf du Plessis ($120,000)
Allrounders: Albie Morkel (retained), Dwayne Bravo ($200,000), Scott Styris ($200,000)
Wicketkeepers: MS Dhoni (retained), Wriddhiman Saha ($100,000)

Deccan Chargers
No. of players bought: 14 (5 Indian, 9 foreign)
Money spent: $6.88 million
Big-ticket signing: Dale Steyn ($1.2 million)
Bargain buy: Kumar Sangakkara ($700,000)
Eyebrow-raiser: Dan Christian ($900,000)
One that got away: Yuvraj Singh (Deccan bid up to $1.6m)
At first glance, Deccan appear light on Indian talent, especially Indian batting talent, but they have enough money left over from the auction to snap up domestic players. They are thin in the multi-skilled department as well, with surprise purchase Dan Christian being their only allrounder. They also have only one wicketkeeper at present, Kumar Sangakkara, who is likely to lead the team as well. They, however, have a rich batting line-up that includes Kevin Pietersen, Cameron White and JP Duminy, and also little-known Chris Lynn.Squad
Batsmen: Kevin Pietersen ($650,000), Cameron White ($1.1m), JP Duminy ($300,000), Shikhar Dhawan ($300,000), Michael Lumb ($85,000), Chris Lynn ($20,000)
Bowlers: Ishant Sharma ($450,000), Dale Steyn ($1.2m), Pragyan Ojha ($500,000), Amit Mishra ($300,000), Manpreet Gony ($290,000), Rusty Theron ($85,000)
Allrounders: Dan Christian ($900,000)
Wicketkeepers: Kumar Sangakkara ($700,000)

Delhi Daredevils
Can Irfan Pathan justify his $1.9 million price tag for Delhi Daredevils?•Indian Premier LeagueNo. of players bought: 17 (7 Indian, 10 foreign)
Money spent: $8.25 million
Big-ticket signing: Irfan Pathan ($1.9 million)
Bargain buy: Andrew McDonald ($80,000)
Eyebrow-raiser: Umesh Yadav ($750,000)
Ones that got away: Zaheer Khan and Sreesanth (Delhi bid $850,000 for each)
The man raising Delhi’s paddle at the auction was the fastest among all the franchises and he spent quite a bit of money, especially on Irfan Pathan, who bats and bowls but hasn’t been a match-winner at either skill for some time. Delhi have several allrounders in their squad but they lack a top-class Indian batsman, apart from Virender Sehwag. They also have only one spinner in their roster of 17 players – Roelof van der Merwe. The batting line-up, however, is solid, and in Sehwag and David Warner, they perhaps have the most explosive opening combination of the IPL. They bought back only four players of their old squad and bid aggressively against Deccan Chargers for a lot of players.Squad
Batsmen: Virender Sehwag (retained), David Warner ($750,000), Aaron Finch ($300,000), Venugopal Rao ($700,000), Travis Birt ($20,000), Colin Ingram ($100,000)
Bowlers: Morne Morkel ($475,000), Ajit Agarkar ($210,000), Ashok Dinda ($375,000), Umesh Yadav ($750,000), Robert Frylinck ($20,000)
Allrounders: Irfan Pathan ($1.9m), James Hopes ($350,000), Roelof van der Merwe ($50,000), Andrew McDonald ($80,000)
Wicketkeepers: Naman Ojha ($270,000), Matthew Wade ($100,000)

Kings XI Punjab
No. of players bought: 11 (4 Indian, 7 foreign)
Money spent: $6.95 millon
Big-ticket signing: David Hussey ($1.4 million)
Bargain buy: Shaun Marsh ($400,000)
Eyebrow-raiser: Piyush Chawla ($900,000), Abhishek Nayar ($800,000)
Ones that got away: Irfan Pathan (Punjab bid $1.8m), Saurabh Tiwary ($1.5m), Mahela Jayawardene ($1.4m), Dale Steyn ($1.1m)
While the other franchises spent and shopped over two days in Bangalore, Kings XI Punjab were sparing with their purchases and bought only 11 players. They have a little over $2 million to fill their squad with uncapped domestic players. The challenge is to pick up several high-quality ones to fill the gaps in their team. And there are many. They have only two specialist batsmen and their two allrounders are nothing to write home about. They also possess only one spinner at present. Their strengths lie in their fast bowling and their wicketkeeping reserves – Adam Gilchrist and Dinesh Karthik. Curiously, Punjab bid over a million for four other players but were never ready to go the distance to buy them, even though their purse was heavy.Squad
Batsmen: Shaun Marsh ($400,000), David Hussey ($140,000)
Bowlers: Stuart Broad ($400,000), Praveen Kumar ($800,000), Ryan Harris ($325,000), Piyush Chawla ($900,000), Nathan Rimmington ($20,000)
Allrounders: Abhishek Nayar ($800,000), Dimitri Mascarenhas ($100,000)
Wicketkeepers: Adam Gilchrist ($900,000), Dinesh Karthik ($900,000)

Kochi
Mahela Jayawardene was the most expensive foreign recruit•AFPNo. of players: 17 (7 Indian, 10 foreign)
Money spent: $7.79 million
Big-ticket signing: Mahela Jayawardene ($1.5 million)
Bargain buy: Brendon McCullum ($475,000)
Eyebrow-raiser: Ravindra Jadeja ($950,000)
Ones that got away: Gautam Gambhir (Kochi bid $2.3m), Yusuf Pathan (Kochi bid $2m), Uthappa (Kochi bid $2m)
Kochi have ten players capable of bowling four-over spells in a Twenty20 – four allrounders and six specialists – but their batting is thin, especially in terms of home talent. Their two Indian batsmen – VVS Laxman and Parthiv Patel – aren’t deadly in the shortest format and at the moment the bulk of the runs will have to come from the foreign players. If that dependency doesn’t change, it will hamper Kochi’s chances of fielding the overseas bowlers and allrounders they have bid for. They were the first team to fill up their overseas slots.Squad
Batsmen: Mahela Jayawardene ($1.5m), VVS Laxman ($400,000), Brad Hodge ($425,000), Owais Shah ($200,000), Michael Klinger ($75,000)
Bowlers: Sreesanth ($900,000), RP Singh ($500,000), Muttiah Muralitharan ($1.1m), Ramesh Powar ($180,000), Vinay Kumar ($475,000), Steve O’Keefe ($20,000)
Allrounders: Ravindra Jadeja ($950,000), Steven Smith ($200,000), Thisara Perera ($80,000), John Hastings ($20,000)
Wicketkeepers: Brendon McCullum ($475,000), Parthiv Patel ($290,000)

