A picture on Instagram, Irish citizenship, a young family and a long time at the helm. There was plenty pointing towards Graeme Smith preparing to call time on his career. It has been an immense one.

Firdose Moonda03-Mar-2014In the next 48 hours, Graeme Smith will represent South Africa for the last time. Three days short of 12 years as an international cricketer – and on the ground where his career started in 2002 – South Africa’s most successful, longest-serving shepherd will leave his flock to tend to themselves.The news has come suddenly and surprisingly, but not entirely shockingly. Anyone who spent teenagehood and beyond doing something they cherished will want to grow up at some point. Smith has come of age through cricket and through captaincy. He has now come out the other side.Smith led South Africa through their most successful period in Test history. They have been on an unbeaten run away from home for almost eight years and have not lost at home in five years. He has been in charge of the top batsman, top bowler and leading all-rounder, all at the same time. He has taken them to No.1 in the world and kept there for 19 months. He has been their talisman and their frontman, a frontman in every way including the literal, opening the batting in difficult conditions and averaging almost 50 as he approaches the end.Many people will not understand why the end should come now but the truth is that it has been coming for some time. Almost a month before the day Smith announced his decision to walk away, he gave his first hint that he would do so. He posted a picture on Instagram of his wife and and two young children with the caption. “Always miss these guys when away!….. last one I promise.” Now we know what that meant.That was a firm sign and one that was discussed on these pages at the time but the indications had been building for a while. Two weeks before that, Smith traveled to Ireland to collect the certificate confirming his citizenship to that country. When it was reported, he assured fans he was not turning his back on South Africa. He tweeted: “I love my country and remain always a loyal South African. Half my family is Irish now and visiting them is easier with dual nationality.”Before that, in December 2013, a story sprouted that Smith had threatened to resign the captaincy over selection issues. He killed that suggestion too. In November 2012, Smith signed a three-year deal with Surrey which he could not fulfill in its first because of an ankle injury. He had to cut short his stay in London, where he had relocated with his young family, and expressed disappointment.Smith’s family is ultimately the reason he has reached this point and we would have known that as early as after the 2011 World Cup. That was his last assignment as ODI captain and he earned the wrath of the public when he did not return home from the tournament with the rest of the team but instead went to Ireland to propose to Morgan Deane. An over-sensitive public loathed her then but soon grew to love her as the woman who turned their captain into a softer, nicer and more laid-back person.With marriage and fatherhood, the other side of Smith emerged. Far from the bubblegum-chewing hard-arse that stared opponents down on the field, Smith allowed his gentle, loving side to come to the fore. The nation grew to adore him in his new role, even when he did not score the runs they wanted.But cricket is a results-driven game and eventually the lack of positive numbers will catch up. Smith has gone eight innings without a half-century, which is not that many especially considering that less than six months ago he scored a double-hundred against Pakistan in challenging conditions against a challenging attack in the UAE. Still, what Mitchell Johnson has done to him in this series has exposed old weaknesses and it seems Smith has had enough of scar tissue being exposed.Not for the first time in his career, Smith will exit in ungainly fashion. South Africa are two days away from the end of the series against Australia, a series which they will have to fight hard to draw. Should they manage that, they would extend their unbeaten run to 15 series. If they do not, it will be the first time since March 2009 that they have been defeated.Either way, it is the end of an era. An era that began and ended in August 2012 when Mark Boucher retired and South Africa became the No.1 ranked Test team. An era that looked more like ending when Jacques Kallis retired after the Boxing Day Test last year. But an era that can be rightly be called the Smith era. It belonged to him and now it’s over.

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.

The absence of MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina means India will go into the Asia Cup with an inexperienced middle order for the first time in a long time

