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Young Shafali Verma and Danielle Wyatt build on the good work of the spinners to give Mithali Raj’s team victory

The Report by Vishal Dikshit08-May-2019Stifling bowling from the Velocity spinners, sloppy fielding from Trailblazers, and aggressive knocks from Shafali Verma first and then Danielle Wyatt powered Velocity to a three-wicket win in their Women’s T20 Challenge match in Jaipur on Wednesday. It was all looking rosy for Velocity as they got to 111 for 2, the target just two runs away, when they imploded spectacularly: in seven balls of spin from Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Deepti Sharma, they lost five wickets without scoring a run, Deepti picking up three in five balls. But they were one stroke away from victory, and a thick edge from Sushree Pradhan eventually sealed the win.Earlier, Velocity’s Ekta Bisht and Amelia Kerr finished with combined figures of 4 for 34 from eight overs to restrict Trailblazers to 112 for 6. Had it not been for Harleen Deol’s 43 off 40, Trailblazers would have finished with an even lower total.ALSO READ: Into the heart of Velocity’s 5 for 0 collapseChasing what was a below-par total according to Deol, 15-year-old Shafali and Wyatt took on the bowlers from the time they got together after Hayley Matthews fell early. Shafali’s 34 off 31 and Wyatt’s 46 off 35 meant the late wickets in the 17th and 18th overs were not enough.The spin squeezeVelocity capitalised on their captain Mithali Raj’s decision to bowl, with Shikha Pandey getting Smriti Mandhana to edge one behind for 10 in the third over. The second-wicket stand between Suzie Bates and Deol set the platform for a strong total as they scored at nearly a run-a-ball to help them to 50, but Bates tried one shot too many against spin and ended up holing out to long-on off Bisht’s left-arm spin.Stafanie Taylor was scratchy during her 18-ball stay, even surviving a run-out chance at the non-striker’s end, and Pradhan’s offspin soon accounted for Taylor for 5. Following a drought of runs that saw only 13 scored in overs 11 to 15, Deepti accompanied Deol in a counter-attacking stand of 32 runs off 26 balls, collecting 12 off Matthews in the 17th over to take them close to 100.Not afraid to flight the ball in the death overs, Kerr returned to have both of them hole out to long-on off consecutive deliveries, leaving the Trailblazers tail with a lot to do.Deepti Sharma picked up three wickets to give Velocity an almighty scare•BCCI

The Shafali & Wyatt showVelocity surprised Trailblazers by opening with Shafali, an unknown entity up against new-ball bowlers Shakira Selman and Sophie Ecclestone. Shafali hogged the limelight even as Matthews, the other opener, struggled to get going. A difficult return catch from Shafali was put down by Ecclestone when she hadn’t scored a run, but soon the 15-year-old peppered the leg-side boundary, especially against Selman and
Gayakwad. Two fours were hit off Selman in third over, and two more off Gayakwad in the sixth.Even once the Powerplay ended, Shafali and Wyatt together hammered Gayakwad for 15 more in the eighth over, and by the time Shafali had top-edged Deol to point, Velocity’s equation was 47 from 60.Wyatt then took over to target the spinners, hitting them for sixes over long-on and unleashing strokes behind square on the off side.Trailblazers can’t catchIt was when Velocity needed just two runs from 20 balls that their slide began – Wyatt drilled a catch to mid-off for 46 and Veda Krishnamurthy was involved in a horrible mix-up with Raj that had both of them in the middle of the pitch when the bails were taken off by the keeper.Still two to get, Raj yorked herself by coming down the pitch against Deepti, Pandey played an unnecessary slog-sweep to be bowled, and Kerr swung across the line to be bowled for a duck. After seven deliveries that saw five wickets fall, Pradhan struck the winning runs but the collapse could well have finished Velocity off had Trailblazers hung on to their chances earlier.Ecclestone had dropped one more after the Shafali chance in the second over, wicketkeeper R Kalpana put down Matthews on 4 in the fifth over, and D Hemalatha didn’t hold on to Raj’s catch at cover four deliveries before Wyatt fell in the 17th over. With eight catches put down in two matches, Trailblazers will have to up their game if they do make it to the final on Saturday.