Kolkata Knight Riders
No of players bought: 12 (5 Indian, 7 overseas)
Money spent: $8.57m
Big-ticket signing: Gautam Gambhir ($2.4m) and Yusuf Pathan ($2.1m)
Bargain buy: Brad Haddin ($325,000) and Shakib Al Hasan ($425,000)
Eyebrow-raiser: Manoj Tiwary ($475,000). Kolkata hadn’t chased any of the players they previously had in their squad over the past three years, but towards the end of the first day they decided to go after Tiwary.
One that got away: With two major buys in the first hour, Kolkata didn’t have the money to raise the stakes high on too many other players.
Splashing the cash early meant they had a strong Indian batting core to rely on in Gautam Gambhir – their likely captain – and Yusuf Pathan. And, in a tournament where the strength of the Indian players determines team fortunes, they already have five players who should start most matches. They also supplemented that with three value-for-money foreign allrounders – Jacques Kallis, Shakib Al Hasan and Netherlands’ Ryan ten Doeschate. One of their major drawbacks in previous seasons was the lack of a potent bowling attack, a weakness that persists with the current squad. They have Brett Lee, in his prime one of the finest limited-overs bowlers, but after being repeatedly ravaged by injury, it remains to be seen whether he retains the magic of old.Squad
Batsmen: Gautam Gambhir ($2.4m), Manoj Tiwary ($475,000), Eoin Morgan ($350,000)
Bowlers: L Balaji ($500,000), Brett Lee ($400,000), Jaidev Unadkat ($250,000), James Pattinson ($100,000)
Allrounders: Yusuf Pathan ($2.1m), Jacques Kallis ($1.1m), Shakib Al Hasan ($425,000), Ryan ten Doeschate ($150,000)
Wicketkeeper: Brad Haddin ($325,000)

Mumbai Indians
Rohit Sharma was one of only four players to breach the $2m barrier•Indian Premier LeagueNo of players bought: 12 (4 Indian, 8 overseas)
Money spent: $8.52m
Big-ticket signing: Rohit Sharma ($2m)
Bargain buy: Clint McKay ($110,000)
Eyebrow-raiser: Andrew Symonds ($875,000)
One that got away: Yuvraj Singh (bid $1.7m)
When they walked into the auction, their squad already boasted the biggest name in the game, the most exciting player in the format, and the deadliest bowler in Twenty20s. They added another marquee IPL name in Rohit Sharma, besides picking up some cut-price internationals like Clint McKay, whose slower balls mystify most batsmen, and South African Davy Jacobs, a lethal hitter who can double up as a wicketkeeper. The pedigree of their squad is unimpeachable, but Tendulkar has long stressed the importance of team spirit for success – how the squad containing Andrew Symonds and Harbhajan Singh gels will be fascinating to see.Squad
Batsmen: Sachin Tendulkar (retained), Rohit Sharma ($2m), Aiden Blizzard ($20,000)
Bowlers: Harbhajan Singh (retained), Lasith Malinga (retained), Munaf Patel ($700,000), Clint McKay ($110,000)
Allrounders: Kieron Pollard (retained), Andrew Symonds ($850,000), James Franklin ($100,000), Moises Henriques ($50,000)
Wicketkeeper: Davy Jacobs ($190,000)

Pune Warriors
No of players bought: 14 (4 Indian, 10 overseas)
Money spent: $8.07m
Big-ticket signing: Robin Uthappa ($2.1m), Yuvraj Singh ($1.8m)
Bargain buy: Jesse Ryder ($150,000)
Eyebrow-raiser: Robin Uthappa ($2.1m)
One that got away: David Hussey (bid $1.3m)
The new franchise wanted a headliner to connect the franchise with fans, and got one early in Yuvraj Singh. Then they splurged on a finisher in Robin Uthappa, and also got two Indian bowlers who have proven themselves in the IPL – Ashish Nehra and Murali Kartik. Their overseas signings, though, lack the X-factor that most foreign recruits are expected to bring to the side. They have two exciting allrounders in Angelo Mathews and Jesse Ryder, but the fast bowling looks dodgy with both Jerome Taylor and Wayne Parnell having had long-term injuries.Squad
Batsmen: Robin Uthappa ($2.1m), Yuvraj Singh ($1.8m), Graeme Smith ($500,000), Callum Ferguson ($300,000)
Bowlers: Ashish Nehra ($850,000), Murali Kartik ($400,000), Wayne Parnell ($160,000), Jerome Taylor ($100,000)
Allrounders: Angelo Mathews ($950,000), Mitchell Marsh ($290,000), Jesse Ryder ($150,000), Nathan McCullum ($100,000), Alfonso Thomas ($100,000)
Wicketkeeper: Time Paine ($270,000)

Rajasthan Royals
Shane Warne has a difficult task ahead•Associated PressNo of players bought: 8 (2 Indian, 6 overseas)
Money spent: $6.2m (out of a reduced cap of $7m)
Big-ticket signing: Ross Taylor ($1m)
Bargain buy: Paul Collingwood ($250,000)
Eyebrow-raiser: Johan Botha ($950,000)
One that got away: Cheteshwar Pujara (bid upto $650,000)
Like after the first auction in 2008, Rajasthan look the weakest of the squads. For a franchise that started out with $2m less than the others due to legal complications, the decision to retain Shane Warne at an exorbitant $1.8m was a puzzle. To top that, they purchased another foreign spinner, Johan Botha, at a princely $950,000 – the most bizarre buy of the weekend. They now have only two Indian players – Rahul Dravid and Pankaj Singh, and no wicketkeepers yet, unless they plan to make Dravid keep. Expect them to pull out more wildcards like Swapnil Asnodkar and Kamran Khan to get by. And they’ll pray there’s no Australian tour during the IPL – if Shane Watson and Shaun Tait are away, this squad will be in tatters.Squad
Batsmen: Ross Taylor ($1m), Rahul Dravid ($500,000)
Bowlers: Shane Warne (retained), Johan Botha ($950,000), Shaun Tait ($300,000), Pankaj Singh ($95,000)
Allrounders: Shane Watson (retained), Paul Collingwood ($250,000)

