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Only Cricket South Africa knows, and it needs to time its announcement in a way that impacts the national team minimally in a season of big assignments

Firdose Moonda18-May-2017Russell Domingo and all other interested applicants will “soon” find out how to put themselves in contention to become South Africa’s national head coach. Domingo, the incumbent, is contracted until the end of the England tour in August, and has not confirmed if he will reapply for his post. Instead, he has repeatedly directed questions to CSA’s board, who he said have yet to inform him of the process of reapplying.On Wednesday an insider told ESPNcricinfo they were expecting the board to “make an announcement very soon to explain what will happen” in terms of the application process. The source said the board was “still in the process of finalising some details” and confirmed that Domingo has not been informed of any developments yet. *On Thursday, after this article was first published, CSA revealed they had nominated a five-man panel to screen and recommend a new coach but did not say whether applications had opened or detail the exact process, but the search, it seems, has begun.All indications are that irrespective of the results on the tour, Domingo will not be offered an extension, primarily because CSA are compelled to advertise the post to prevent creating an expectation of permanence, because that will put them at risk of legal action should a termination occur. Domingo has already had his contract renewed three times since he was appointed mid-2013 and good corporate governance dictates that there should not be any further rollovers. That means that even if CSA is satisfied with Domingo’s performance and want him to continue in the job, they will have to follow formalities in order to keep him.While the suits keep their cards close to their chests, the players have thrown their support behind Domingo several times. After South Africa were booted out of a tri-series in the Caribbean last June and Domingo found himself under severe pressure, ODI captain AB de Villiers said he “felt Russell’s done a fantastic job”. Then, in October after South Africa whitewashed Australia 5-0 in an ODI series at home, Test and T20 captain Faf du Plessis gave Domingo “full credit” for the team’s improvement and said he had “stepped up his game”. And this March, after South Africa completed a successful summer with four Test series wins, Dean Elgar told the media both he and other players “would like to see Russell stay on” because “he still has a hell of a lot to offer the team”.When leaving for the UK on Tuesday, du Plessis again reiterated his backing of Domingo and said he did not see the tour as a chance to send Domingo off on a high but rather as a way to get some good results, so “we can carry on business as normal”. Earlier this month du Plessis revealed in an interview with magazine that he along with some of the other senior players, is considering retirement after the 2019 World Cup, and it appears that they would like Domingo to oversee them at that tournament.

Imagine if Domingo is told he will either not be considered for the post further or will have to go through a complicated reapplication process before the Champions Trophy begins, when expectations on South Africa will be growing. Or midway through the tournament, when that pressure will mount

Ultimately the decision over the coach is not up to the players but it would seem amiss for their bosses not to take their opinions into consideration. It may also seem strange that CSA has sent Domingo on what is one of his most important assignments with so much uncertainty swirling around him. Now that the board’s announcement has been made, it does not provide Domingo with the reassurance he needs ahead of a big tour.Over the next three months, Domingo will face several uncertainties, including speculation over who his successor will be. At some point he may be told he will not be considered for the post further or that he will have to go through a complicated reapplication process. Imagine if this happens in the next two weeks, before the Champions Trophy begins, when expectations on South Africa will be growing. Or midway through the tournament, when that pressure will mount. Or after it, when Domingo might possibly have made history by winning an ICC title, in which case it would seem a no-brainer not to retain him, or he would have suffered disappointment in another major tournament, which will surely result in calls for his head.Or what if Domingo learns something of his fate before the all-important Test series against England, in which South Africa can close the gap between themselves and India? They need to be at their best for that series, especially because it comes at the end of an unprecedentedly long 12-week tour, more especially because it could be interrupted by their captain du Plessis’ departure mid-tour for the birth of his first child, and most especially because they will be without de Villiers and Dale Steyn, who are on sabbatical and surgery recovery respectively. The last thing South Africa need at the same time is the distraction of not knowing who their next coach will be.And then imagine South Africa win that series, a third successive victory in England, only to be told Domingo will not be retained. Or if they lose the series and Domingo keeps his job anyway. Or if they lose the series and have to head into a home summer of ten Tests with a new coach, who will have a new path he wants to put them on. Or if they win the series and want to carry on following Domingo’s direction but have to accept someone else’s.And then there is also the question of the support staff. Domingo assembled a crew which comprises of an assistant coach, Adi Birrell; a bowling coach, Charl Langeveldt; a batting consultant, Neil McKenzie; and a spin bowling coach, Claude Henderson. Fitness trainer Greg King and a physiotherapist, Brandon Jackson, and team manager Mohammed Moosajee were involved before Domingo, but it is known that the contract of at least one of them, Moosajee, ends with Domingo’s. The rest of them expect to go if Domingo goes, since a new coach tends to want his own aides, and there will be concerns over how much they will be missed. All have made great strides with the current crop – Langeveldt’s work with developing bowling skills has been a particularly noteworthy aspect of the latter half of Domingo’s tenure. McKenzie, who only retired recently, has played with and against the batsmen under his wing and so has first-hand knowledge of them. Birrell and Henderson have also received praise for their roles.What if all that is lost to this South African team, who have found solid ground after the uncertainty that shook them two seasons ago?As they begin a tour that will be defining in many of their careers, there are too many what-ifs. The “soon” the board promised came as soon as the next day but it has not come as clearly as Domingo or even those after his job would have liked.10:44:49 GMT, May 18, 2017: *This article was updated to reflect CSA’s announcement on May 18 that a panel had been constituted to recommend a suitable candidate for the position of South Africa head coach