Warwickshire and rain spoil homecoming, but not for a grateful crowd who lapped up the occasion

Paul Edwards at York17-Jun-2019
The last time Yorkshire played at York Kent turned up with eight players, Bobby Peel took nine wickets and one of the spectators, Prince Albert Victor, a grandson of Queen Victoria, was later suspected of being Jack the Ripper. No crowd figure survives from that match played at Wigginton Road, 129 years ago, but you could wager Colin Graves’ gross worth that the general enthusiasm did not exceed that shown by spectators on this day of sun and showers at Clifton Park. Neither rain in the morning nor a tumble of Yorkshire wickets in the afternoon could spoil their fun.There were times, though, when Andrew Gale may not have been as sanguine.as the thousands who streamed through the gates this morning. Having seen his team progress smoothly to 93 for 1 by mid-afternoon the Yorkshire coach was troubled to see them lose five wickets for eight runs with only Gary Ballance’s patient 54 preventing a complete subsidence. In the final session, though, as the sun glistened briefly on the meringue roofs of the tented village, David Willey and Steve Patterson mounted a counter-offensive sufficient to disrupt the discipline which had characterised Warwickshire’s attack. Willey’s dismissal for 46, bowled by a fine ball from Craig Miles which scarcely stroked the off bail, still left Yorkshire on 208 for 8 when the last shower of the day sent everyone home. If Patterson and the tail can scramble another 40 or so, Yorkshire will have a defendable total on what looks an excellent pitch for four-day cricket.The crowd appreciated it all and enjoyed most of it. Rarely can spectators have contributed so much to a day’s play. They applauded happily when Adam Lyth glanced the first four of the match off Oliver Hannon-Dalby; they appreciated the bounce and lift which the Halifax-born bowler then extracted to have Lyth caught behind for 7; they retired to the beer tents when the first of the day’s five showers interrupted play. The pavilion bar was as crowded as the Northern Line (Bank Branch) in the rush hour, except that enjoyment rather than profit was the order of the day. But how could this be, one wondered, when only three men and a dog watch championship cricket?The pitch and surrounds were protected although not without hazard. Despite the groundsmen’s best efforts the wind got under the tarpaulins and at one stage there seemed a risk that a young Ebor would be lifted skyward when still clutching a cover and carried off towards Rawcliffe Ings like a latter-day Mary Poppins.But the rain soon abated and the 45 minutes’ cricket before lunch was of high quality. Both Hannon-Dalby and Liam Norwell made good use of the bounce and carry offered by the Clifton Park pitch but were resisted without mishap by Ballance and Will Fraine. The off-drive Ballance played to an over-pitched ball from Hannon-Dalby was the stroke of the morning but the boundary Fraine eased through the covers off Norwell was not far behind. When Jeetan Patel brought himself on at the Shipton End Ballance cut him to backward point for four in his first over and then swept him to the scoreboard in his third.Yorkshiremen around the ground took their lunch with their side on 60 for 1. The pennants atop the corporate hospitality marquee fluttered in the breeze and the pale sunlight gleamed on the roof beneath which the consumption was apologetically conspicuous. And for something like half an hour after the resumption nothing happened to cause the majority of guests any indigestion. Then Yorkshire collapsed and everyone ordered a large one.First-class cricket makes its debut at Clifton Park•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Warwickshire’s success was nothing less than they deserved. Having pulled Miles skilfully for four, Fraine attempted to repeat the shot but was brilliantly caught by Matt Lamb, diving low to his left from midwicket. Two balls later Tom Kohler-Cadmore was leg before for a duck when playing a barely descript shot at a straight ball. In the next over Jack Leaning was bowled for nought on his old club ground when Miles speared one between bat and pad.Patel’s attack maintained the pressure, perhaps sensing this was their best chance to justify their decision to field first. Runs were conceded like tips are offered by misers. Only eight had been added to the total when Jonny Tattersall edged Hannon-Dalby to slip. Four balls later Jordan Thompson was leg before when playing too flamboyantly to the same bowler.Ballance and Willey restored their side’s innings with a 44-run stand but the temper of the day’s cricket had changed. Having battled for nearly three hours, Ballance was caught on the crease by a delighted Patel and sent on his way by Jeff Evans. Willey and Patterson’s uncomplicated strokeplay gave home supporters something to warm them as they made their way back to their hotels.And all this took place on a day when many cricket fans were following the dramatic events at Taunton. It is an entertaining paradox that a tournament designed to celebrate cricket across the world has resulted in the game returning to localities whose inhabitants never dreamt their grounds would host first-class matches. Newclose, Newport and Nettleworth have all also hosted championship matches in recent weeks yet nowhere has the attraction of watching first-class cricket been exhibited more powerfully than at York.The crowds filled the bars and when they could find a spare square yard of space they sat with their pints near the boundary edge. Yorkshiremen are infamous for an inordinate desire to get value for money. This is rather a shabby slur; as ever, stereotype is the enemy of thought. Thirty overs were trimmed off this day by rain yet no one complained as they went home after another illustration of the game’s secret truth that if you take championship cricket back to the people, the people will turn up to watch it. Three men and a dog? My arse.

