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Mike Yardy, the last link with the Sussex side that won the Championship three times between 2003 and 2007, has announced his retirement at the end of the season

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Jul-2015Mike Yardy, the last link with the Sussex side that won the Championship three times between 2003 and 2007, has announced his retirement at the end of the season.Yardy, 34, was part of the England side which won the World Twenty20 title five years ago but his England career ended in Colombo the following year when he left the World Cup with depression.Injuries have also become a burden with Mark Robinson, Sussex’s director of cricket, praising his contribution over recent weeks “in defiance of physios’ advice”. Robinson said: “He is an integral part of the club… the last bastion. He has been a fantastic role model and is a strong and hard man who leads by example. He plays tough cricket.”Yardy played 42 times for England – 28 ODIs and 14 T20Is – as a defensive left-arm spinner and useful batsman, his talents respected if rarely extolled. But it is at Sussex where he has made the greatest impression, playing 449 matches in all formats since making his Sussex debut in 1999. He has scored more than 10,000 first-class runs.He skippered the county from 2009, leading them to the Twenty20 title in the same year before he stepped down soon after announcing that he was suffering from depression. His form has been affected by injury this season, with only one half-century and one wicket in five Championship matches.”I have found the last few years increasingly more difficult and frustrating and want to look back on my career with pride and fondness,” Yardy said. “After lots of conversations with my wife, now is the time to start a new journey away from playing cricket. I’m excited for the next couple of months and doing anything that is possible for us to have successful season.”

Bill Lawry has remembered his friend and colleague Tony Greig as a great family man and a gentleman

Brydon Coverdale29-Dec-2012Bill Lawry has remembered his friend and colleague Tony Greig as a great family man and a gentleman, and said he and Greig never shared a cross word outside the commentary box despite their memorable on-air banter. Lawry and Greig commentated together for 33 years on Channel Nine, a union that ended this summer when Greig was receiving treatment for lung cancer, and Lawry said he was “shattered” to hear that Greig had died aged 66.”Most of all to me he was a family man,” Lawry told ESPNcricinfo. “His wife Vivian is charming and he has four great kids. Every Test match in Sydney, the whole commentary team plus touring players, umpires, touring officials were all invited out to Tony Greig’s place and that will be greatly missed next week. That’s going to make the Sydney Test match very, very sad indeed. We’re shattered for his wife Vivian and his four children because we’ve become close over the last 33 years.”The repartee between Greig and Lawry became an iconic part of the Australian summer throughout the 1980s and 1990s and continued over the past decade. It was a relationship that was sparked when Greig joined the Channel Nine commentary team fresh from two years of captaining the World XI during World Series Cricket, and Lawry remembers well their first meeting as fellow commentators.”He walked in and said ‘you’re the Australian captain that lost 4-0 in South Africa aren’t you?’ And he beamed. And I said ‘yeah, and you’re the guy who gave up the captaincy of England for money’. I think from that moment on we were great friends because there was always a bit of banter. He won most times because his knowledge of cricket was far better than mine. He’s a little bit like Ian Chappell, he was a bit of a cricket vegetable. He remembered almost everything that happened, and I’m a bit more airy-fairy than those two.”The differences between Lawry and Greig made them compelling when on air together, and it was producer David Hill who first saw the potential of the Lawry-Greig team.”We had different views on cricket,” Lawry said. “Tony’s views were sometimes completely different to mine. But the point was we could have a bit of a challenge on air and as soon as we walked away we were the best of friends. We didn’t have a cross word in the 33 years that I’ve known him. He was just a gentleman.”He was fantastic because if you threw something out there he’d come in boots and all. There was no holding back with Tony. We laugh because originally he was well known for putting the key in the big cracks while doing the pitch report but his knowledge of cricket was outstanding. His record as an all-round cricketer was excellent and if you made a blue about something he was right on to you. He was always challenging but always a great friend.”On tour together as commentators, Greig would usually drive Lawry to the grounds – “he was a bit fast in the car,” Lawry remembers – and they spent most nights having dinner together. In Hobart, the Channel Nine commentators would traditionally get together for a meal at Greig’s favourite fish restaurant, and Lawry said the tradition was not continued during the recent Bellerive Oval Test.”He loved the deep sea trevalla, battered. We always had that,” Lawry said. “This year we didn’t go because it wouldn’t have been the same without Tony there.”It won’t be the same in Sydney next week, either, where Lawry was hoping to see Greig for the first time since last summer.”I was saying to Steve Crawley, our head of sport, yesterday I’ve really missed Tony this year and I’ll be glad to see him in Sydney,” Lawry said. “Of course I’m not going to see him and that’s very sad.”