With the upcoming release of Guardians of the Galaxy Volume Two, in cinemas May 4, we present an all-time T20 XI that might represent cricket in an intergalactic showdown

Andrew Miller03-May-2017Chris Gayle

There’s the Universe Boss, then daylight, then every other T20 batsman who has ever played the game. Gayle’s list of records in the format is simply awe-inspiring – more than 10,000 T20 runs (almost 2500 more than the nearest challenger), 18 centuries (no-one else has made more than seven), the highest total (175 not out), the fastest hundred (30 balls), the most sixes (743 and counting)… you name it, he’s bossed it.Virat Kohli

In the multi-millon-dollar goldfish-bowl of modern-day Indian cricket, it takes a cricketer of unrivalled stature to absorb the pressures of performing day-in, day-out in front of the most demanding fans in the universe. Kohli has done just that, across formats and franchises, leading the line for India and RCB alike with a ferociously brilliant attitude that carries the attack straight back to every bowler in the game. He is the face of the modern-day game, and he’s not just a pretty one at that.Viv Richards

The Master Blaster never had the chance to play T20 cricket, but just imagine how cowed the world’s bowlers would have been had he done so. The most imperious batsman ever to play the game, Viv would swagger to the middle in his maroon cap (no helmet for him, no matter how ferocious the bowling) and intimidate with the merest gum-chew and jutting-jawed stare. His 56-ball Test hundred against England in 1986 remained a record for 30 years; his 189 not out in an ODI against the same opponents at Old Trafford in 1984 was a hint of what he could have achieved in this bat-dominated era.AB de Villiers lays into a pull shot•BCCIAB de Villiers

The arch-exponent of 360-degree batting, de Villiers makes boundaries from deliveries that his predecessors would have been pre-conditioned to write off as unplayable. Second only to Gayle among overseas heroes at the IPL, de Villiers’ most destructive moment came in an ODI against West Indies in Johannesburg in 2015. With flick after flick for six over fine leg, he rattled along to a 31-ball hundred, and a 149 from 44 balls all told.MS Dhoni (wk)

The keeper of the galaxy’s wickets, and the coolest, most calculating finisher the format has ever known. No runs/balls equation can ever faze Dhoni, who captained India to the inaugural World T20 title in 2007, before hitting the winning six in the 50-over World Cup final four years later. If he’s still batting when the match reaches its climax, woe betide the bowling side.Garry Sobers

The greatest allrounder in the sport’s history, and the most versatile weapon that any T20 team could hope for. His formidable power with the bat is legendary – just ask Malcolm Nash, whom Sobers launched into outer space with six sixes in an over at Swansea in 1968 – but just imagine trying to face his lethal variations with the ball. Hooping swing from a left-arm line with the new ball, or tantalising orthodox spin if the conditions demand. And he was also a mean wristspinner to boot. Then, throw in his ability to catch flies in the outfield, and it’s little wonder that no less a judge as Don Bradman described him as a “five-in-one” cricketer.Garry Sobers: a five-in-one cricketer•Getty ImagesWasim Akram

Arguably the most skilful fast bowler the galaxy has ever seen, Wasim was another who missed the T20 revolution but who would surely have dominated given half a chance. His finest moment (or two) came in the 50-over World Cup final against England in 1992 – a stunning two-card trick to Allan Lamb and Chris Lewis, bowled past the outside and inside-edge respectively, as he snaked Pakistan to the title with peerless command of reverse swing. And, as a hard-hitting batsman who once struck 12 sixes in a Test-best 257, his ability to biff the beejaysus out of the death overs wouldn’t have gone amiss either.Shane Warne