Chris Rushworth grabs three wickets with home side needing seven more on final day

ECB Reporters Network15-Jul-2019Durham require seven wickets on the final day to defeat Worcestershire in their Specsavers County Championship Division Two clash at Emirates Riverside after reducing the visitors to 31 for 3 in their second innings.The home side were able to build a match-winning position, accumulating runs with relative ease over the course of the day. Jack Burnham led the way with a brisk fifty – matching his highest score of the season. Ed Barnard claimed four wickets for the second time of the match, but he was powerless to prevent Durham setting a daunting total of 352.Chris Rushworth tore through the Worcestershire top order in the final hour, reducing the visitors to 11 for 3. Callum Ferguson and Ross Whiteley were able to dig in to see out the rest of the session unscathed, although it will take a huge effort for them to avoid defeat on the final day.Durham began day three on 28 without loss with Cameron Bancroft and Alex Lees at the crease, holding a lead of 87 runs over the visitors. Bancroft – playing his final match before joining up with the Australia training squad ahead of the Ashes – made a good start to the day, scoring two boundaries off the first two deliveries from Charlie Morris.He and Lees put on fifty for their opening stand, but Bancroft was to fall for 28, caught behind off a seaming Barnard ball. Lees kept up the momentum for the home side, grinding his way to 40 before he was bowled off his inside edge by Dillon Pennington.Barnard tried to drag Worcestershire back into the contest after lunch. He clipped the off stump of Gareth Harte before dismissing Graham Clark, who chopped a wide delivery onto his stumps. Ryan Pringle was then pinned lbw by Morris to give the visitors a glimmer of hope after reducing Durham to 142 for 5.However, Burnham held his composure at the other end to reassert the home side’s control. The 22-year-old took the attack to the Worcestershire bowlers, reaching his third half-century of the season. Burnham kicked on after passing the milestone, finding the boundary with regularity. He cleared the fence and pulled Whiteley to the rope before the bowler had his revenge when Burnham clipped the ball loosely to Ferguson at mid-wicket.Ned Eckersley and Ben Raine continued their exploits from the first innings pushing Durham’s lead over the 300-run mark to compound the visitors’ frustration. The duo put on fifty for the seventh wicket before Raine was bowled by Joe Leach for 28, while Eckersley soon followed to Barnard, edging the ball onto his stumps. Nathan Rimmington and Brydon Carse carried the home side to a lead of 350 before Bancroft declared.It did not take long for Rushworth to make inroads, striking in his second over to clean bowl Daryl Mitchell through the gate, to claim his 50th first-class wicket of the season. Rushworth was on point again to remove Riki Wessels’ middle stump, while Joshua Dell continued the procession, trapped lbw by the veteran seamer, leaving Worcestershire 11 for 3.Ferguson and Whiteley held firm amid impressive bowling from the hosts to survive the rest of the evening session, although the visitors still require 321 runs to win.