Royal Challengers Bangalore
No. of players bought: 16 (6 Indian, 10 foreign)
Money spent: $8.64m
Big-ticket signing: Saurabh Tiwary ($1.6m)
Bargain buy: Daniel Vettori ($550,000)
Eyebrow-raiser: Saurabh Tiwary – Another beneficiary of the frenzy for Indian batting talent. Shone in IPL 2010, but isn’t exactly a big-name star, or a local player who will pull the crowds in.
One that got away: Gambhir (bid $1.8m), Kallis (bid $1m), Ross Taylor (bid $0.95m)
This was another franchise which bet big on young Indian batting talent, and it reflected in their decision to retain Kohli and to aggressively pursue Saurabh Tiwary and Cheteshwar Pujara. In each of the first three seasons, Delhi’s formidable squad made them pre-tournament favourites. Bangalore have now poached most of Delhi’s erstwhile overseas talent – explosive and experienced top-order batting pair of Tillakaratne Dilshan and AB de Villiers, fast bowler Dirk Nannes and allrounder Daniel Vettori. It is a strong squad but the worries are the shortage of multi-skilled players and spinners. The owners would have also liked more local flavour in the outfit: the only Karnataka player they have currently is Abhimanyu Mithun. Expect them to go all out to secure Manish Pandey’s services.Squad
Batsmen: Virat Kohli (retained), Saurabh Tiwary ($1.6m), Cheteshwar Pujara ($700,000), Tillakaratne Dilshan ($650,000), Mohammad Kaif ($130,000), Luke Pomersbach ($50,000), Rilee Rossouw ($20,000), Jonathan Vandiar ($20,000)
Bowlers: Zaheer Khan ($900,000), Dirk Nannes ($650,000), Abhimanyu Mithun ($260,000), Charl Langeveldt ($140,000), Nuwan Pradeep ($20,000)
Allrounders: Daniel Vettori ($550,000), Johan van der Wath ($50,000)
Wicketkeepers: AB de Villiers ($1.1m)

South Africa are favourites based on recent form, but West Indies can draw inspiration from their excellent performances in global tournaments against South Africa

Madhusudhan Ramakrishnan23-Feb-2011Going by recent form, South Africa are firm favourites going into their first match of the World Cup, against West Indies. South Africa have won 26 of the 39 matches played since the beginning of 2009 and along with Australia, have the best win-loss ratio in the same period. Their only series defeats since 2009 have come against England and India, and their biggest disappointment was the failure to make the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy in 2009. West Indies, on the other hand, have won just 10 matches and lost 27 since the beginning of 2009, and have the worst win-loss ratio among Test-playing teams. Their last series win against a Test-playing team came in the home series against Sri Lanka in 2007-08. However, what makes the match-up interesting is that West Indies have almost always found a way to compete against South Africa in global tournaments, where they have won four out of the eight matches played between the two sides.Head-to-head record
South Africa have beaten West Indies in their last eleven meetings since the Champions Trophy in 2006. However, West Indies can draw confidence from their record against South Africa in global tournaments. While Brian Lara’s superb centuries in Karachi and Cape Town gave them victories in the 1996 and 2003 World Cup matches, it was Chris Gayle’s aggressive 133 which led to a convincing six-wicket win in the Champions Trophy match in Jaipur in 2006. South Africa, though, boosted by AB de Villiers’ 146, won comfortably on the last occasion the teams met in the World Cup, in 2007. In the subcontinent, South Africa have a better record, having won four out of six matches played between the two teams. Since 2000, however, West Indies are one of only three teams to boast a positive win-loss record in ODIs in India.

South Africa’s batting dominance
Since January 2008, South Africa have a batting average of 37.42, the best among all teams that have played at least 50 matches. In contrast, West Indies average just 25.73. While South African batsmen have made 111 fifty-plus scores in 56 matches, West Indies have just 69 fifty-plus scores in 61 matches. South Africa’s record against West Indies is even more impressive; in ten ODIs since the beginning of 2008, they average 42.94 with five centuries. West Indian batsmen, on the other hand, have not scored a single century and average just 25.94.
Jacques Kallis, de Villiers and Hashim Amla average over 50 in the last three years in matches against West Indies. Amla especially, has been exceptional scoring over 400 runs in five matches with two centuries and one half-century. Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who averages nearly 44, has been the solitary success for West Indies in recent head-to-head matches against South Africa. Gayle, who is the only player to score a century against South Africa in all three formats, has had a very poor time since 2008. In five matches against South Africa, he has scored just 128 runs without a single half-century.

Bowling experience the key
Dale Steyn, the best fast bowler in Tests over the last few years, has been less effective in ODIs. He has picked up 58 wickets at an average of nearly 30 since the beginning of 2008. Surprisingly, his record against West Indies is poor: he has just eight wickets in seven matches at an average of 39.25. Morne Morkel has been much more impressive, with 53 wickets at 24.18. He has picked up 18 wickets in his last seven matches against West Indies with two four-wicket hauls. Lonwabo Tsotsobe lends variety to the pace attack, while the consistent Johan Botha has led the spin attack well over the last few years. With legspinner Imran Tahir showing plenty of promise, South Africa’s attack has lots of class and variety.In the absence of the injured Jerome Taylor and Fidel Edwards, the West Indian pace attack is led by Kemar Roach and Ravi Rampaul. Dwayne Bravo, the highest wicket-taker for West Indies since 2008, and Darren Sammy complete the pace line-up. Despite the presence of spinners like Sulieman Benn and Nikita Miller, the bowling attack overall lacks the experience and firepower that South Africa possess.First ten and last ten overs
South Africa have been the superior batting side, scoring at a higher run-rate and averaging higher than West Indies in the mandatory Powerplay overs and the last ten overs. When the bowling performance is analysed, West Indies have a slightly better economy rate in both the first ten and last ten overs. Overall though, the run-rate difference is significantly better for South Africa.