Arguably the greatest spin bowler in the universe, with one of the greatest game-brains ever conceived, Warne’s command of line, length and revolutions was second to none, while his ability to keep cool under fire transcended formats. T20 cricket came too late for him to showcase his fullest repertoire but, as an ever-conniving captain of Rajasthan Royals, he chivvied his unfancied squad to the inaugural IPL title in 2008. With an endless repertoire of variations – some real, several imagined – he would doubtless have outpsyched a host of hard-hitting sluggers in his pomp.Malcolm Marshall: a weapon for every situation•Ben Radford/Getty ImagesMalcolm Marshall

With his sidewinder approach, searing pace and skiddy action, Marshall was arguably the most unnerving fast bowler the world has ever known. The most skilful member of West Indies’ pace battery of the 1980s, Marshall’s unerringly accurate bouncer would spit like a cobra before any batsman had enough time to size up its length, but it was his ability – in his latter years – to throttle back the speed and concentrate on devious swing and cut that underlined what an intelligent player he was. He’d have had a weapon for every situation, not least – one suspects – when guarding his team at the death.Derek Underwood

“Deadly” Derek Underwood was nominably a slow left-arm bowler, but his pace through the air was startling at times and, with the exception of his peerless Kent sidekick, the wicketkeeper Alan Knott, few players at the business end ever had the measure of his bottomless bag of tricks. He was at his most lethal on drying wickets in the days of uncovered pitches – witness his mopping-up of Australia at The Oval in 1968 – but he could adjust his pace and flight to suit any surface. He was a mystery spinner before anyone had even coined the term.Lasith Malinga

“Slinger” Malinga honed his extraordinary round-arm style as a means of skidding tennis balls out of the surf on the beaches of his native Sri Lanka, and he’s been bamboozling generations of batsmen throughout a long and storied career. In an era when opponents like to get “under the ball”, via ramps, slogs and lofted drives, Malinga’s almost subterranean line of attack instantly ups the ante, and few deliveries are more deadly than his low-slung wicket-to-wicket yorkers. He’s the only player to have claimed three ODI hat-tricks, and even made it four in four balls against South Africa at the 2007 World Cup.

Lyon also became only the second offspinner – the first in over 110 years – to take two ten-wicket hauls in Tests for his country

Gaurav Sundararaman07-Sep-201722 – Number of wickets taken by Nathan Lyon this series, the joint second-most wickets in a two-match Test series along with Muttiah Muralitharan. Only Rangana Herath has taken more (23).13/154 – The best match-figures by an Australia bowler in Asia. Lyon went past team-mate Steven O’Keefe, who had picked up 12 for 70 earlier this year against India in Pune. Lyon is the only other visiting bowler apart from Ian Botham to take 13 wickets in a Test in Asia.2 – Ten-wicket hauls in Tests for Nathan Lyon. This is also Lyon’s first ten-for in Asia. Lyon also became only the third offspinner from Australia – the first in over 110 years – to take two ten-wicket hauls.46 – Total wickets taken by Nathan Lyon in 2017 – the most for any bowler this calendar year. Lyon went past both R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja who have 44 wickets each.3 – Consecutive five-wicket hauls for Nathan Lyon in this series. The last Australian to achieve this was Shane Warne when he took four consecutive five-fors against Sri Lanka in 2004.

Over the course of 13 balls delivered from his favourite Wynberg End, Vernon Philander set Virat Kohli up and sent him back with the most artful of knockout blows

Sidharth Monga in Cape Town08-Jan-2018Vernon Philander’s pitch map to Virat Kohli in the second innings of the Cape Town Test is a thing of a beauty. Philander bowled 13 balls to Kohli over two spells; all of them pitched outside off, not one was full enough to drive or short enough to cut. Nothing fuller than 6m from the stumps, nothing shorter than 8m. That’s not where the beauty ends. Philander’s stock line to Kohli is not the usual fourth- or fifth-stump line usually bowled to batsmen. With Kohli, you shift the line wider because he is extremely good at the drive, and tends to play further away from his body than most batsmen. Eleven of those 13 deliveries are bowled a set of stumps wide of off stumps but not any wider.Kohli is left frustrated. There is no length for Kohli to drive, the line is not close enough for him to take a risk, and with every ball he is moving across his stumps to try to get close to the ball. To the fifth ball of the 20th over, Kohli finally manages to move across enough to cover the line and push the ball for a single. Now the plan is reaching its final stages.Philander comes back for the next over, the third he is bowling from the Kelvin Grove End, with the endgame on his mind. This is his home. He likes the Wynberg End. He is given the Wynberg End most of the time. This is not most of the time. Dale Steyn has injured himself. There are only three quicks left in South Africa’s attack. There is no allrounder to bowl change-up overs as Philander recovers for a new spell from the Wynberg End. South Africa can’t afford to wait here after being bowled out for 130 and setting India 208. This match has been a big gamble: an unnaturally quick and seaming Newlands pitch, four fast bowlers, batting after winning the toss. This is a match South Africa just can’t lose.1:13