Essex wicketkeeper Ben Foakes struck a century as England Under-19s claimed victory in the third youth ODI in Chittagong by three wickets

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Jan-2012
ScorecardEssex wicketkeeper Ben Foakes struck a century as England Under-19s claimed victory in the third youth ODI in Chittagong by three wickets. Bangladesh Under-19s, who lead the seven-match series 2-1, posted 252 for 9 in their 50 overs but England chased down the target with six balls to spare.No.3 Foakes anchored the England innings with 111 off 118 balls as the rest of the top order failed – opener Daniel Bell-Drummond was second-top scorer with a quickfire 30. When Foakes was out at the end of the 44th over, the tourists still needed 35 to win, but Adam Ball, who also took four wickets in the match, and Kishen Velani combined to knock off the required runs.The Bangladesh innings was built around Asif Ahmed’s 67, alongside 40s from opener Soumya Sarkar and Mosaddek Hossain. Offspinner Sam Wood took three wickets as England kept a tight rein on the run-rate, before Kent left-armer Ball ran through the middle order, including Ahmed, on his way to 4 for 44.

Auckland have qualified for the HRV Cup final after they comfortably beat Northern Districts by eight wickets at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Dec-2010Auckland have qualified for the HRV Cup final after they comfortably beat Northern Districts by eight wickets at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. Auckland’s win was set up by an all-round bowling performance which helped them restrict ND to a below-par 135 for 8 in their allotted overs.ND won the toss and elected to bat but got off to a terrible start when they lost Brad Wilson in the first over. Daniel Flynn blasted three sixes and a four off Michael Bates but once he was dismissed in the eighth over with the score on 47, ND lost momentum. The middle-order struggled to score freely as Auckland’s bowlers kept pegging away, backed up by some sharp fielding. Daryl Tuffey and Andre Adams were the most successful bowlers for Auckland; both picked up a couple of wickets, while conceding less than six runs an over.A target of 136 was never going to be enough to test the Auckland batsman. Though they lost Colin de Grandhomme in the second over, Lou Vincent and Jimmy Adams added 110 runs for the second wicket to set the platform for Auckland’s victory. Vincent top scored with 77 as Auckland won with nine deliveries remaining. This win takes them to the top of the points table and they will now host the final where they will face either Central Districts or ND.Wellington’s hopes of qualifying for the finals were dashed after they lost to Central Districts at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.CD lost Peter Ingram early after they were sent in to bat but a second-wicket partnership of 109 between How and George Worker set the stage for a big total. How blasted six sixes and nine fours in his 96 off just 42 balls, before he was dismissed by Jeetan Patel. Three more wickets for Patel, and a couple of run-outs kept CD’s middle order in check, but How’s impetus at the start was enough to carry them to 192 for 8 in 20 overs.Wellington started the chase in positive fashion, racing to 38 in four overs before Luke Wright was dismissed. Ian Blackwell then pegged the Wellington middle order back with three key strikes as the Wellington batsmen failed to build on their starts. They could only reach 163 for 6 in 20 overs to hand CD an easy 29-run win. CD are at second place in the points table, two points ahead of ND with one round of matches remaining.The game between last placed Otago and fourth placed Canterbury at Molyneux Park in Alexandra was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to rain.