Delhi, the venue for the game, has hosted just five ODIs since 2000. Three of those matches were won by the team batting first, but India won the only day-night game by six wickets against Australia in 2009. The most recent match in Delhi – between India and Sri Lanka in December 2009 – however, ended abruptly as the pitch was deemed dangerous for play to continue. The focus will thus be as much on the pitch as the teams on Thursday.

Stuart Broad has captained a team since his school days but is now set to be the man to lead England’s defence of their World Twenty20 title

Andrew McGlashan05-May-2011Stuart Broad has shown throughout his career that he is a cricketer who can learn quickly but his development will need to hit a new level after being named England’s Twenty20 captain. He will be the least regular of the three leaders, but his tenure could be the most fascinating.As he sat alongside England’s other two captains and the team director, Andy Flower, in the ECB offices at Lord’s, he was asked about his previous experience of leading a team. He admitted he had to go back to his school days to remember the last time he captained a side. Now, a month before turning 25, he has been given a senior position in a format that demands cool heads and clear thinking.On the horizon is a major challenge. Late next year he will lead England in the World Twenty20 as they defend their first piece of global silverware, which was secured last year in the West Indies. He won’t have many chances to hone his captaincy skills before then because Twenty20 internationals are still few and far between. England have two this summer, two scheduled for the winter and a maximum of three next summer.Unsurprisingly, it’s not a challenge that worries Broad. “I don’t have much experience, but it’s not something that fazes me, it very much excites me,” he said. “Every time I take the field I try to think like a captain, certainly looking at fields and making successions that can help.”I’ve been very fortunate to play under two fantastic captains; Straussy recently but Michael Vaughan when I first came into the set-up, I learnt a huge amount under him. The key to my role will be bouncing ideas off people who have captained a huge amount and offering Alastair a lot of support in the one-day format from my experiences there.”Broad’s mention of Vaughan is not surprising. There is a mutual respect there from the start of his career. Vaughan was immediately caught by Broad’s maturity on his Test debut in the gruelling conditions of Galle and at the end of the 2007-08 winter called him the “smartest bowler” he had captained.However, on June 25 at Bristol we’ll get the first real indication of how the captaincy will sit with him. Twenty20 is an unforgiving format and it will only take a few overs of Tillakaratne Dilshan cutting loose for all attention to turn to Broad to see what he can come up with.He has often been a player to wear his heart on his sleeve and be driven by emotion. In a sense they are qualities that make Broad the combative, attacking cricketer he is, and they often serve him well. Sometimes, though, he has crossed the line into petulance – most notably last summer in his confrontation with Zulqarnain Haider – and a captain must exude calmness in the tensest of situations.”It’s important I keep the same passion for the game every time I pull an England shirt on,” Broad insisted. “Obviously every time you take the field as an international cricketer you want to set an example, and play in the right way. I have had the odd occasion in the past when I may have gone over the line, but I feel I’ve learnt a lot from that, and in a good place to take on this opportunity. Keep the same passion, and look forward to doing that.”The other situation that confronts Broad, although it will be handled largely by Andy Flower, is that the transition to his captaincy from Paul Collingwood has been the trickiest of the changes. Unlike Strauss, who decided himself that the time was right to leave one-day internationals, Collingwood still had a burning desire to defend the World Twenty20 title next year.”He’s very disappointed as you would expect him to be,” Flower said. “He was a successful captain and outstanding member of the side. But this is the next generation of young England leaders behind Andrew Strauss and their development, and what they can give to England in the medium to long term is an important aspect of this decision.”Collingwood did an outstanding job as the Twenty20 captain even though he was a reluctant leader. He was willing to step back into the role in 2009, having previously handed the reins to Kevin Pietersen the year before after a difficult spell in charge of the limited-overs teams, when Strauss decided he couldn’t be part of the Twenty20 unit. The emotion on his face when he scored the winning runs in Barbados spoke volumes for his desire. Despite retiring from Test cricket after the Ashes he wants to continue his limited-overs career, but the problem for Collingwood was his form.Even in the World Twenty20 he struggled with 61 runs in the tournament and in his last 13 Twenty20 internationals his highest score is 21. Of course he brought a huge amount else to the team, yet a situation in which the captain doesn’t contribute in his main role can only be sustained for so long. There is now a distinct possibility that he won’t be part of Broad’s Twenty20 era, but the new captain would be wise to pick his predecessor’s brains.

In the 33 Tests he played since his return to international cricket, Simon Katich scored more runs at a higher average than any other Australian batsman

S Rajesh10-Jun-2011Simon Katich has lashed out at the Australian board and selectors after being omitted from the list of contracted players for next season, and his stats over the last three years show just why the decision has incensed him so much.After being out of the national team for two-and-a-half years, Katich returned in the middle of 2008 had three of his best years in Test cricket. (Click here for Katich’s career summary.) He’d averaged only 36 in his first 23 Tests, before May 2008, but was fantastic when he returned, averaging more than 50 in 33 matches. Eight of his ten Test hundreds came during this period, and he was easily Australia’s leading batsman: no one else averaged 50, with Michael Clarke’s 46.51 being the next-best. Overall, only Alastair Cook scored more runs than Katich during this period, while Katich’s 25 fifty-plus scores was also second only to Cook’s 27.Of his 2928 runs, 1495 runs came in wins at an average of 59.80 with five hundreds – all three are the best for Australia during this period. And at a time when Australia weren’t doing so well overseas, Katich stood out in away series too, scoring 1857 runs at 50.18, with six centuries. Among the Australians who played at least ten overseas Tests, the next-best average was Clarke’s 43.66.