‘I wanted to make a difference in this game’ – Philander

So Philander comes back for a new over. He bowls well outside off, Kohli moves across and pushes to cover. Wide outside off again, and Kohli moves across again, and then defends. Wide again, and this time he leaves. With the fourth ball, Philander goes the closest he has to Kohli all afternoon: it’s 6.5m on length, and the fourth stump on line. It seams back in, beating Kohli’s inside edge to trap him plumb in front.”I think it was two-and-a-half overs of away-swingers, and then the one back into him,” Philander says. “It was definitely a plan to keep him quiet, and also to drag him across to make sure that when you do bowl the other one, he’s on the other side of the off-stump.”Virat is an aggressive player, and the key thing is to keep him quiet and to make sure you set him up for the other one. Initially it was for me to keep him quiet, and I always knew I had the one coming back.”Philander is fired up now. South Africa too. They let R Ashwin have it. “Not quite a bowler, not quite a batsman, this guy Vern,” they shout. There is definite previous then between Philander and India from 2015-16, when South Africa toured India and lost 3-0. Philander has a reputation. People question his record in conditions where the ball doesn’t seam. David Warner has questioned his intent to play in difficult conditions. Graeme Smith has questioned his fitness and work ethic.ESPNcricinfo Ltd”I like people to be constructive and open and honest with us as players,” Philander says. “There are two ways of taking it: you can take it personally and fade away, or you can take it on board and make a play. I took it a bit personally up front, you are all obviously human, but you try to get over it as quickly as possible, get better, do some work behind the scenes and come back stronger.”All this doesn’t matter now. There is a Test to be won, and he has the conditions and the home crowd behind him. He keeps coming back over after over. He bowls the most overs for a South African in this Test. He walks back to applause at the end of every over. His final one is not meant to be. Faf du Plessis wants to bowl Morne Morkel. Philander tells him he has just got warm, and needs another. Du Plessis tells him to do so with the wicketkeeper up because R Ashwin has been taking stance outside the crease.Philander swallows his ego and calls Quinton de Kock up to the stumps. He gets the edge first ball. Then two more wickets. The match is over but this is a day on which Big Vern could have bowled forever.

As Australia vice-captain Alex Blackwell retires from international and state cricket, her team-mates and opponents – across countries – paid tributes on Twitter to the 34-year old’s path-breaking career

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Feb-2018Team-mate Ellyse Perry was among the first people to react to Alex Blackwell’s retirement on Twitter.

To echo many voices, congratulations @AlexBlackwell2 on an illustrious career. I will always be incredibly grateful for the way in which you and Kate Blackwell took me in as a young player. Something I witnessed you do for many, many others too! #thanksalex https://t.co/6eTRJdfsrk

— Ellyse Perry (@EllysePerry) February 19, 2018

Former England captain Charlotte Edwards congratulated her on a long career as well.

Congratulations @AlexBlackwell2 on an outstanding career, so so much to be proud of. You’re a true great of the game and always the ultimate professional. All the best for whatever is next 🙂

— Charlotte Edwards (@Lottie2323) February 19, 2018

Current Australia captain and NSW team-mate Rachael Haynes underlined Alex “Seal” Blackwell’s commitment to hard work.

I’m going to miss you Seal. The ultimate professional and that shone through with how she led. She left no stone unturned in her preparation and that of her team. Looking forward to sharing the field with you one last time as a @NSWBreakers #ThanksAlex https://t.co/j13OFQzpP0

— Rachael Haynes (@RachaelHaynes) February 19, 2018

Reactions on Blackwell’s retirement came from all over the world. The former Pakistan captain weighed in…

All the very best for your future @AlexBlackwell2. You have been a brilliant leader for Australia as well as for other cricketers. Thank you for always being so helpful and forthcoming to young cricketers from all over the world who wanted guidance in cricket. https://t.co/IPw57xDeYO

— Sana Mir (@mir_sana05) February 19, 2018

…And so did the Pakistan batsman Javeria Khan

A player so well- @AlexBlackwell2 !

Your service to the women cricket extends far beyond words. I am proud to have played and interacted with such a commendable, skilled, generous and approachable player like You. Farewell, my friend. You rule many hearts. Keep in touch. pic.twitter.com/y9D9PYEINm

— Javeria Khan (@ImJaveria) February 19, 2018

India’s Jhulan Goswami, too, was all praise for Blackwell.