There was little joy for Bangladesh as they suffered major humiliation at the hands of New Zealand in the series opener at Seddon Park

Andrew Fernando03-Feb-2010
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

How they were outBrendon McCullum’s aggression ensured an early finish as New Zealand completed the second-shortest successful chase in Twenty20 history•Getty Images

An abysmal all-round display from Bangladesh meant that New Zealand romped to a ten-wicket victory in just 8.2 overs in the tour opening Twenty20 match at Seddon Park. A mediocre bowling performance was not helped by an error-ridden fielding effort by the tourists, who dropped straightforward chances from each of the New Zealand openers. The match was, however, already lost by the visiting batsmen, who crashed to an embarrassing 78 after putting themselves in on what seemed to be a good batting surface.Daniel Vettori and spin partner Nathan McCullum completely foxed the Bangladesh middle order, snaring 5 wickets for 21 runs between them. Man of the match Vettori picked 3 for 6 and was close to unplayable, utilising the bounce and turn of the Hamilton wicket to brilliant effect.Daryl Tuffey ended with two wickets thanks to a tight line and length both in his opening spell and against the tail. Jacob Oram and James Franklin shared three wickets between them in the middle overs.Tamim Iqbal started off well, smashing Tim Southee over midwicket and straight down the ground in the second over, but was caught down the leg side, off a short ball that grazed his gloves, for 14. Aftab Ahmed, in his first Bangladesh appearance since April 2008, attempted to continue the momentum with a series of wild slogs to the leg side but managed to connect only once, lifting James Franklin over fine leg for six before being outdone by a yorker two balls later.The New Zealand spinners then came into play, making an instant impact on the match. Vettori had Mohammad Ashraful caught at deep point, attempting a lofted cover drive, before trapping Mushfiqur Rahim in front two balls later. Nathan McCullum had Shakib Al Hasan playing on to a straighter one, leaving Bangladesh in tatters at 42 for 5 in the eighth over. Both spinners were tough to get away and applied telling pressure, even as Bangladesh wickets continued to fall at an alarming rate. Mahmudullah fell to McCullum in his final over before Vettori had Shahadat Hossain stumped, playing down the wrong line.The tail provided some short-lived resistance, with Raqibul Hasan slogging his way to 18 from 13 deliveries, the top score for Bangladesh, but the home side’s pacemen were on hand to smartly polish off the tail with two overs to spare.New Zealand’s openers, Brendon McCullum and debutant Peter Ingram, started slowly, but accelerated once McCullum hit his straps, hammering 56 from 27 deliveries in an effortless innings that included two audacious scoops over the keeper’s head. Sloppy fielding and lacklustre bowling played their part in the touring side’s early demise, with the bowlers serving up several rank long-hops and the fielders conceding too many avoidable runs to create any semblance of pressure on the batsmen.Bangladesh will hope to recover from this humiliating defeat in time for the first ODI in Napier on Friday. However, the tour opener does provide an ominous sign for what is likely to be a lop-sided series unless the tourists raise their game drastically.

Sathvik and Esakkimuthu were the other key players in the game as Dindigul went down by 118 runs

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jul-2025A stellar TNPL season for Tushar Raheja ended with the opening batter leading IDream Tiruppur Tamizhans to their maiden title. The 24-year-old made 77 off 46 balls to propel his team to a total of 220 for 5 against Dindigul Dragons, who simply crumbled in the chase, getting bowled out for 102.Raheja finished the Tamil Nadu Premier League as its highest scorer with 488 runs at a strike rate of 186. His aggression at the top of the order helped Tiruppur dictate terms after they were put in to bat. Raheja hit six fours and four sixes and by the time he was dismissed in the 16th over, his team had 160 on the board.Amit Sathvik caused just as much damage, striking his fourth half-century in five T20s and taking him to third place (340) on the season’s highest run-getters list. The 22-year-old clattered eight fours and three sixes on his way to 65 off 34 balls as the Dragons bowlers were left scratching their heads. Four of the six they used had economy rates in the double-digits and even Ashwin (9) and Varun Chakravarthy (9.75) weren’t spared. With the platform set by the top-order, Tiruppur scored 60 runs off the last 4.5 overs to finish with 220 for 5.Dindigul were never in the chase, losing four wickets by the end of the powerplay. They were barely hanging on at the halfway stage, with eight of their batters already back in the pavilion. Raghupathy Silambarasan (2-12), T Natarajan (1-19), Mohan Prasath (2-18) and A Esakkimuthu (2-27) made significant impacts with the ball. The 23-year-old Esakkimuthu in his first professional T20 tournament ended up as its second-highest wicket-taker with 14 strikes at an economy rate of 7.46. Dindigul were bowled out in 14.4 overs as Sai Kishore and his men lifted the title.

Wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne has been recalled to the Test team

Firdose Moonda04-Dec-2023South Africa’s ODI captain Temba Bavuma and fast bowler Kagiso Rabada have been rested from their white-ball series against India later this month in order to prepare for the two Tests which follow. Bavuma captained South Africa to the semi-final at the recently completed ODI World Cup and remains the appointed 50-over captain but T20 skipper Aiden Markram will lead in his absence against India.Gerald Coetzee, Marco Jansen and Lungi Ngidi will only play the first two T20Is for the same reason. All of Bavuma, Rabada, Coetzee, Jansen and Ngidi will then play a round of domestic first-class matches from December 14 to 17 to prepare for the Tests. “We agreed that the Test side is the priority,” Shukri Conrad, South Africa’s Test coach, said at a press conference. “We are prioritising readiness for the Test matches given its the start of the World Test Championship (WTC).” His white-ball counterpart Rob Walter agreed.South Africa open their WTC campaign with the series against India and will then take a second-string side to New Zealand to play two Tests in February next year, when the majority of first-choice players will be involved in the SA20.Related

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With that in mind, batter David Bedingham, who has played as a local on an ancestral visa for Durham but has shelved plans to play for England and does not have an SA20 deal, has been included in the playing group. Also in line for a Test debut is batter Tristan Stubbs, who was South Africa A’s leading run-scorer on their winter tour to Sri Lanka, and left-arm seamer Nandre Burger. Wicket-keeper Kyle Verreynne and seamer Lungi Ngidi both make a return after being dropped last summer, with Heinrich Klaasen left out of the Test squad, though Conrad insisted it is “not the end of the road” for him.Anrich Nortje, who was ruled out of the World Cup with a lower back stress fracture, is unavailable across all formats. Nortje has not had surgery and is being monitored on a monthly basis. Cricket South Africa is hopeful he will be ready to play around February or March next year. He has been retained by his IPL franchise, the Delhi Capitals.There is also no space for Ryan Rickelton in any of the squads despite being given a central contract earlier this year and playing in their last Test series. Conrad explained he has fallen down the pecking order. “The guys that have come in – Stubbs and Bedingham – are ahead of him,” Conrad said. “I don’t think he challenges Kyle Verreynne as the wicket-keeper. At the time (that Rickelton played) there was no news on David’s availability and desire to play for South Africa and since then Stubbo has also showed so much.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Overall, Conrad is confident he has selected a squad that “can beat India,” while also looking ahead to the rest of the WTC, including away tours to New Zealand, West Indies and Bangladesh next year. “We might see a few changes for those tours as well. We will see the return of guys who, in those conditions, can help us win those series. It’s where the global game is at. You’ve got to be quite flexible in your selections and ensure guys are nice and fresh when they are called up.”A similar philosophy has been applied to the white-ball squads, where South Africa are looking ahead to the T20 World Cup and rebuilding post the ODI tournament. Reeza Hendricks is expected to get an extended run at the top of the order in both T20Is and ODIs, with Quinton de Kock out of the former to play in the BBL and retired from the latter. Matthew Breetzke will open the batting with Hendricks in the T20Is. Fast bowlers Burger and Ottniel Baartman are the only other uncapped players in the T20I group.South Africa only have this three match series against India before they leave for the World Cup in the Caribbean and the USA next year – where they will play West Indies immediately before the tournament – but have cautioned against viewing this squad as a replica of the T20 World Cup playing group because of the amount of franchise T20 cricket still to be played.”Given that some of our frontline bowlers are missing out and there are guys – let me throw it out there just to create some media hype – like Faf (du Plessis) and Rilee (Rossouw) as well as Quinny that could well be considered for a T20 World Cup and then also the SA20 that happens next year – 80% of the side picks itself but there is definitely a space for other guys to get themselves into the conversation,” Walter said. “The SA20 will be a very important competition as far as the World Cup goes. The household guys will most likely be there but it’s an exciting time for the guys that sit on the fringes.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The ODI squad is the most experimental, as is to be expected at the end of a World Cup cycle. South Africa have named one new cap, bowling allrounder Mihlali Mpongwana, who will form part of a young pace pack. Mpongwana was part of the recent South Africa A series against West Indies A and the joint second highest wicket-taker in the domestic one-day cup. Wiaan Mulder, Andile Phehlukwayo and Lizaad Williams (albeit conditional on the progress of a groin injury) will all get the chance to play as Rabada, Ngidi and Jansen are rested. Keshav Maharaj – who has been named in all three squads – and Tabraiz Shamsi form the spin attack, with no space for Bjorn Fortuin.South Africa have stuck with a fairly experienced batting line-up including Markram, Klaasen, Rassie van der Dussen (who did not get a Test recall) and David Miller but will also look to give an opportunity to Tony de Zorzi. Dewald Brevis, who was the third highest run-scorer in the domestic one-day cup, has not been included. “The better the player that’s getting left out, the better our system is,” Walter said. “There isn’t space for all of the young batters all the time. He will definitely play again.”South Africa’s ODI outfit have no fixtures other than the matches against India this season, with the focus to move back to 50-over cricket before the next World Cup. Having reached the final four, Walter assessed the tournament as a success for the team as they move towards a home World Cup in 2027. “The general sense after the tournament was really positive. It was disappointing to miss out (on the final) and it knocks you hard. But the guys were proud and I was proud of the way we played.”South Africa T20I squad: Aiden Markram (captain), Ottniel Baartman, Matthew Breetzke, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee (1st and 2nd T20Is), Donovan Ferreira, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen (1st and 2nd T20Is), Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi (1st and 2nd T20Is), Andile Phehlukwayo , Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Lizaad WilliamsSouth Africa ODI squad: Aiden Markram (captain), Ottniel Baartman, Nandre Burger, Tony de Zorzi, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Mihlali Mpongwana, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Andile Phehlukwayo, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne, Lizaad WilliamsSouth Africa Test squad: Temba Bavuma (captain), David Bedingham, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Dean Elgar, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Keegan Petersen, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs and Kyle Verreynne