Katich’s ability to stay at the crease for long periods also meant he forged many meaningful partnerships with the top order. The top three pairs in the last three years, in terms of runs scored, all feature Katich – he added more than 1000 runs with Shane Watson, Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey. Of the 47 century stands that Australia managed during this period, Katich was in 17, which is a healthy 36%. Six of those were with Ponting, but there were also six other batsmen with whom Katich had at least one century partnership. (Click here for the full list of partnerships for Australia during this period.)

One of the reasons for his exclusion that particularly enraged him was the fact that the selectors wanted to groom an opening pair for the 2013 Ashes. “To be given the reason that it’s because the opening partnership needs to bed down for 2013, when I know for a fact that Watto [Shane Watson] and I have thoroughly enjoyed opening together, and it’s been one of the bright spots of our team in the last two years, I find it very hard to believe that [a new partnership needs to come in].”Again, the numbers completely justify Katich’s comment. Since the pair started opening the batting in the 2009 Ashes series, Katich and Watson have scored 1523 partnership runs at the top of the order, averaging 54.39 per completed stand. On average, they topped 50 once every two innings, which was an excellent cushion for an Australian middle order that wasn’t in great form. No other opening pair scored as many as they did, and among the top ones only one – Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir – had a higher average during this period.In the six innings that Watson paired up with Phil Hughes in last season’s Ashes, they only managed an average of 33.67 and a highest partnership of 55. With tough tours of Sri Lanka and South Africa coming up, Australia’s opening pair will need to do much better than that. Whoever takes up the job from the list of contenders will have huge shoes to fill.

The one-day series offers India’s batsmen a final chance to shine on this tour and one of their youngsters has a key part to play

Nagraj Gollapudi at Chester-le-Street02-Sep-2011These days the media asks questions to Virat Kohli as if he is a senior member of the Indian squad. He does behave like one. Kohli’s answers are clear, measured and forthright. The best part is Kohli listens, before speaking his mind. He is the same in the nets and on the field. If you see him in training Kohli is constantly egging, encouraging, offering insights to his team-mates. And he is not shy to express himself whether it’s to Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Parthiv Patel or any of the coaching staff. Kohli to get involved. He enjoys it.At Chester-le-Street, having finished with his first round of batting in the nets, Kohli stood eagerly waiting for Dravid to finish facing the throwdowns from Trevor Penney, the India fielding coach. Suddenly he realised Parthiv had jumped the queue. “PP, I am going after Rahul ,” Kohli said confidently and walked into the net. Parthiv, Kohli’s senior in terms of experience, just moved aside. Such simple things sometimes do show the hunger within.Penney started off with a wide. “Wide start, scared of you,” he joked with Kohli, who did not respond. He had come into the net with a purpose in mind and he did not want lose the intensity. Penney’s job was to make sure the youngster would not get carried away, to make Kohli play the percentage shots instead of going for the broke.For the initial two overs Kohli’s focus remained mainly on whether he was getting his body position correct. But steadily he started to play his strokes. But when Penney bowled short at his body or over his head, Kohli went for the pull off both the front and back foot. At first instance it seemed he did not want to be dictated to.Virat Kohli is a key part of India’s future and the one-day series against England is another chance to develop•Bipin PatelMS Dhoni, who was to the left of Kohli, batting in the adjacent nets, had been quietly observing his younger team-mate. The fact that Fidel Edwards and Ravi Rampaul had troubled Kohli during his debut Test series in the Caribbean in June had not been lost on Dhoni.After he finished his batting Dhoni went and stood behind Penney, speaking to the Zimbabwean after every ball for nearly ten minutes. After a few short deliveries, Penney had a quiet word with Kohli, asking him to stay calm and not hit every short ball. “Twenty20 is a different format. In a one-dayer I know I have to play steady and get 15-20 runs before playing such a shot,” Kohli replied to Penney, who felt one of Kohli’s favourite shots, a pull over midwicket, was loaded with risk.”You don’t play that,” Penney said a few balls later, as he walked in hastily towards Kohli before delivering the message in soft yet fatherly tone. Kohli had decided to play forward to a delivery that was seaming away having pitched on length on the off stump. It was a similar sort of delivery Rampaul had bowled him in his debut Test innings at Kingston which Kohli had gone chasing, ending up only edging to the wicketkeeper. “I had done this once,” Kohli said.Dhoni stood there at a distance, seemingly unperturbed. He was joined by Tendulkar. Suddenly Kohli was under the scanner. The reason his seniors were restraining Kohli was because they, and even Kohli, knew the England fast bowlers will not wait long before testing him with the short ball. Penney’s, and effectively Dhoni’s, suggestion was to pick your bowler and the situation. You do not play the shot just because you can.Kohli is one of the most improved India batsmen and has shown his maturity in high-pressure situations in the past like the World Cup final. His 83-run partnership with Gautam Gambhir after the fall of the opening pair of Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag was one of the turning points in the match. Back at the nets Kohli improvised steadily if not readily and he impressed Penney when, after top edging an attempted pull, he played the next one with soft hands.”To win a one-day match you need batsmen to bat through 20-25 overs and if given a chance, or if the situation allows, we would all like to take up the responsibility,” Kohli said at the media conference before the training began. “It’s about believing in yourself that you can win the game single-handedly and if we go out with that mindset, we are going to put up a really strong challenge.”He was asked if some of the Indian batsmen’s technique against the short ball, which has been attacked and exposed by various bowling attacks, could provide an opening for an England bowling attack full of confidence following the 4-0 whitewash in the Test series.”It’s all about thinking in your mind how you deal with it,” he said. “If you want to be scared of it and run away from it, you will end up being nowhere. I am pretty much up for it, I am very positive in my mind and I don’t think I have any problem facing it.”Back at the nets, Kohli urged Penney “mix it up brother”. He was steadily warming up for the duel with the England quicks. At the same time he needs to acknowledge he can’t rush. As Penney threw his final ball, another short one, Kohli played it far from fluently. “Your positioning is not correct for that shot,” Tendulkar made clear. Kohli nodded. He has a lot to learn and he is not afraid.