Congratulations on a fantastic career @AlexBlackwell2. Fantastic cricketer for @SouthernStars, great human being. All the best for your future. Stay healthy, stay happy. #Alexblackwell

— Jhulan Goswami (@JhulanG10) February 19, 2018

Australia team-mate Jess Jonassen underlined how Blackwell has inspired many through her career.

It saddens me to hear the news of @AlexBlackwell2 retiring from the game. She is, and will continue to be a fantastic role model for a large number of people for her efforts both on and off the field.

All the best Alex, you are a true Aussie legend #ThanksAlex pic.twitter.com/KaXTlG9oVe

— Jessica Jonassen (@JJonassen21) February 19, 2018

As did Erin Osborne…

Congratulations Seal on an outstanding career. Am fortunate to have played for many years under your leadership @AlexBlackwell2 #ThanksAlex https://t.co/Iu47qbP8xE

— Erin Osborne (@eosborne67) February 19, 2018

Rene Farrell, too, followed suit

Congratulations @AlexBlackwell2 on an outstanding career. Absolutely gutted..but feel so privileged to have played alongside you. Fantastic captain, cricketer and an even better human…you will forever be a legend of the game.

— Rene Farrell (@Fezzy88Rene) February 19, 2018

England captain Heather Knight wished well for a ‘fierce competitor’ of hers.

Congrats @AlexBlackwell2 on a top career. Fierce competitor and the most annoying person to try and hit the ball past at extra cover #seal Happy retirement!

— Heather Knight (@Heatherknight55) February 19, 2018

One of Blackwell’s Trans-Tasman rivals wasn’t too far behind.

Congratulations @AlexBlackwell2 on an outstanding international career. It was a privilege to play alongside you and against you for so many years #ThanksAlex

— Suzie Bates (@SuzieWBates) February 19, 2018

Former England batsman Lydia Greenway lauded Blackwell’s off-field contribution as well.

What a career @AlexBlackwell2! A brilliant player, and always a fantastic competitor. You have done everyone who knows you extremely proud, on and off the pitch. Now for more off pitch fun! #favepic pic.twitter.com/7LttctKhTJ

— Lydia Greenway (@lydiagreenway) February 19, 2018

A young team-mate of Blackwell had a message for her fishing buddy.

Congratulations to @AlexBlackwell2 on your career! It’s been a privilege to play alongside you in the green & gold! The amount of achievements and milestones you have made throughout your career has been incredible & amazing to watch!

Going to miss my fishing buddy https://t.co/to7IeDTzMx

— Amanda wellington (@amandajadew) February 19, 2018

The Australia men’s captain joined in soon.

Congrats to @AlexBlackwell2 on a stellar cricketing career with Australia and NSW. I hope you enjoy retirement!

— Steve Smith (@stevesmith49) February 19, 2018

A word on Blackwell’s love of cricket, by Mel Jones

One amazing playing career! Great team mate, super passionate about game, record breaker, fighter, leader… congrats on a brilliant career for the @SouthernStars & @NSWBreakers @AlexBlackwell2 #ThanksAlex https://t.co/T05jeA8MjK

— Mel 'MJ' Jones (@meljones_33) February 19, 2018

Blackwell, however, will continue to play franchise cricket: as captain of Sydney Thunder in the Women’s Big Bash League.

Despite the blistering form of Jos Buttler, England were undone by a familiar inability to play high-quality wrist-spin

George Dobell at Old Trafford03-Jul-20182:14

Can England get better against legspin in two days?