Although conditions in Perth should suit the quicks, Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga looms as a threat

Tristan Lavalette24-Oct-20224:41

What makes the SL spinners a threat even in Australia?

Allrounder Mitchell Marsh has declared himself fit to bowl in a much-needed confidence boost for Australia, whose T20 World Cup title defence is on the line against Sri Lanka at Optus Stadium on Tuesday.While fellow favourites India and England started their campaigns with statement wins, albeit in contrasting fashion, hosts Australia are on the back foot after a thumping 89-run opening defeat to New Zealand at the SCG.It has meant Australia’s net run rate is already an eyesore and winning their remaining four games might not be enough to get into the semi-finals given the cut-throat nature of the tournament.Having finally recovered from a lingering ankle injury, Marsh should add much-needed versatility for an Australian attack still reeling from a pummeling by rampant openers Finn Allen and Devon Conway.Related

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He has not bowled since the Zimbabwe ODI series in August, playing as a specialist No. 3 batter in the lead up matches and against New Zealand.”I’m available to bowl. I love preparing as an allrounder and making sure I’m in the game the whole time,” Marsh told reporters in Perth on Monday.His seam bowling will provide another option for skipper Aaron Finch in the powerplay after Australia leaked 65 runs against New Zealand. To balance the attack, Finch prefers utilising an allrounder – either Marsh, Marcus Stoinis or offspinner Glenn Maxwell – in the opening six overs.Against New Zealand, Stoinis, who himself had only recently returned from a side strain, conceded 10 runs in the fourth over as Finch only used five bowlers with Maxwell strangely overlooked on an SCG pitch that gripped as the game wore on.”I think with me bowling, it gives us that added flexibility of myself, Maxi or Stoin can get four overs out. And we can bowl anywhere,” Marsh said.After such a disastrous start to their title defence, question marks continue to hover over Australia with Steven Smith and young allrounder Cameron Green, who replaced the injury Josh Inglis, on the outside looking in.Mitchell Marsh would be a valuable bowling option for Aaron Finch•AFP