Haroon Lorgat talks about the postponement of the Test Championship over commercial concerns, and why he didn’t seek an extension to his tenure

Interview by Nagraj Gollapudi24-Nov-2011Why did you announce before your term runs out that you won’t be seeking an additional term in office?

My term of office ends in June of next year. In late 2010 I had agreed on an additional one year to my initial contract, which was due to expire in June 2011. At the time I believed I would not have been able to properly complete a new ICC strategy for 2011-2015, and, importantly, the spot-fixing matter was not concluded. Hence I agreed on a one year extension. We have now reached a stage where the strategy is well understood internally and is progressing well in its implementation, and thankfully the spot-fixing trial is behind us. I therefore feel it is the right time to move on.You said it was disappointing the World Test Championship would not take place in 2013. Was the postponing of the event a big setback for you and a reason for your quitting?

I can assure you that is no reason for my departure. I am of course disappointed that it will not happen in 2013 because I believe we needed urgency to create context in order to promote Test cricket. A Test World Championship would have been the ideal culmination for teams competing over a period to achieve a top-four ranking and then progress to the playoffs and the eventual champion team.Did the ICC think of renegotiating the broadcast deal, whereby they could pay ESPN STAR Sports* the money it was owed for the Champions Trophy as a measure to go all out to hold the Test Championships?

This was considered but not supported by the ICC board and the Chief Executives’ Committee.There seemed a lot of support for the event until money came into it. Did you feel the member countries should have looked beyond short-term financial ends?

A balanced mindset would have been a lot better. Money is clearly an important factor but it should not be the only factor. We looked at different models of evaluating the revenue implications but the fact is that the value of an inaugural Test Championship comprising four teams and fewer matches is not viewed the same commercially as the Champions Trophy comprising eight teams.It is a complex issue, particularly for some of the Members, and there could be occasions when some of them would favour the commercial aspects above strategic or other aspects.Reportedly, some of the countries that turned out to be reluctant about 2013 were stronger ones like England and Australia. Was it disappointing that countries which already have the benefit of marquee series seem less enthusiastic about broadening Test cricket’s appeal?
Your information is not correct because some of those countries you mention were strong supporters of the Test Championship.What about the World Cup format, where you had decided in April that only 10 teams would play before it was reversed in June at the annual conference.
I still believe that a ten-team World Cup on a qualification basis for all Members would be a better event. This was part of the proposals to strategically restructure international cricket and was designed to protect and promote all three formats. In my view, the top four teams in a Test playoff, the top 10 teams in the 50-over format and the top 16 teams in the Twenty20 format is the most suitable structure and would create excellent context, as every match would count towards qualifying for a global event. We must ensure quality games with no mismatches, and I believe that fewer teams are able to compete in the longer the format. Making everyone qualify will raise playing standards overall. Since the Full Members believed they deserved automatic entry, it is obvious that the 50-over World Cup needed to be expanded [from 10 teams]. That is perfectly understandable.Was it a setback for you personally?

No. I was backing a particular line of thinking which did not find sufficient support for implementation in 2015. It will be applied in the next World Cup, in 2019, and I still believe it is the best way to ensure the sustainability of the 50-over game. Once the Full Members were not willing to go through a qualification process, I was in favour of 14 teams.What were the objections presented? Was there any ill feeling?

The main objection was that a ten-team event would require [some] Full Members to qualify. Their belief was that there was a long-standing expectation that Full Members automatically play in the World Cup, and that therefore [we] needed sufficient notice before we can change this practice. This is why the ten-team World Cup will start from 2019.I can assure you there was no animosity in the debates and this may be a reflection of the fact that I am not confrontational by nature. In fact, [at the moment] I am engaged in the Development Committee meeting, which consists of members who pushed for the 14-team World Cup, yet we are having amicable and interesting arguments for the good of the game. The members on this committee fully appreciate why I was batting for a ten-team World Cup and many would have supported me had there been a qualification process for all members. Their argument, quite rightly, is about having access to the World Cup.Were there objections from certain Full Members to your recommendation or was it a unanimous vote?

At the end it was unanimous – to go with the 14-team format, although initially there was strong support from countries like Australia, New Zealand and England for a ten-team event with qualification. But ultimately it was a unanimous decision to go with 14 teams.Haroon Lorgat: “We cannot carry out sting operations or arrest people or seize property. That is not within our remit or powers”•Getty ImagesThe governance review is an important step, but how likely are Member nations to accept genuine change and a more powerful ICC?

There is a lot of interest and support for the governance review and it is one of the key initiatives agreed in the new strategy. At this stage it is not possible for me to speculate but I do know that Lord Woolf is on track to report at the next board meeting. As for accepting change, it will take vision and courage from the board to openly consider the recommendations for the good of the game.Has your tenure been a frustrating one, in that the ICC executive does not have any powers vis-a-vis the board?

It is not ideal when you are not sufficiently empowered to undertake or implement what you know is correct and must be done. But I understood that when I entered the ICC, and it is why the ICC board rather than the executive [is] held accountable for the future of the game.Your relationship with BCCI has seemed far from cordial. Was it humiliating when the Indian team did not turn up at the ICC awards earlier this summer in London?

This must be the most frequently asked question and I seem unable to convince you that we share a very cordial relationship in spite of the debates we have. It’s not me that was humiliated – rather it is the team that faced criticism.Malcolm Speed, your predecessor, wrote in his book : “finding the right balance between India’s commercial power and the interests of the other countries is a big test for the game”. Do you agree?

Malcolm’s view is shared by many and is accurate. However, in my view we should not begrudge India its commercial strength; rather we should celebrate such economic power. What we should be concerned about is the weakness of the other Members that leads to leadership and governance challenges.Do you think the ICC can afford to invest money in sting operations to help the ACSU apprehend match-fixers?