Had the theme played around Old Trafford the moment Kuldeep Yadav was thrown the ball, the sense of foreboding could not have been more apparent.For England were confronted by an old and familiar foe in Manchester. A foe that has seemingly taunted and tamed them for as long as most of us can remember. A foe that, in various guises, has inflicted Ashes defeats, subcontinent whitewashes and global event exits. Even as recently as the Under-19 World Cup. Wrist-spin. Even the words are enough to have them throwing salt over shoulders and standing on one leg at Lord’s.This was the second T20I in succession between these sides in which an India wrist-spinner has claimed a five-for and defined the game. On the previous occasion, in Bangalore, it was the legspin of Yuzvendra Chahal that inflicted a collapse of eight wickets for eight runs upon England. This time it was the left-arm wrist-spin of Kuldeep who, within three minutes, dismissed the cream of England’s limited-over batting on the way to achieving the first five-for by a spinner in a T20I in England. Turning the ball both ways, varying his pace by more than 20 mph from one delivery to the next, and retaining his control either way, it was fine bowling, certainly.But if something keeps happening, it can’t be dismissed as an aberration.It wasn’t just the number of wickets taken by Kuldeep that was striking (though that was plenty alarming enough). It was the manner of them. To see England’s two best batsmen of the last couple of years, Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root, prodding hopefully at the ball, no idea which way it would turn, was to see men confronted by something they didn’t recognise or understand.To see Alex Hales – the man with three of the four highest scores made by England batsmen in T20Is – rendered strokeless (his 8 occupied 18 torturous deliveries) was painful. England had no answer to India’s spin attack. And this on a fresh, if dry, track that offered no undue assistance to the bowler.”It wasn’t a case of us chipping it up in the air,” Morgan said. “He completely deceived us. He took three wickets in four balls and deceived us. I thought he bowled well.”But we know we can play him better than that. We need to. Between now and the next game, we need to assess our plans, make sure they’re the right ones and stick with them.”Might it be relevant that none of the three men Kuldeep dismissed in the 14th over – Eoin Morgan, Bairstow and Root – had played in the IPL in the past year? It might be. Just as it might be relevant that Buttler, who excelled in the IPL, was the one man to pick him. Either way, it underlined the impression that England lack exposure to such bowling. They face little – or any – of it in their own domestic cricket and they play few games on surfaces that encourage it. Indeed, as the example of Somerset shows, counties are actively discouraged from preparing such pitches. It means that, when they are confronted by it, the results are usually ugly.”It’s like any challenge,” Morgan added. “If you’re facing a guy who bowls 95mph it’s very difficult to replicate. And if you’re facing a guy who turns it both ways and disguises it well, it’s very difficult to replicate because there is nobody else who bowls like that.”Jos Buttler clobbers one off the back foot•Getty ImagesIt is not an ideal time to learn, then, that the ECB have cancelled both their pace programme and spin placements due to budget cuts. While there is some doubt over how much benefit the pace programme provided – too many pace bowlers have sustained injuries for its loss to be mourned – the system of placing young spinners under the mentorship of experienced pros, such as Jeetan Patel in Wellington, or Stuart MacGill in Sydney, during the English winter had clear benefits. Choosing that as an area to cut costs – rather than the increasing sums spent on bureaucracy, legal fees and consultants – suggests, once again, that cricket isn’t always the priority at the ECB.There were some positives. England’s running between the wickets was excellent, their ground fielding was good – it is the one area where they might be better than India – and David Willey, with the bat in particular, seems to be growing in stature as an international player. He is the only man in the side with a better strike-rate than Buttler. And Buttler’s enduring form and flair provides hope of many better days ahead. Nobody has ever made seven half-centuries in eight T20 innings before. He is a class act.Meanwhile, up the road, Ben Stokes returned to cricket with some success. Opening the batting for Durham in a warm-up match ahead of the T20 Blast, he thrashed an unbeaten 85 from 45 balls against a North East Premier League XI containing several players with international experience. It was his bowling that was missed here, but any England side is stronger for Stokes’ inclusion and his return is not far away now.Most of all, this was a chance to learn. England might have been lulled into thinking they were a little better than they are by playing an Australia side lacking several of its best players. Here they were given a masterclass in T20 cricket and a reminder of how far they have to go in this format. If they can learn from some of India’s tactics – the excellent use of the wider ball, in particular – and incorporate them into their own game, this could be a valuable experience.That problem with quality spin remains, though. While England continue to fail to nurture the skill among their own bowlers, their batsmen will continue to be exposed to it at international level. In Test, ODI and T20I cricket.

George Bailey’s unusual side-on stance has been a talking point for a while now. Where does it rank in cricket’s Hall of Fame of awkward stances?

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Nov-2018
Is there an unconventional stance that we missed out? Mail us at [email protected].

The team might not be too badly affected by the World Cup exodus, giving them more stability than some of their competitors

Sreshth Shah19-Mar-20197:16

Manjrekar: Unsure of KKR’s playoff chances

Where they finished in 2018

Third in the league stage, lost in the second eliminator.

