India’s Ishant Sharma during a training session in Brisbane. © AFP Stung by the defeat in the series opener despite putting up a big score, India will have to plug their bowling loopholes when they take on Australia in the second cricket one-dayer in Brisbane, fully aware that any slip-up will make their task of bouncing back difficult. (Rohit Sharma Stresses Importance of Taking Wickets in Middle Overs) Chasing an…
PCB reignites MCL dispute with retirement condition
Former team-mates will be now featuring in two different T20 leagues in the UAE © Getty Images The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has imposed a policy on its cricketers to officially retire before acquiring a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the upcoming Masters Champions League. The move has sparked more friction between the PCB and the MCL as earlier they had a long-standing dispute on securing the venues in the…
Amir in focus as Pakistan run into red-hot New Zealand
Match facts January 15, 2015Start time 1900 local (0600 GMT) Play 01:42 Pakistan’s well-rounded pace attack could pose New Zealand with a sterner test as both teams would look to fine-tune their preparations for the World T20 Big Picture New Zealand have batsmen in a record-breaking mood. Pakistan are hoping reignite their T20 game after losses against England. There is a World T20 in two months. But none of this…
India seek to rebound on flat surface
Match facts January 15, 2016Start time 1320 local (0320 GMT) Play 04:06 Agarkar: India must play wicket-taking bowlers Big Picture Australia carry a 1-0 series lead to the second match in Brisbane, although there were several stages during the first ODI in Perth when India looked to be in control of the game. Batting first, they put on 1 for 149 in the first 30 overs and with so many…
Threat of rain looms over the Gabba
Match facts January 15, 2016Start time 1320 local (0320 GMT) With David Warner on paternity leave, Shaun Marsh is set to play his first ODI in nearly a year © AFP Big Picture Australia carry a 1-0 series lead to the second match in Brisbane, although there were several stages during the first ODI in Perth when India looked to be in control of the game. Batting first, they put…
Expect more high scoring – Faulkner
James Faulkner: “Everyone was quite surprised by the way the wicket played in Perth, it was very flat and we saw a lot of runs scored” © AFP James Faulkner predicts more feats of run scoring and further sobering times for bowlers in the second ODI between Australia and India at the Gabba, even though playing conditions have actually eased in favour of the fielding sides since last year’s World…
Brathwaite fifty takes Barbados past ICC Americas
© WICB Media/Ashley Allen Kraigg Brathwaite scored an unbeaten 86 in his first match back from the West Indies tour of Australia as Barbados kept their Nagico Super50 semi-final hopes alive with a four-wicket win over ICC Americas at Queen’s Park Oval. Brathwaite’s innings came after Barbados were reduced to 0 for 2 in response to ICC Americas first innings total of 202. Timroy Allen bowled Dwayne Smith and had…
NZ playing 'wonderful cricket' – Shehzad
Ahmed Shehzad has said batsmen will have to be careful with their shot selection and not get overly tempted by Eden Park’s short boundaries © AFP Pakistan have spoken about being aggressive with bat and ball on tour, but Ahmed Shehzad has conceded that New Zealand are currently playing cricket that is “awesome to see”. The hosts’ batsmen set New Zealand records during the 2-0 defeat of Sri Lanka last…
Cook concentrating on series victory
Alastair Cook is excited by the prospect of securing a series victory in Johannesburg – although the England captain is waiting to see if opening partner Alex Hales will be fit for the third Test. Hales has been struck by the virus which laid Chris Jordan and Nick Compton low in Cape Town, and although he was well enough to practice on Wednesday, he did so away from the rest…
De Villiers aims to turn up heat on England
Newly-installed South Africa Test captain AB de Villiers has declared that “losing is not an option” as he prepares to keep his side’s series hopes alive against England in Johannesburg this week. De Villiers will take over the Test reins at the Wanderers for the first time after Hashim Amla’s surprise resignation after last week’s drawn Cape Town Test. While De Villiers has admitted he might happily give up the…