We cannot carry out sting operations or arrest people or seize property. That is not within our remit or powers. This was made clear by the members when the ACSU was established. Corruption is a serious challenge and we must not be complacent but remain vigilant to combat this menace. While there may be exceptions, I firmly believe that the vast majority of players and officials are honest and play the game in great spirit, and it is most unfair on these players to cast doubt on them. I do believe that the recent convictions will send a strong message to all involved in the game. You can rest assured that we will not tolerate corruption.*ESPN STAR Sports is a 50:50 joint venture between Walt Disney (ESPN, Inc.), the parent company of ESPNcricinfo, and News Corporation Limited (STAR)

Graeme Swann’s autobiography has plenty of jolly japes but not too much else besides

Sahil Dutta15-Jan-2012Graeme Swann has all he needs to rip a good yarn: he’s quick-witted, irreverent, and possesses a career story that continues to astonish. With both him and the England team entering a legacy-defining phase, there may well be more to say when he retires. It’s a pity he didn’t hold back his autobiography, The Breaks Are Off, until then.The fact he didn’t says plenty about his motivations for writing the book. On more than one occasion Swann berates cricket boards for masking money-making intentions behind grandiose claims – like when England returned to India after the Mumbai atrocity in 2008. Fair point though this is, it is difficult to see Swann’s book as anything other than a cash-in itself.Nonetheless, in an age where players regurgitate off-the-peg quotes to feed 24-hour news, Swann is a relief. He is honest and amusing, styling himself as a proper “lad”, who is quick to take the piss, see the funny side and play the rogue. Anyone who has followed England over the last few years will know that already. The book’s biggest flaw is that he tells you no more.Reading it feels like being pinned at the bar while Swann regales you with tale after tale of drunken japes: “Remember that time we got hammered at the Under-19 World Cup and rugby-tackled Allan Border? Remember that time we got obliterated in Lincolnshire and got punched in the face? Remember that time Gough lamped me in South Africa?”Swann emerges as a likeable, if sometimes annoying, bloke. Being jettisoned by England for seven years clearly hurt him, but at no point does he betray any bitterness. Still, if the cliché about cricket revealing inner character holds true, there must be more to Swann.By the time he made his Test debut, traditional offspin felt drab, but – in what was meant to be the age of mystery spin – Swann made the orthodox cool again. No longer do you see a young finger-spinner like George Dockrell and wish he was something else. Bowling spin needs personality, and the way Swann plays suggests he has it by the shed-load. Peter Moores, the coach who brought him back into the England fold, has talked about Swann creating a “theatre of pressure” out in the middle, and how it is through Swann’s strength of character that he is able to assert himself on the game.It would be interesting to know where Swann got such confidence, or how he thinks about the game. A glimpse is offered when he recalls spotting a glitch while watching Marcus North compile a century in Cardiff in 2009. “Because he had a big, high backlift I suspected he would be susceptible to the ball that went straight on from around the wicket.” Sure enough, in the next Test at Lord’s, Swann was “proved right by a delivery that chipped the pad and cleaned him up”. It’s one of the few insights into the mechanics of his art Swann gives. He says he “always found bowling very instinctive” and doesn’t decide what he’s going to bowl “until he’s at the crease”. Maybe he thought delving into the mechanics would be a touch too serious for his public persona, but expanding on his thoughts about the game would have helped his book greatly.What does emerge is the back-story to Swann’s gnarled competitiveness. His father, Ray, was a stern secondary-school teacher, high-quality club player and filthy sledger, who demanded high standards from Graeme and his brother (former first-class cricketer) Alec. Despite their successes, he was disappointed more often than not. Swann’s mother, Mavis, was also strong-willed, banning both sons from playing Northamptonshire age-group cricket after Alec was unfairly accused of abusing an umpire. It meant Graeme played adult club cricket between the ages of 12 and 16, which he sees as integral to his development.Though there is no intense introspection, Swann is clear about the problems he has had with management. From youth cricket through to the recent pre-Ashes “bonding camp”, which he described as “degrading”, he has never much cared for authority or guidance. Until Andy Flower, the only coaches he respected were the ones who allowed him to act how he pleased.Given the frenzy whipped up about the book’s criticism of Kevin Pietersen, the actual passages in print are quite mild. Pietersen was “not a natural leader” and England “have the right man” in Andrew Strauss. If anything, it’s the rest of the book that suggests Swann’s simmering dislike for Pietersen – hardly surprising, considering both men have had issues with authority, crave attention and can claim to be the top dog in the team.Following the popularity of Swann’s Ashes video diaries and his widely followed tweeting, an autobiography was probably the obvious progression. After all, it’s what celebrities do. While Swann’s is probably more entertaining than most, it is not much more enlightening.The Breaks Are Off: My Autobiography
Graeme Swann
Hodder & Stoughton

He rattled Australia, Sri Lanka and India with pace and bounce but Chris Tremlett’s England career has been stalled again

Alan Gardner06-Mar-2012Chris Tremlett is sitting in the clubhouse at Hursley Park, the club a few miles outside Winchester in southern England where he first took up the game, having folded his 6ft 8in frame into a low chair like an action man forced to accommodate himself in the furniture of a doll’s house. It is a crisp, clear morning in rural Hampshire and Tremlett has just been to see his parents, who still live in the village where he grew up. Having been forced out of England action for the second Test series running, then undergoing surgery on a recurring back problem, he has recently begun the early stages of rehabilitation but he seems relaxed about the challenges of returning to fitness, finding form and regaining his place in the international side.Despite being a fast bowler of such imposing physical proportions, Tremlett was once characterised as too diffident a sort to thrive for England. His re-emergence during last winter’s Ashes proved he had the menace to match his measurements, but alongside providing a convenient hat-stand for people’s assumptions, Tremlett’s height and build have in his case exacerbated the stresses and strains that bowlers’ bodies must withstand. Faced, at 30, with another injury layoff that will hand further opportunities to the likes of Tim Bresnan and Steven Finn, he could be forgiven for bemoaning his bad luck.Rather than despondency, though, Tremlett’s take on the situation is a positive one. This may be a PR-friendly line, typical of the modern Team England philosophy of in-it-togetherness that would please a coalition minister, but there is not a flicker of internal contradiction as he discusses the crop of bowlers that Andy Flower and Andrew Strauss have at their disposal.”There’s natural competition there and I think it’s very healthy,” he says. “There are five or six guys knocking on the door. Finny’s bowled brilliantly for the last year or so and he hasn’t been able to get in the Test side, apart from one game at Lord’s last summer. So if guys are bowling well and they get the opportunity, then you’ve got to stick your hand up and say ‘The guy deserves his place.’ It is sort of like a natural rotation policy with fast bowlers, because there are going to be injuries.”Enforced absence is difficult for any bowler but Tremlett accepts that some rotation among the attack is likely to be inevitable, as England look to build a squad strong enough to succeed in all conditions, and that with the right management it could help prolong his career.”It’s tough work, especially if you’re a big guy – someone like Broady, sometimes I feel for him because he plays all forms of the game, he bowls a lot of overs, probably more than anyone else. For me, I guess you get a natural rest sometimes when you do get the odd niggle here and there. My main focus has been four-day cricket and Test cricket, so it has given me natural breaks from bowling in between. Unfortunately I got injured, but hopefully, long term, if I can keep myself in the set-up and make sure my workload’s looked after, then I’ll be able to play for a few years to come.”