Karthik Krishnaswamy in Dhaka25-Feb-2014Towards the middle of India’s training session on Monday, the team’s media manager carried a life-size foam dummy into the open net at the middle of the National Cricket Academy ground. Running in off a short run-up, Bhuvneshwar Kumar began bowling to the dummy, designed to look like a right-handed batsman at the highest point of his backlift. Gradually, as Bhuvneshwar increased the length of his run-up, Mohammad Shami and Ishwar Pandey joined him. All of them attacked the blockhole.While India’s bowlers tried out this new method of working on an old weakness, fielding coach Trevor Penney aimed flat, hard catches at Ambati Rayudu, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. Meanwhile, under a in one corner of the training area, Dinesh Karthik took his pads off.The last time India played without either Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina or MS Dhoni was way back in 2004•AFP”Who’s that guy?” a local journalist asked, pointing at the batsman who had replaced Karthik at the nets.That guy was Stuart Binny, and he might not have been the only unfamiliar figure in the team for that particular journalist. This was an India ODI team without MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh. Poor form over the last year or so had cost first Yuvraj and then Raina their places. Dhoni’s side strain, on top of that, had now left India needing to assemble an entirely new-look middle order for the Asia Cup. On Tuesday, when he was asked about this, Karthik said India had enough experienced players to cope.”I’ve been around the scene for some time,” Karthik said. “Given the opportunity, I will try and use whatever little experience I’ve had and bat to the best of my ability. Having said that quite a few guys have played 100 games, which is a lot of experience now. They have been playing now for a year or two. They have been given a good run. Everybody will pull in their experience whatever little that we have, go out there and give it our best shot.”Although only two members of India’s squad have played 100 ODIs – Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma – it is true that most of the players in the squad have had a decent run of games over the last year. The only issue, however, is that all of the inexperience is concentrated in one area – the middle order.Karthik has played 67 ODIs, but has played in the middle order in only 30 of them. Ajinkya Rahane has played 23 ODIs, but has batted lower than No. 3 only five times; in those five innings, he averages 11.20. Cheteshwar Pujara has played two ODIs, both as opener. Ambati Rayudu has played six ODIs, of which four were against Zimbabwe. Stuart Binny has played one ODI, and hasn’t yet had a chance to bat.Ideally, India would want three of those five – Karthik and two others – to slot in at Nos. 4, 5 and 6 when India start their Asia Cup campaign. That would leave the top three undisturbed. But that simple solution might not work in India’s best interests, because the players in that group – Pujara and Rahane, certainly – aren’t necessarily suited to starting their innings with less than 10 overs remaining.It might mean either Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli having to move to No. 4. Of those two options, shifting Kohli down one spot will probably make less of a dent up the order than disturbing the opening combination. Kohli, in fact, has an even better average at No. 4 than at No. 3, and almost the same strike rate. Rohit, on the other hand, averages 44.19 as opener and 31.43 elsewhere. In any case, both of them might have to bat differently, with the knowledge that Dhoni won’t be around down the order.More might be asked of Ravindra Jadeja too. In New Zealand, he showed there is plenty of latent potential in his batting, when he cracked quickfire unbeaten 60s in successive matches. Jadeja’s position in the line-up is unlikely to change for this tournament, but without Dhoni, the batting side of his role might gain extra emphasis.It isn’t easy replacing someone who’s a middle-overs innings-builder, death-overs destroyer and the calmest finisher in the game, all rolled into one. India’s best option of doing that might be to do it collectively.

Jimmy Neesham’s performance in Jamaica means the selectors will have some head-scratching to do over him and Corey Anderson

Andrew Alderson16-Jun-2014The biggest downside to New Zealand all-rounder Jimmy Neesham’s two-Test career? His second-innings dismissal for 20 against West Indies in Jamaica saw his average slip below 100. The 23-year-old now averages 99 from four innings, compared to Don Bradman’s 99.94 from 80.Neesham became one of just eight cricketers, and the first New Zealander, to score centuries in his first two Tests, with 107 in 216 minutes off 171 balls at Sabina Park. He joined a batting group that includes Australians Bill Ponsford, Doug Walters and Greg Blewett, Indians Mohammad Azharuddin, Sourav Ganguly and Rohit Sharma, and West Indian Alvin Kallicharran.Azharuddin has the distinction of scoring hundreds in his first three Tests; which Neesham could emulate, presuming he’s picked for the second match of this series, starting tomorrow in Trinidad.Neesham, an Otago allrounder, certainly knows how to pile on the pressure. First, he helped New Zealand into an imperious position on the second day of the first Test. When the innings threatened to crumble at 279 for 5 after the initial toil of Kane Williamson and Tom Latham, Neesham and BJ Watling (89) put on 201 for the sixth wicket to propel the tourists towards a commanding 508 for 7. New Zealand were able to declare for the first time in the first innings of an overseas Test since October 2008 against Bangladesh.Second, given the way Neesham flayed spinners Sulieman Benn, and particularly Shane Shillingford, they’ll feel threatened knowing he’s prepared to waltz down the wicket and strike them out of the game. No wonder consideration is being given to recalling Sunil Narine for the third Test, despite the decision to rule him out of the series when he opted to stay and help Kolkata Knight Riders win the Indian Premier League. His 12 wickets at 25.66 in the 2012 series indicate he’s capable of stymieing the efforts of Neesham and Co.Most of Neesham’s runs in the first Test came from genuine cricket strokes. That’s commendable, given the diet of T20 cricket he’s been subjected to with the IPL’s Delhi Daredevils over the last couple of months. Perhaps it was fortuitous he only played three matches and scored 42 runs from 46 balls in the IPL.Where does this leave Corey Anderson? Anderson was a revelation over the New Zealand summer, particularly in shorter forms, with the fastest ODI century, in 36 balls in Queenstown on New Year’s Day. Mumbai Indians invested US$750,000 in his IPL services. His Test performances, including a century at Dhaka, have also been solid.Yet Neesham has upped the stakes – if we’re permitted to use such gambling parlance in relation to cricket these days.There appears little between their bowling attributes, so for Neesham to make 137 not out against India in Wellington – the highest score by a No. 8 batsman on debut after sitting in his pads almost nine hours and 123 overs – and reinforce it with a century at Kingston is stupendous.Prior to the first Test was an unfortunate time for Anderson to strain a neck muscle, because there’s no room for both allrounders in the New Zealand side. This points to a potential strengthening of New Zealand’s overall Test game.Posting that many runs galvanises a fielding side by granting bowlers an extra security blanket to help focus their attack.Two other selection issues face New Zealand ahead of the Queen’s Park Oval Test, where they have played three times for three draws (twice in 1972 and once in 1985).If there is sufficient grass on the wicket Neil Wagner will be recalled, presumably at the expense of legspinner Ish Sodhi, given offspinner Mark Craig’s Man-of-the-Match debut.Elsewhere, a decision needs to be made whether Peter Fulton has the form or technique to continue opening. The other contender, Hamish Rutherford, hasn’t made a compelling case to replace him but Fulton has made just one score over 14 (61 against West Indies in Dunedin) in his last 12 Test innings after twin fifties against Bangladesh in October. The selectors’ loyalty must be wavering.