But Australia are expected to back the same line-up, packed with big-hitters, as they attempt to lift off the canvas much like they spectacularly did 12 months ago in the UAE.In the aftermath of Saturday’s defeat, spinner Adam Zampa said Marsh attempted an ice breaker in the team’s dejected changing rooms by saying: “Perfect, this is right where we wanted to be – backs against the wall”.While a smiling Marsh doesn’t recall the quip, jokingly saying he was “thrown under the bus” by Zampa, he did believe it was an approach worth adopting.”We don’t really have a choice,” he said. “The nature of the tournament…you lose one game, your back is up against the wall and we know what’s in front of us. It’s just really important to stick together.”Even though Perth has experienced inclement weather in recent days, fortunately not impacting the tournament, there is no forecast for rain on Tuesday with the Optus Stadium pitch expected to again be bouncy and fast.England speedster Mark Wood bowled the fastest spell recorded in T20Is during Saturday’s game against Afghanistan, whose batters consistently holed out on the deep square boundaries on a ground with the same dimensions as the MCG.Marsh tipped Australia quicks Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood to bowl rapidly. “We’ll certainly have an aggressive approach. We know that the three big bowlers when they get going, theý’re very hard to stop,” he said. I think certainly after the other night we’ll see a big response from them.”Even though Optus Stadium, which essentially mimics the WACA’s iconic pitch, has characteristics perfectly suited for quicks, spinners can be effective in the middle overs by bowling back of a length, stymying batters on the vast square boundaries.England’s high-octane batting order was tied down by Afghanistan’s spin-heavy attack as they made hard work of chasing 113, which they reached with 11 balls to spare.After being stunned by Namibia in their opener in Geelong, Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka have steadily improved with three straight wins led by legspinner Wanindu Hasaranga who has taken nine wickets at an average of just 9.78 in the tournament.”He’s obviously a very good bowler and someone we’ll have to counteract,” Marsh said of Hasaranga, who has taken 10 T20I wickets at 16.40 this year against Australia in five matches over two series in Australia and Sri Lanka.”Hopefully spin doesn’t play a huge factor at Perth Stadium and we can really attack them [Sri Lanka’s spinners]. We play spin very well in Australian conditions.”After Sri Lanka, Australia face England at the MCG which is still probably heaving after last night’s epic game between India and Pakistan.England allrounder Sam Curran has lit fuel to the high stakes contest by saying he wants to put Australia in a “tricky position”.Marsh, however, said Australia’s focus was solely on Sri Lanka. “That’s all that matters to us,” he said of the clash expected to attract around 25,000 fans to the 60,000-seat stadium.”Hopefully we play well, get past that and then move on to England.”

Dockrell is averaging 101.28 since Ireland’s inter-provincial competition gained List A status in 2017

Matt Roller01-Jun-2021George Dockrell’s Instagram bio reads: “If I were right-handed, I probably wouldn’t have a job.” There is some logic amid the self-deprecation: left-handers are hugely over-represented in international cricket compared to the wider population on account of their scarcity value and, in the case of left-arm fingerspinners like Dockrell, their ability to spin the ball away from right-hand batters.It is a good line, but one he is on track to delete from his profile. While his bowling returns have tailed off, he has been a revelation with the bat. A No. 10 or 11 for the first five years of his international career, Dockrell has become the most consistent batter in Irish limited-overs cricket, winning a recall to the ODI squad to face Netherlands in three World Cup Super League fixtures this week as a batting allrounder. Since Ireland’s inter-provincial competition gained List A status in 2017, he has scored 709 runs for Leinster Lightning in 17 innings while averaging 101.28.

Tector back after eye surgery

Wednesday’s first ODI will be Harry Tector’s first international appearance since undergoing laser eye surgery six weeks ago.
“My surgeon told me that if I didn’t have the job done in April, it wouldn’t be possible to get it done until the end of the year,” Tector, Ireland’s most promising young batter, told the .
“He told me the recovery time was four to six weeks and I trusted his judgment.
“I’d say I’m probably at 90% of where I will get to but already I’m very happy with the results.”