Everyone makes mistakes, but there were probably several too many at Edgbaston

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Aug-2019Everyone makes mistakes, but there was probably one too many at Edgbaston. Here’s how ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball commentators recorded the numerous wrong decisions – some more obvious than others – that left the umpires red-faced.First day1.1 Broad to Warner, no run, sprayed down the leg side, did Warner get a tickle on this? Bairstow was belting out a lone appeal, but Aleem Dar wasn’t interested and England aren’t tempted to reviewHello, hello… UltraEdge says there was a feather on that! Warner flicking across the line and hitting the ground as the ball went through, but also just getting a touch on the leather, too, it seems. But no review from England!3.5 Broad to Warner, OUT, NOW THAT’S OUT!! Full and fast, pinned in front of middle and leg! Warner is gone, no attempt even to review – Broad has burst through in the fourth over of the morning, and Edgbaston is all over this! “Cheerio, cheerio!” they crow, as Warner grits his teeth and heads for the dressing rooms. But hang on, because Hawk-Eye now has its say: and the ball was missing leg!! So a Tale of Two Missed Reviews ends with Warner back in the hutch for spit14.2 Woakes to Khawaja, OUT, massive appeal but Khawaja is going nowhere! England are convinced, the umpire is unmoved, England review! There was utter unanimity in the cordon, low-fives from the moment Root signalled for the second opinion, and with good reason! There’s the thinnest of tickles, and Khawaja has to walk! Wow. This is getting raucous!33.5 Broad to Smith, no run, Smith pads up to a nip-backer, and Dar’s finger goes up! Smith looks aghast and reviews and it quickly becomes apparent that this was a bad decision, the ball missing the stumps by an inch or so. Smith knew it, Hawk-Eye proved it, and Australia will keep both their No. 4 and the review34.6 Woakes to Wade, OUT, swinging in, Wade now wears it on the pads… Joel Wilson thinks long and hard before keeping his hands where they are, but now England choose to review, the angle certainly looked good but height is the question. But no! Clattering into the top of middle and off, Wade’s comeback is a brief one! And another on-field decision is overturned39.6 Broad to Pattinson, OUT, booming inswinger, obliterating the front pad! Dar gives it straight away, although it may well have been doing too much again… No thought of a review from Pattinson, however, perhaps under orders not to waste it with Smith entrenched. Broad has his fourth and Edgbaston lets rip with another throaty roar! EDIT: That was missing leg!46.1 Woakes to Siddle, no run, first ball, full and straight, thumps the pad… and up goes the finger! But Siddle reviews with full justification. A massive inside edge!Second day14.2 Lyon to Burns, no run, massive appeal! Straightens from round the wicket, thumps the knee-roll, but maybe sliding down? No review…And that lbw was hitting leg stump flush! It would have been out20.6 Pattinson to Root, no run, That’s an absolute snorter! Up goes the finger, but has that taken the edge? So tight to the outside edge, and the off stump… and yes, that has hit the off stump! Root reviewed … as well he might… and well, the bail just didn’t shift! Pattinson wanders up and does arm-lifts with the off bail, just to be sure they do come off…33.2 Siddle to Root, no run, on the money, smacks the pads… and up goes the finger! But Root reviews immediately, suggesting he might have got some bat on it. You know where this is going… Big inside edge picked up by the technology, and the crowd bellows in approval!Third day2.6 Broad to Warner, OUT, huge appeal from Bairstow and the slips! Broad isn’t so sure, but the cordon is adamant there was a noise as Warner flirted outside off! It’s gone to a review and the crowd like what they’ve seen already! Almost off the back of the bat as Warner tried to leave that uncomfortable kicking back-of-a-length, and that’s 450 wickets for Broad, and a massive one at that!Fourth day84.2 Broad to Wade, no run, round the wicket, thumps the pads, out! Huge appeal from Broad, up goes the finger, and Wade instantly reviews… and it is missing! Too high! Angled in, hit him above the knee roll, even though he was a long way back104.3 Broad to Cummins, no run, round the wicket, short ball angling across as Cummins attempts to ramp it… Bairstow goes up, but the appeal wasn’t particularly enthusiastic, Joel Wilson not interested. But hang on, UltraEdge reckons he nicked it! England had no reviews left, of course… but another one on the listFifth day12.6 Pattinson to Root, no run, huge appeal, and given! Oh wow, massive moment… this was definitely leg-sided, but Joel Wilson reckons it might have been hitting… clipping stays with the bowler now, as Root reviews… and it’s missing! Another blooper from the umpire…16.4 Siddle to Root, no run, another massive appeal, up goes the finger again! My word, Root has reviewed with a grin on his face… and there’s a thumping great inside edge! Wilson is having an absolute shocker

Sawyer, who has led Sydney Sixers to all four WBBL finals and back-to-back titles, is an assistant coach to the Australian women