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.

The smoothness with which South Africa moved from a stuttering summer to starting Domingo’s second year in charge with success earned him CSA’s confidence

Firdose Moonda15-Sep-2014Russell Domingo’s contract extension, which will keep him as South Africa’s head coach until April 2016, will serve as an incentive to break new ground at the next year’s World Cup. That is the belief of former South Africa coach Eric Simons who does not think Domingo will regard the endorsement from CSA’s board as a cushion of safety ahead of a tournament South Africa has never triumphed in.”I don’t think any coach would not want to win a World Cup, especially a coach of South Africa because of the history, so even though he knows his job is not on the line, he will definitely want to do well there,” Simons, who was in charge of South Africa at the 2003 World Cup, told ESPNcricinfo. “Actually, it will be motivation because it shows confidence in him. I don’t think he will relax but it will allow him to be more free-thinking and trust his instincts.”Domingo has already been in charge for one major tournament, the World T20 in March-April. South Africa exited at semi-final stage and Domingo was heavily criticised for his tactics, with the bulk of the nay-sayers focused on his use of AB de Villiers. Pundits wanted to see de Villiers bat higher than No. 5, because they believed South Africa’s best batsman should have maximum time at the crease, but Domingo relied on statistics which proved de Villiers performed better when a platform had been laid for him.Domingo’s dependence on numbers came under scrutiny and a popular sentiment was that he lacked the natural nous required to read a game. That perception was fuelled by Domingo’s background which includes no competitive level cricket experience. By his own admission, Domingo did not think he would cut it as a cricketer and gave up the game in his early 20s to concentrate on coaching.Now, Simons has rubber-stamped those same instincts because he has seen how they work. “Russell seems very clear in his thinking and he comes across well in interviews. I’ve enjoyed that,” he said. “And the team is getting it right too. The players are playing with freedom so the mix is good and the signs are good that he is doing the right thing.”Among the decisions Domingo has taken which have paid off handsomely are installing Faf du Plessis at No. 3 in both Tests and ODIs to plug the gap left by Jacques Kallis. Both Kallis and Graeme Smith retired within the first nine months of Domingo’s tenure to leave South Africa on unstable ground and the effects of that was visible in their results.On Domingo’s first assignment, South Africa suffered their worst ODI series loss in almost a decade when they were beaten 1-4 in Sri Lanka in July 2013. They went on to draw a Test series against Pakistan in the UAE and win the ODI rubber which followed. At home, South Africa lost an ODI series against Pakistan but beat India in both ODIs and Tests before losing a first Test series in five years during Domingo’s tenure, when they lost to Australia. The World T20 came immediately but then there was a break, which allowed time for South African cricket to settle.After a brief winter, South Africa returned to Sri Lanka, won a one-day series and the Test series. A South African Test side had not beaten Sri Lanka in a Test for 21 years before their recent triumph. They also went on to a big victory in Zimbabwe that will extend their unbeaten Test series record on the road to nine years.The smoothness with which South Africa slid from a summer of stuttering to starting Domingo’s second year in charge with success prompted his contract extension. “The administrators would have assessed his performance and taken a long-term view on him,” Simons said.That distant lens will also ensure Domingo is around for a pair of high-profile Test series in the next two years. Although South Africa will only play Tests against West Indies at home and Bangladesh away in the next 12 months, the latest version of the FTP has them due to tour India late in 2015 and host England in the 2015-16 summer. Both those series are scheduled as four Test contests and expected to gave a significant say in South Africa’s ability to maintain their hold on the Test mace. CSA have made it clear they are prepared to entrust Domingo with that job.His support staff, which includes assistant Adrian Birrel, bowling coach Allan Donald and spin consultant Claude Henderson, do not have the same guarantees. Their contracts are currently being renegotiated, but given that the national coach often has the jurisdiction to pick his partners, they are likely to be kept on.