“It’s not something I would ever have realised was a possibility,” he told ESPNcricinfo before leaving for Utrecht. “It feels absolutely fantastic, and like a real appreciation for the work I’ve put in. I was an opening batter for the Irish Under-13s and that was my first skill – through underage stuff, I’d have considered myself an allrounder. But once I made my debut, I didn’t give it much focus for a few years.”In my last couple of years playing county cricket at Somerset, it was really tough getting into the side and I realised that I needed to have a bit more about me in terms of my batting and my fielding.Related

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“My bowling hasn’t exactly kicked on the way I’d have liked from my early career, but I’ve been able to keep putting my hand up with the bat. I got a couple of ODI fifties against Afghanistan, and this season, with the restructuring as to how the squads are selected domestically [several of Leinster’s top batters have moved to other provinces] that’s allowed me to get up into one of those batting spots at No. 5.”Dockrell, Ireland’s third-highest wicket-taker in ODIs, was the ICC’s associate player of the year in 2012 and is perhaps best known for trapping Sachin Tendulkar lbw in the 2011 World Cup when just 18. But his performances with the ball have stagnated in recent years to the extent that he lost both his spot in the Ireland team and, at the end of last year, his central contract.Having also been dropped for the tour to the UAE in January and then declining the opportunity to tour Bangladesh in the spring with the Wolves – which is the Ireland A side – due to concerns about travelling mid-pandemic, Dockrell has had a flying start to the season with four fifties and an unbeaten hundred in five Inter-Pro innings.His form led Andy Balbirnie, Ireland’s captain, to mention him in the same sentence as Steven Smith while commentating on a Wolves fixture earlier this month, and while Dockrell laughs off the comparison, he sees it as vindication on his investment.”I’d be pretty happy with that [comparison],” he said. “Coming through at Somerset I used to live with Lewis Gregory for four or five years. He came in as a batter and is now a bowler, really, but you can see he’s incredibly talented and has that foundation. There are lots of people who can make that transition.”This is my 11th year as a professional and that has allowed me so much time working on my batting. I’ve been lucky that I’ve been involved for that long and that I’ve been able to keep chipping away – and that coaches have helped me even when I was batting at No. 9 or 10 and adding very little value. I guess it proves it’s worth it down the line.”Dockrell also attributes his form this season with the fact that he is now balancing cricket with work commitments, allowing him to throw his energy into the limited opportunities he has to train and play. While he is on a retainer contract with Cricket Ireland after losing his central contract at the end of last year, he has also been interning as a technology consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in the third year of his data science degree at Dublin City University.”They’ve been fantastic in supporting me through it,” Dockrell said. “In terms of timing, it wasn’t the worst: there’s obviously more of a focus on that now and a little less time on the cricket. That’s maybe taken a bit of the weight away from my cricket and means that when I’m there, I’m fully enjoying it – and maybe a little bit more driven when I do get the opportunity to play.”I’ve done a lot of work on my batting with Pete Johnston [the Wolves coach] and Nigel Jones [the Lightning coach] at Leinster Lightning, but a huge part of it is the mental side of my game: being more prepared and being incredibly clear about what I want to do when I’m batting. When you’re working through the week and you know you have your one day off to play, you’re absolutely going to make the most of that as best you can.”In the series against Netherlands, who are without several first-choice players due to county commitments, Dockrell is set to balance the side as a batting allrounder at No. 5, with both Curtis Campher and Gareth Delany ruled out through injury.”Having that ability to turn the ball away from the right-handers is always useful,” he said. “I’m still working away at my bowling and I quite enjoy the balance now of less pressure on it, and seeing it as something I can add to the team. I’d like to put my hand up for a batting spot, but I’ve never been fussy: I think I’ve batted every position from No. 6-11 for Ireland and if there’s an opportunity to go a little bit higher, I’d be delighted.”And as for his Instagram bio? “I might have to delete that if things go well this year. That’d be a lovely place to get to. Maybe this time next year I can get rid of it.”

Quick who helped SA get their T20 series against Australia back on track reveals the importance of music in his life