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Sep-2019Ben Sawyer, a man Ellyse Perry credited with helping Australia to a crushing victory over England in this year’s Women’s Ashes, has been appointed head coach of the Birmingham Women’s team for The Hundred.Sawyer, who has led Sydney Sixers to all four WBBL finals and back-to-back titles in 2016-17 and 2017-18, is also assistant coach and a fast bowling specialist for the Australia Women’s team, who defeated England 12-2 in the Ashes, losing onlty the tour-ending T20I.”Speaking to players around the world, The Hundred is a competition that they’re all talking about and want to get involved in,” Sawyer said. “I’m very excited to be appointed as Head Coach of the Birmingham Women’s team and I’m looking forward to assembling a team that can combine global superstars with a lot of the local talent here in the West Midlands that has performed so well in the recent county women’s T20.”Perry – who made 378 runs and took 15 wickets, averaging 94.50 with the bat and 12.86 with the ball across all three formats, to be named Player of the 2019 Women’s Ashes – has worked with Sawyer in both the Sixers and Australia set-ups. She said he had been a huge help to Australia’s bowlers since he joined the national team a year ago.”I’ve been really fortunate to work with Ben Sawyer for a number of years now and we just always try to keep developing and progressing things as a bowling unit,” Perry told ESPNcricinfo in July.Craig Flindall, Chief Operating Officer at Warwickshire CCC, said: “Ben boasts outstanding credentials as a head coach in the women’s game, with the best win percentage of any coach operating in international T20s, the Kia Super League and the WBBL.”He’s widely respected by players and fellow coaches around the world and he was the standout candidate throughout the comprehensive recruitment process that we undertook. We’re thrilled to welcome him as our Head Coach of the Birmingham team.”The Hundred will launch in July next year with the men’s and women’s tournaments to run concurrently over a five-week period involving eight city-based clubs from Manchester, Leeds, Nottingham, Birmingham, Cardiff, Southampton and two in London (Lord’s and the Oval).The men’s competition will hold a player draft on October 20, while the women’s teams will be selected in two stages, led by their respective head coaches. During stage one, which runs until the end of September, each team is obliged to sign two players from the current England Women’s central contract list. During stage two, from October 1 until May 30 next year, each team will sign their remaining 13 players from three different player pools; remaining England Women’s centrally contracted players, overseas players and domestic players.Teams can sign a maximum of one further England women’s centrally contracted player during stage two and can sign a maximum of three overseas players.

Left-arm seamer recalled by Western Australia after back injury, leaving Sussex with Alex Carey as their only overseas player

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Sep-2019Sussex will go into their T20 Blast quarter-final against Worcestershire on Friday night with only one overseas player, after Jason Behrendorff was recalled by Western Australia following a back injury.Behrendorff, who signed as a replacement overseas player due to Rashid Khan’s Afghanistan commitments, played only two games in the tournament, going wicketless against both Essex and Glamorgan.He was a more direct replacement for Tymal Mills, the left-arm seamer, who was ruled out of the tournament in August, also with a back injury.Behrendorff’s injury means that Sussex will go into Friday night’s game with Alex Carey as their only overseas player.It is unlikely that Carey would be available for Finals Day if Sussex were to make it. His state, South Australia, begin their 50-over season against Queensland three days later, and it is expected that they will recall him to train before that game.Rashid would also be missing due to a clash with Afghanistan’s T20I tri-series against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, meaning that if Sussex were to win on Friday night, they could well be without an overseas player.Friday’s game sold out within 48 hours of going on sale, giving Sussex a seventh full house in eight Blast home games, and captain Luke Wright paid tribute to the club’s fans.”The atmosphere at Hove this year has been the best I can remember for many seasons,” Wright said. “Even in my 15th season playing T20 at the ground, the cheers of Sharks fans never fail to send a tingle down the spine when walking out to the middle.”

The trigger seems to be the BCB’s decision last month to abandon the BPL’s franchise-based model