Strengths

A batting outfit with power-hitters slotted through the line-up. Kolkata Knight Riders’ top three of Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine and Robin Uthappa had the highest strike rate among all the teams last season, while their middle order (Nos. 4 to 7), led by Andre Russell and Dinesh Karthik, scored the most number of runs. Knight Riders also struck the most number of boundaries – 253 fours and 130 sixes – last year.Dinesh Karthik, in particular, plays a key role as captain and finisher, a job that he’s done well in for India as well. In IPL 2018, Karthik was not out in six of KKR’s successful chases, averaging nearly 70 in the second innings.By the numbers, KKR also have the strongest spin unit by some distance. In Kuldeep Yadav, Piyush Chawla and Sunil Narine, they had the best bowling strike rate (19.3) and most wickets (52, ahead of next-best Sunrisers’ 37) last season. Their spinners also had the best bowling average (25.78) in IPL 2018.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Weaknesses

Like last season, they enter the 2019 competition with an inexperienced pace attack. Last year’s auction picks, Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Shivam Mavi, are out with injuries, as is South African Anrich Nortje, while they have released Tom Curran and Mitchell Starc. Prasidh Krishna, the young Karnataka bowler who hasn’t been a regular in his state’s T20 side, will be their most experienced IPL fast bowler.Their main overseas short-format pace bowler Harry Gurney has never played the IPL, while Lockie Ferguson is their senior-most pacer; Russell has dipped as a force with the ball.A boost for the bowling unit, though, is the addition of Kerala pacer Sandeep Warrier, who was recently part of the Rest of India side and also took a hat-trick for Kerala in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.In IPL 2018, KKR’s pacers took only 13 wickets – the lowest among all teams – and had the poorest economy for the season: 10.69.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The overseas question

Lynn, Narine and Russell form the backbone of KKR’s line-up, and all three pick themselves if fit. If the pitch is sticky or two-paced, left-arm pacer Gurney is a prospective selection with his multitude of variations. Carlos Brathwaite, who has found moderate success in the IPL but has pleasant memories of playing T20s in Kolkata, is also available. So is England allrounder Joe Denly, who bats in the Powerplay and bowls legbreaks.

Availability

Lynn and Narine are not likely to be part of their countries’ World Cup plans, so they should be available for the full season. Russell and Brathwaite could miss games towards the end of the season, with West Indies travelling to Ireland for a tri-series ahead of the World Cup.Nortje’s absence will hurt Kolkata, with his out-and-out pace one of the things the team had banked on. Ferguson, too, may not be available when New Zealand’s World Cup players leave the tournament.Overall, the team is well suited to withstand the possible exodus of foreign players, and barring injuries, their core should remain unaffected this season.The best XI
1 Chris Lynn, 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Robin Uthappa, 4 Shubman Gill, 5 Nitish Rana, 6 Dinesh Karthik (wk, capt), 7 Andre Russell, 8 Piyush Chawla, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Sandeep Warrier, 11 Harry GurneyCoaches: Jacques Kallis, Simon Katich, Abhishek Nayar

Will they make the play-offs?

The two-time champions have finished in the top four in four of the last five seasons, and with the solidity in their batting, should get there again.

There has been no shortage of words written and spoken about Steven Smith’s comeback, but the man himself cares only about batting

Jarrod Kimber in Bristol31-May-2019″I think he’s got a bit more spare time on his hands. He gets bored pretty easy. That is why he is training for hours on end. He doesn’t like it when he is told he can’t train for the day.”That was Aaron Finch, speaking with a smile on his face, on Steven Smith.Not that long ago that Justin Langer was talking about how Smith shadow batted in the shower. Which seems a perfectly fine and normal thing for any cricketer to do. Langer more recently has been talking about how he doesn’t want Smith and Warner to be booed when they play. Which is an extraordinary thing considering Justin Langer also likes to sledge his daughter when they play Uno.ALSO READ: Australia come to the World Cup singing and dancingThere was also Nathan Lyon talking about Smith’s treatment in the warm-up match at Southampton: “They’re ruthless over here. I’ve had two Ashes tours and a one-day series and haven’t experienced anything else. They’re ruthless and don’t show much love. They haven’t changed their lines in 12 months.” The ‘s chief sports writer, Paul Hayward, wrote a column on the English crowd and Smith and Warner: “Somewhere in deepest England, Steve Smith and David Warner are steeling themselves to hear the same gags every minute of every day on a long summer tour.”Everyone has been talking about Smith, but Smith just bats.A few years ago a team-mate of Smith’s suggested privately that it’s actually hard to talk to Smith about anything not cricket. Obsessed is probably an understatement. Many captains find the extra parts that come with the job – video analysis, strategy meetings, keeping on top of everyone’s form and injuries – boring. For Smith it seemed like the perfect use of his time. Now Smith is only an occasional pariah, constant talking point and professional batsman.”There is no question about his batting ability,” Finch said. “So when you are great, you get the game quicker, things just happen quicker, so there is never any issue about how he’ll bounce back.” And as Finch noted, Smith has spent a season in the IPL against many of the best white-ball bowlers in the world, so he’s been plenty prepared.”I suppose, when you are the captain, there is a bit more stuff that occupies your time at various times,” Finch added. “But he’s been brilliant around the boys, he’s been great for me, talking cricket, talking batting, things like that and lessons he’s learnt from being captain and leading the team. I think he’s been really important for me, and just general conversation.”Some players fill their time watching movies, others playing FIFA, Steven Smith does it training, talking and preparing.Australia underwent a light training session on Friday. Most of the bowlers didn’t turn up, neither did the recovering David Warner, nor Glenn Maxwell, nor Usman Khawaja. But Smith was one of the first in the nets. At first in the spin nets, having some trouble with the legspinner Australia have flown in, and later slogging to leg the left-arm wristspinner. Then he went into the throwdown nets and did some hitting there before moving across to the seam-bowling nets. He spent a long time in each.Then when the other batsmen finished their session, he came back to bat alone for close to 40 minutes. First he was taking throwdowns from Ricky Ponting, whose arm seemed to go numb in the long session, before Sridharan Sriram, the team’s spin consultant, had to pick up the slack.During the entire net session he seemed to work on using his feet to spin, then some power hitting. Against the seam bowlers he was moving around the crease – even more than usual for him – to find new places to score. And against the throwdowns at one stage he was batting against the side of the cut strip outside leg stump, to work on – I mean, who knows, but he didn’t get bowled even when the ball was flung to the stumps.After the entire workout, where he’d batted as long as the other players combined, he was standing outside the nets, shadow batting on his own as the tired net bowlers and assistant coaches went for a well-earned drink.This summer, there will always be someone talking about Steve Smith. And while that happens there will be Smith batting in the middle, the nets, his mind and the shower.