Firdose Moonda24-Feb-2020When Kagiso Rabada earned his fourth active demerit point in a 24-month period and was suspended from the final Test against England last month, his father sent him a little something to make him feel better and it’s not what you might expect.”I sent him a song about the ICC. To cheer him up,” Dr Mpho Rabada said, at the launch of his new track, , a collaboration with family friend and music student Motswedi Modiba at the Red Bull Studios in Cape Town.The song was inspired by the idea of being able to take flight and its message of positivity is quite unlike the one Rabada senior composed on the fly when he heard that his son had fallen foul of the game’s governing body again. Neither of the Rabadas would share the content but Mpho Rabada said it was “quite hilarious,” and hoped that “maybe one day,” his son would release it. Judging by the look on Kagiso Rabada’s face it will be a long time before that happens. But, asked if he could sing something to the ICC, Rabada brightened up and offered a few chords. “Please don’t judge me,” he started, before the room gave way to giggles.At least everyone could see the lighter side of what has been a tough summer for South African cricket and Kagiso Rabada, who, at 24 years old, is already five years into his international career. In that time, injuries to more experienced quicks meant that he was quickly elevated to leader of the pack while he was trying to find a level of aggression that intimidated opposition but did not tip him over the ICC’s code of conduct edge.Kagiso Rabada roars in celebration after bowling Joe Root•Marco Longari/AFP/Getty

It’s little wonder he needs an outlet off the field and he has found it on the turntables. “Music has always been a part of me and my family. It’s something to get away and just think about something else,” Rabada Jnr said.His father shares a passion for the beat and the pair spend time together experimenting with sounds, mixing tracks and seeing what happens. That’s where Modiba comes in. She is the daughter of Mpho Rabada’s best friend and an aspiring singer, who is influenced by gospel music. While Modiba and Mpho have taken the step up and released a single, Kagiso has been working with DJ Da Capo on some house music, which the pair have yet to put the finishing touches on, given their busy schedules.So for now, music remains a hobby for Kagiso Rabada, and a motivator as he goes about trying to get the South African team and his own performances back on track. Like many sportsmen, he can be spotted with headphones on when he gets off the team bus; most of the time, he is listening to traditional tunes. “For me to get inspiration, that comes from tribal music, African tribal. That gets me going, the different sounds, the chants, it’s like I am bonding with my ancestors,” he said.With music such an important part of his process, it’s not a surprise that he bonds with the crowd at St George’s Park, famed for their brass band. Last Sunday, when South Africa beat Australia in a tense T20 to square the series and Rabada bowled a decisive penultimate over, he could feel the fans acting as a 12th man.”The atmosphere was really electric. That was the first time in a while where I actually felt the crowd, other than being at the Wanderers,” he said. “The Wanderers is my favourite ground because of the electrical atmosphere. Yesterday was similar to what I felt at the Wanderers, it was a sell-out and the band came out and we were in it together.”Singer Motswedi Modiba, Kagiso Rabada and his father, Dr Mpho Rabada, at the launch of a new music track by Modiba and Rabada Snr•Firdose Moonda/ESPNcricinfo Ltd

That is a rarity in South Africa, especially this season, when most of the spectators were traveling English supporters. During the white-ball games that changed, with capacity crowds of mostly local supporters and it is set to stay that way for the deciding T20 against Australia on Wednesday and the three ODIs that follow.Generally, though, South Africans don’t fill out cricket grounds and Kagiso Rabada thinks the team’s performances have something to do with it. “We have to win and we have to entertain the crowd,” he said “People need to feel an interest towards the game, even more of an interest than they feel already, to want to go the stadium and witness international cricket. If they realise that the skill level is going up, the professionalism is going up and they are going to be entertained, they might come.”Though South Africa’s results have been poor of late, even when they were No.1 in the world Test crowds were thin, which could be attributed to anything from lack of interest to lack of time to lack of marketing. Cricket South Africa has been embroiled in various crises since the failed T20 Global League almost three years ago and has lost major sponsors. At best, they have appeared out of touch with their audience, at worst, uninterested.Kagiso Rabada spent time last week experiencing the opposite when he traveled to the NBA All-Star game. While his highlight was seeing LeBron James because he “admires watching other sportsmen doing well in their craft,” he also saw first-hand how a sport can speak the same language as its supporters.”What fascinated me the most was how it’s marketed and how it’s really fresh and they keep with the times,” he said. “It’s got everybody talking about it. It doesn’t have an age barrier. If you are older, you can go there and feel young because that energy is electrifying. Music and sport go together in America, the in-thing is trap music and the hip culture. It just feels as if the culture is so inviting and they are always staying on top of it. There is tradition, yes but they keep with the times.”Sounds like a message to cricket to get the DJs in and they know the Rabada household has a few they can start with.