Mohammad Isam21-Oct-2019Bangladesh’s cricketers have called a spontaneous – and unprecedented – press conference on Monday afternoon, with sources suggesting they could go on strike and even cast a shadow over next month’s tour of India. The country’s top cricketers are expected to be present at the press conference, which comes in the backdrop of simmering discontent among them over how the game is run in the country.The trigger seems to be the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s decision last month to abandon the Bangladesh Premier League’s franchise-based model. It meant that the average professional cricketer’s earning has gone to an all-time low. The players’ woes were furthered after the BCB didn’t raise the match fees in the first-class competition that began earlier this month. These, in addition to the salary cap applied to the Dhaka Premier League, although it used to be an open market for club-to-club transfer for players, for the last several years.Professional cricketers have been voicing their concerns over the last month or so. None more than Shakib Al Hasan, the Test and T20I captain and Bangladesh’s most celebrated cricketer, who said in a recent interview that cricketers are “suppressed” and must be treated better.Shakib’s stance was praised in most quarters, particularly among the cricketers, although the BCB didn’t react to his stinging criticism.In another interview to the Dhaka-based published on Monday, Shakib said that he didn’t see any long-term planning in Bangladesh cricket. “Actually, we only focus on whatever series we have going on. But if it’s something like a World Cup, then maybe we plan six to eight months in advance. Otherwise, we only focus on the ongoing series. It’s a cultural thing,” he said. “People expect that we will win all matches. We plant a tree and crave the fruits the very next day. This is why it’s difficult to plan long-term.”Shakib said that the players also needed someone strong in a technical position to take these long-term decisions, and used Andrew Strauss’ example – vis-à-vis English cricket – to make his point.”The guardians of the country’s cricket have a big role to play here,” he said. “You have to be firm about how you will support the players. A long-term policy maker is needed in this regard. Then a lot of good things will happen. There is a lot to be changed and it’s a technical matter.”There are points about requirements. It will be good when someone takes these factors into account while planning. For instance, England has [chair of the ECB’s cricket committee] Andrew Strauss, who plans everything. The planning of the last four years is all his. We need someone like that who can plan only regarding cricket, someone with foresight.”

The floodlights can be used on a permanent basis from next year, and on 18 evenings rather than 10

Matt Roller07-Nov-2019Lord’s has been handed a boost ahead of the 2020 season, after Westminster City Council approved an application to make the floodlights at the ground permanent and increase the number of evenings that they are permitted to be used on from 10 to 18.If the application had been rejected, the MCC would have faced a tricky situation with regards to hosting games next year. Lord’s is scheduled to host at least four matchdays in the Hundred, including a double-header, on top of several Middlesex games, a day-night ODI against Australia, and Tests featuring West Indies and Pakistan. Under previous regulations, there had been an additional allowance for years in which the ground hosted ICC events, like it did in 2019.The ground has regularly fallen foul of complaints from local residents over the use of floodlights since 2007, when temporary ones were first installed. The St. John’s Wood Society complained about the use of retractable floodlights during the World T20 in 2009, and residents have regularly submitted objections whenever new applications have been up for discussion.Six residents put forward objections to the application submitted by the MCC in May, citing “antisocial behaviour” from “extremely rowdy crowds many of whom have consumed large quantities of alcohol”, “disruption to sleep” and “loss of privacy” among their concerns. But the council accepted the application, on the provision that the ground put in place six extra stewards to move fans away from the ground as quickly as possible.Robert Ebdon, the MCC’s assistant secretary for estates and ground development, said the council’s ruling was an “excellent outcome for MCC, and the spectators and cricketers who will visit Lord’s in the future”.”We are thankful for the co-operative and constructive relationship we have with our neighbours, and Westminster City Council who have supported this result,” he said. “It is a positive outcome for the future generations that will come to Lord’s to watch and play cricket.”The decision comes as part of the continued redevelopment of the ground, with the Compton and Edrich stands currently under renovation in the hope of completion before the start of the 2020 season.

Powerful left-hander joins fellow South Africans AB de Villiers, Dale Steyn and Chris Morris in the BBL

Alex Malcolm21-Nov-2019David Miller has become the latest South African to sign in the Big Bash after joining the Hobart Hurricanes as their second overseas player with Jofra Archer unavailable due to England duties.Miller joins AB de Villiers, Dale Steyn, and Chris Morris as the high profile South African to head to Australia for the tournament.Archer had been a star for the Hurricanes in the last two seasons and a key part of their rise to the final in BBL07 and the semi-final in BBL08. But he is unavailable this season due to England’s Test and limited-overs tour of South Africa.Hobart already have Afghanistan legspinner Qais Ahmad returning this season, but opted for the Miller rather than another fast bowler. Miller’s recruitment is partially to cover the likely absence of Matthew Wade who looks set to be unavailable until after the New Year’s Test against New Zealand in Sydney due to Test duties.”It’s very exciting to welcome a player of David’s calibre to the Hurricanes,” Cricket Tasmania CEO Nick Cummins said. “We expect to lose some batting experience throughout the season, so David will provide valuable runs in our drive to our third successive finals campaign.”Miller has form at the Hurricanes’ home ground Bellerive Oval with a century there against Australia in an ODI 12 months ago. He looks set to play all 14 home and away games for the Hurricanes before heading home for South Africa’s limited-overs matches against England which begin in February.