They had a chance to send Russell out in the ninth over, but waited until the 16th to unleash him

Alagappan Muthu21-Apr-20194:41

Plan was to save my overs for Russell – Rashid

It appears that Kolkata Knight Riders don’t really have a set batting position for Andre Russell. It’s more to do with how many balls are remaining when a wicket falls. This season it’s (roughly) 42. And if you take out their matches against Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals, where their batting collapsed, it comes down to 38.ESPNcricinfo LtdThat is precious little time for your biggest match winner to have a say. On Sunday, KKR had a chance to send Russell out in the ninth over, when Dinesh Karthik fell. But they held him back and forced him into a situation where he only had a maximum of 27 legal balls to do his thing.KKR had 124 on the board in the 16th over – after being 42 in 2.4 – and Russell only had the tail for company. He had to deny singles. He had to hit everything out of the park. And even he succumbed to that kind of pressure. Bhuvneshwar Kumar knocked him out for 15 off 9.Trump card v Monster hitterNine overs of the match were done by the time Rashid Khan had his first over and he was taken off immediately. The reason was simple. Sunrisers Hyderabad were saving him for Russell. This head-to-head in IPL reads seven balls, seven runs and one wicket. And while that isn’t enough of a sample size, the West Indian has a strike rate of 140 against all legspinners since IPL 2015. He hits every other kind of bowling at 180 and more.It was advantage Sunrisers, even before KKR helped them out by bungling their batting order.Sunrisers boss the PowerplayDavid Warner and Jonny Bairstow are beautiful hitters of the new white ball – in any level of cricket – and with them as openers Sunrisers have recorded all three of this season’s best Powerplay totals.ESPNcricinfo LtdWinning this game hinged on their partnership because the pitch in Hyderabad was a pretty slow one and once the ball lost its shine, and the fielding restrictions were relaxed, forcing the pace was difficult. Knowing all of that, Warner and Bairstow carved out 72 runs – nearly 50% of their target – in the Powerplay itself. It was pristine planning and even better execution.The big callKuldeep Yadav was left out of a KKR XI for the first time in over 30 IPL matches. The left-arm wristspinner has been an intrinsic part of the franchise, except this season both of his strengths have been, well, not so strong.Although he turns the ball both ways, he’s only beaten the bat three times; times this season. And, at least in the last game, we saw a crack in that unflappable temperament.Good captains back their wicket-taking bowlers even when they’re out of form but seeing them on their knees changes the story.Kuldeep – with four wickets in 33 overs and an economy rate of 8.66 – needed a break. He needed to refresh, not only for the sake of KKR but also for India when they play the World Cup next month.The pinch hitterSunil Narine does not pretend to be a proper batsman. His only job is to get his team ahead of the game and, to that effect, all he does is clear his front leg and whack. While a technique like that can and has been exploited, his hand-eye coordination makes sure KKR still get plenty of runs before that happens.Case in point: While Narine was at the crease – and it was only 16 balls – KKR ransacked 42 runs. Over the remaining 20, they went at less than a run a ball and still got to the end of the Powerplay with a score of 61.