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.

Stats highlights from the second day of the Test between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Wellington

Shiva Jayaraman04-Jan-201511 Number of 200-plus scores Kumar Sangakkara has in Tests now – only one behind Don Bradman’s record of 12. Five of these scores have come in away Tests, which equals the most by any batsman. Bradman, Wally Hammond and Brian Lara also had five 200-plus scores in away Tests.38 Centuries hit by Sangakkara in Tests. Only Sachin Tendulkar (51), Jacques Kallis (45) and Ricky Ponting (41) are ahead of him. Sangakkara has scored 12198 runs in Tests at an average of 58.92, which is the second highest after Bradman among batsmen with at least 5000 runs.57.02 Sangakkara’s percentage contribution to Sri Lanka’s score in this innings; This is the second highest by a Sri Lanka batsman when the team has scored 300 or more runs. Sanath Jayasuriya’s 253 in Sri Lanka’s 438 against Pakistan in the 2004 Faisalabad Test is the highest such contribution. Click here for a list of the highest contribution by batsmen in an innings.4 Number of times Sangakkara has contributed 50 percent or more to his team’s score in an innings, which is joint second-highest in Tests. Len Hutton also made 50% or more of England’s scores in an innings four times. Don Bradman and Brian Lara lead this list having made such contributions to their teams’ scores five times.428 Runs scored by Sangakkara at the Basin Reserve in five innings – the highest by any visiting batsman at this ground. Sangakkara averages 107 and has hit two hundreds in three Tests here.278 Runs added by Sri Lanka’s last-five wickets – the most they have added in a Test innings outside Asia. Their previous highest was the 234 runs added in the Lord’s Test in 2006.2 Number of times Sri Lanka have managed to post a total of 300 or more runs after being five down for less than 100. The other instance had come against South Africa in 2006 when they were 86 for 5 before recovering to post a total of 321 in their first innings the Test. Sri Lanka bettered that in this Test by scoring 356.67 Runs added by Sangakkara and Suranga Lakmal – Sri Lanka’s highest and their first fifty partnership for the ninth wicket against New Zealand. This was also only the fifth fifty-plus partnership by Sri Lanka’s ninth wicket outside Asia.130 Partnership runs by Sangakkara and Dinesh Chandimal – the second-highest stand for sixth wicket by Sri Lanka in Tests outside Asia. Chandimal’s wicket fell with their partnership just eight runs short of the highest which had come against England at Lord’s in 1984, between Amal Silva and Duleep Mendis.

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

ESPNcricinfo presents the Plays of the Day from the seventh ODI in Wellington

Andrew Fidel Fernando29-Jan-2015The stump-breaking slideTillakaratne Dilshan ran 55 of his 81 runs in Wellington, but none more urgently than the single that took him to his fifty. Pushing the ball defensively to the off side, Dilshan called his partner through for the run, but found halfway down the track that the fielder at cover had made good ground. He had run right down the middle of the pitch in his haste, and when he dove to ensure he’d make his ground, he went clattering into the stumps at the other end, spraining a wrist in the process. He was not admonished by the umpires for treading on the wicket though, and continued to do so for much of the remainder of his knock.The déjà vu in inverseIn the fifth ODI in Dunedin, Martin Guptill had been out first ball of the innings as a wide Nuwan Kulasekara ball took his outside edge and flew to the keeper. In Wellington, Guptill collected another golden duck, though this time it was his other edge that was beaten, by the same bowler. Planting his front foot on off stump to a length ball, Guptill failed to adjust to the seam off the deck, and was struck in front by a ball heading towards middle and leg stump.The non-turning mystery ballDilshan has developed into a reliable offspin option over the last few years, and on Thursday, he unveiled what he perhaps hoped would add a new dimension to his bowling. In the 28th over, Dilshan sent down the first of his carrom balls, and though he had fired it down the legside, he managed to dismiss Kane Williamson, who had got himself into a tangle advancing to the ball. Replays showed the ball had not even turned a fraction, however, and throughout the evening, none of Dilshan’s carrom balls would take any spin.The nutmegDaniel Vettori had been whipping everything off his legs brutally into the leg side all evening, but Seekkuge Prasanna found a way through them in the 42nd over. Vettori walked down the pitch to the legspinner, but as the ball drifted and dipped, only ended up yorking himself. The ball passed between his boots, and Prasanna, who is enlisted in Sri Lanka’s army, gave Vettori a see-you-later salute.