Waqar indicated that Abbas could return to play with a pink ball under lights at the Adelaide Oval

Daniel Brettig in Brisbane23-Nov-2019Mohammad Abbas is still Pakistan’s “main man” according to Waqar Younis and will be seriously considered for the second Test in Adelaide after the visitors turned in a listless bowling display in his absence at the Gabba, leaving them facing the likelihood of an innings defeat inside four days.The decision to play Imran Khan ahead of Abbas has attracted widespread criticism and surprise, which only grew as the Australians churned out a first innings of 580 in Brisbane with big centuries to David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne.Waqar, Pakistan’s bowling coach, explained that Abbas was still on a long road back from the shoulder injury that he suffered against New Zealand last year, subsequently being recalled somewhat hastily against South Africa and then playing for Leicestershire in the English County Championship.Waqar indicated that Abbas’ return to rhythm would hopefully occur in time for him to play with a pink ball under lights at the Adelaide Oval, in what now looks likely to be a match Pakistan must win to square the series.”Mohammad Abbas has been a match winner for us over the last 18 months, he’s been bowling really well,” Waqar said. “Unfortunately he’s not at his best rhythm and recently back in the New Zealand tour he had an injury so he wasn’t bowling as good as he has done in the past against Australia and of course in England. But we’re not losing hope in him, he’s our main man and we’re going to have a really close look and hopefully once we get into Adelaide we’ll think about it.”Pakistan have insisted from the moment Abbas was dropped that he is not injured. This is now likely to invite scrutiny on how Abbas has been managed since that injury, which forced him to miss the last Test against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi and the first Test in South Africa. Since then he has played two Tests in South Africa, three ODIs against Australia in March, a substantial portion of the county season, and three games in the Quaid-e-Azam trophy as well.”It’s a decision that depends on the head coach and the selectors on who’ll play and who won’t,” Waqar said. “But it would be injustice against Imran Khan to say that his selection was unjustified. His performance in first-class cricket has been great and so too in the warm-up game in Perth. He was bowling well. But unfortunately he couldn’t do the same here.”ALSO READ: Not without Mohammad AbbasLooking at how the bowling attack had fared, struggling to find the consistency required to trouble Australian players hardened by plenty of Test cricket this year and far more familiar with the Gabba conditions, Waqar said that the youth of Naseem Shah (16) and Shaheen Afridi (19) needed to be considered.”You can learn from your opposition always. Naseem is only 16 don’t forget. Even Shaheen Shah is a teenager. Of course they’re going to learn a lot from this tour, going further into their careers,” Waqar said. “I’m very hopeful that these guys and the likes of Muhammad Musa and Mohammad Hasnain. They are the future of Pakistan cricket. All we need is time. We all need to give them time and hope that they learn in the next year or so and they’ll be a force.”It’s difficult to say what was going wrong out there. We sit down every evening and we talk about it and try to teach them what lengths need to be bowled. I think we missed it. It was very obvious and everyone has seen that our lengths weren’t right. With the first new-ball we bowled poorly. If we would have put the ball in the right areas, things might have been different. We got carried away and with a young attack it can happen in Australia.”We have to be very careful with Naseem Shah. He’s very, very young and we have to manage him well because he bowls very quick. You don’t want to put too much load on him, be careful with him. He is the future for Pakistan. We have to use him sensibly and I thought that’s what the captain did. He’s a wicket-taker. It was just his first Test match.”Yasir Shah’s selection, meanwhile, was put down to the fact that this was otherwise an inexperienced bowling attack, rather than the wrist spinner’s handsome record of dismissing Steven Smith six times in Tests – now seven after his full-length drifter snuck under the Australian No. 4’s bat.”We thought of both plans [four quicks or three and a spinner]. But picking him had nothing to do with the fact that Yasir has dismissed Steve Smith six times,” Waqar said. “Yasir is a match-winner and has won a lot of games for Pakistan. His track-record in Australia isn’t great. But he has a lot of experience and we all thought he’ll perform better but unfortunately that didn’t happen.”There is a lot of inexperience in the bowling and Australia is a tough place to bowl. Hopefully these guys are learning, and they are the future. One of them is making a debut, the other has played three Tests and one is making a comeback. It’s not easy. But we are working on it and hopefully we will get better.”