While the rigours of his trade have left their marks on Tremlett, the bowler as a young man was more of a batsman. He describes his favourite Hursley Park memories as coming in to “slog a few sixes over the short boundary”

The injury – a bulging disc in his spine – that removed him from England’s plans in the UAE, flared up last summer. Having been England’s leading wicket-taker against Sri Lanka, following on from his searing whites return during the Ashes, Tremlett lost his place in the side to Bresnan as England went on to crush India 4-0 and become the No. 1-ranked Test team. Such are England’s current resources that Tremlett’s awkward angles and splice-threatening lift were ably compensated for; but with Bresnan suffering an elbow problem of his own, Tremlett won a recall for the first Test against Pakistan in Dubai.England suffered a chastening defeat – with Tremlett going wicketless in a Test innings for the first time in his career – but the damage to his body was worse than that inflicted on his pride. Rather than rest and recovery, which had been the strategy before, an operation was required, meaning another spell on the sidelines for a man who once came with his own emergency supply of bubble wrap.”I don’t think I’m back to square one,” he says of his latest setback. “It’s naturally frustrating. Obviously I’ve had injuries in the past, which in some regard mentally has actually helped me at this stage of my career because I know what it’s like. I know I do bounce back strong and I do work very hard when I’m coming back from an injury. I’ve had a good couple of years, I’ve got myself back in the England fold, so it is frustrating.”I’m not trying to get too down about it, just trying to concentrate on training hard, getting back playing for Surrey, and not think too much about playing for England at the moment. That’s the long-term goal, to get back as soon as I can, but if you want it too much and push it too hard – and I come back too quickly – that’s when the injury could reoccur. It’ll just be nice to get some overs under my belt for Surrey, then we’ll think about England and hopefully I can find the form I had last year.”It’s just finding that consistency and I back myself when I’m fit to find that consistency pretty quickly. If I’m fit and strong and playing cricket regularly and bowling overs then I back myself to be as good as anyone.”For all the suggestions that Tremlett is, as Shane Warne put it before the 2010-11 Ashes, a bit “soft”, there is a quiet determination about him as he discusses his recovery. He is enthusiastic about returning to Surrey, where his consistent displays in 2010 triggered an England call up more than three years after his previous appearance, and refers fondly to the “family feeling” at The Oval.

Chris Tremlett’s record since his return in Perth in December 2010

• v Australia (a), three Tests, 17 wickets at 23.25

• v Sri Lanka (h), three Tests, 23 at 22.40

• v India (h), one Test, 4 for 124

• v Pakistan (a), one Test, 0 for 53

Although he will miss the first few weeks of the season as Surrey reacquaint themselves with Division One of the Championship, Tremlett could form a contrasting new-ball partnership with one-time England swing bowler Jon Lewis. Modestly, he defers to Lewis as the senior man but he will admit to being “next in line” in terms of experience. With team-mates Jade Dernbach and Stuart Meaker also jostling for the attention of the England selectors, Tremlett’s comfortable approach to competition may have to extend to his county surroundings as well.”Surrey is a very exciting place to be at the moment,” he says. “We’ve brought in a lot of young players and they are finally starting to perform to their potential. A lot of guys stepped up last year, winning that trophy [CB40] and getting promoted. So everything’s in place, the youngsters are there, we’ve got a mix of experience as well – I think Jacques Rudolph we’ve just signed, Jon Lewis, Zander de Bruyn, Mark Ramprakash, so we have got some experience as well.”Tremlett is back at Hursley Park to help promote NatWest’s campaign to find the best-supported local cricket club and on the wall is a picture of the fresh-faced teenage version smiling into the camera – proof, if any were needed, that no Dorian Gray-style bargain has been struck to offset the depredations of this fast bowler’s existence. There are also some of his youth honours on show – not quite the urn, but a couple of engraved shields and a ball mounted on a mini-plinth – and Tremlett acknowledges the value of county players retaining their links to club cricket wherever they can.”I started playing here when I was 11-12 years old. I grew up down the road, unfortunately since moving to Surrey I don’t come down as much,” he says. “But it’s nice to come back and see a few pictures on the walls, that they still remember me and there’s a couple of trophies from performances I did 10, 15 years ago. It’s nice to remember your roots and how you grew up.”While the rigours of his trade have left their marks on Tremlett, the bowler as a young man was more of a batsman. He describes his favourite Hursley Park memories as coming in to “slog a few sixes over the short boundary”, although he concedes that while batting may have led to a career less dogged by injury, in the end the choice was a straightforward one.”Back then, I was quite tall, and I just tried to give it a bit of a whack, use my height and strength. I’d come in at four or five and just try and up the ante at the end. I used to bowl as well but I was probably a batting allrounder, and then, as I grew up, I turned it around. Probably from 16-17, my dad was pretty honest with me and said, ‘If you want to make it, you’re going to have to work more on your bowling.'”England should be glad that he did – even if his body frequently isn’t.Chris Tremlett supports NatWest’s Biggest Little Cricket Club campaign, a nationwide search to find the most loved NatWest CricketForce club. For more information and to vote for your club visit www.natwest.com/cricket before 23rd March 2012.