Rangana Herath became the second Sri Lanka bowler – and the 12th from the subcontinent -to take 1000 first-class wickets.

Shiva Jayaraman17-Mar-2017Rangana Herath became the second player from Sri Lanka to take 1000 first-class wickets when he dismissed Mustafizur Rahman in Bangladesh’s first innings in the Colombo Test. Muttiah Muralitharan, with 1374 wickets from 232 Tests, is the only other bowler from Sri Lanka with 1000 first-class wickets.

Herath is the 12th bowler from the subcontinent to take 1000 first-class wickets and the first to the milestone since Danish Kaneria, who had taken his 1000th wicket in 2011-12. Apart from Herath and Kaneria, seven other spinners from the subcontinent have taken at least 1000 first-class wickets. Imran Khan, Sarfraz Nawaz and Wasim Akram – all from Pakistan – are the only fast bowlers. Overall, Pakistan legspinner Intikhab Alam leads the wickets list for the subcontinent bowlers with 1571 from 489 matches. India’s Bishen Bedi is the only other bowler from the subcontinent to take 1500 wickets.

Herath joins Bedi as the second left-arm orthodox spinner from the subcontinent to collect 1000 first-class victims. Overall, 30 left-arm orthodox spinners have taken 1000 first-class wickets. Wilfred Rhodes leads the list of left-arm orthodox spinners, and also the all-time wicket-takers’ list in first-class cricket, with 4204 victims.Another Sri Lanka bowler, Dinuka Hettiarachchi, is the closest among active players to achieving the milestone. Hettiarachchi has taken 929 wickets at an average of 23.36 from 222 matches. He is followed by another Sri Lankan Sajeewa Weerakoon, who has 802 wickets from 188 matches.

Dean Elgar has steadily worked himself into form in an early-season stint at Somerset, and he is itching to extend South Africa’s record in Test series in England

Firdose Moonda28-Jun-2017Never mind the bilateral white-ball series that no-one will even remember took place; never mind another major tournament failure that no-one will forget, the real stuff in South Africa’s tour to England starts now. At least if you ask Dean Elgar.”What’s happened throughout the summer with the one-dayers and the Champions Trophy and the T20s is in the past,” Elgar said in Worcester, where he will lead South Africa against England Lions in a three-day tour match ahead of the four-Test series next month. “It’s time to crack on with the proper format of Test cricket now.”Many will agree. Given South Africa’s record in multi-team tournaments compared to their reputation in whites, Test cricket is where they have built their reputation in the recent past. Since beating England in 2008, South Africa have gone on to win in Australia three times, in New Zealand twice, in West Indies, Sri Lanka and the UAE and, though they were blitzed 3-0 in India at the end of 2015, they rose five places on the Test rankings last summer to sit at No.2.The last time they came to England in 2012, they were in the same position. Though they cannot claim the Test mace with a series win on this occasion, this tour could set the tone for a showdown against India in the home summer, and Elgar expects the squad to be up for it. “It’s a different energy that’s within the Test side. Irrespective of how things have gone in the past, the energy is always in a good place for Test cricket,” he said.Mood is going to be an important factor for South Africa because they have seemed to be in a bad one since arriving in the UK a month ago. Amid uncertainty over AB de Villiers’ future, angst over Faf du Plessis’ availability for the first Test as he awaits the birth of his child, and an emergency in Russell Domingo’s family which will result in the tour match, and perhaps even the start of the Test series, taking place without the presence of their coach, South Africa have been unsettled. Add to that the hefty defeats the A team suffered in two of three four-day games and England might think they hold the advantage. Elgar, however, sees an opportunity to exploit some recent movements in the opposition’s set-up, not least the appointment of Joe Root as Alastair Cook’s successor.”England also seem to be a team that is going through a bit of a change with a new captain. I’m sure he has got his own things he wants to implement and I’m sure they are not 100% sure of their final XI,” Elgar said.The identity of Cook’s opening partner is still being debated, and a decision will only be made at the weekend. Some of their Lions’ players have returned to their counties for a round of pink-ball matches – a format Elgar of which seems far from convinced after calling himself an “old-school traditionalist” who believes Tests are played “with a red ball and white clothes” – others are pre-occupied with the one-day cup final between Nottinghamshire and Surrey, and the rest are facing South Africa in the practice match so there’s a lot for the selectors to think about.South Africa, on the other hand, have made their pick. Heino Kuhn will accompany Elgar at the top after Stephen Cook was axed. Elgar is pleased with his new partner, who is also a domestic team-mate. “Heino is a highly experienced player back home,” Elgar said. “He has played a lot of seasons of cricket and he is quite familiar with his game-plans at the moment. It’s great to see him finally get an opportunity.”Heino and I are best of mates. We’ve been that for many years back home and we open the batting together back home. He is not unfamiliar to me. I’m sure our chemistry will go out onto the field.”Other new names include another opening batsman in Aiden Markram, who is the squad as cover in case du Plessis is not back in time, and allrounder Andile Phehlukwayo, but more of the focus will be on the absentees. Local media asked Elgar how the South Africans will cope without AB de Villiers – on a sabbatical from the longest format – and Dale Steyn – who is recovering from a shoulder injury. His answer? “We’ve missed AB and Steyn for the last two series and we’ve had guys who’ve put up their hands and put in massive performances. Having them the side is great but in my opinion we’ve got guys who have come in now and are really trying to make the position their own. In terms of selection now, they have definitely earned their right within the team. The game carries on which is quite important.”Even without their two heavyweights, South Africa have beaten Australia, Sri Lanka and New Zealand, while their Test unit has solidified. Those results will give them confidence, especially if they have to start the series minus du Plessis. If that happens, Elgar will take over the leadership and he will have a practice run at it over the next three days. Elgar’s captaincy experience includes six matches at first-class level and the Under-19 World Cup in 2006, and he has a strategy in place for the role at this level. “You’ve got to put your pride away and think of yourself as someone that can influence an environment,” he said. “The leadership qualities that you possess have to come out.”As someone with a forthright personality and an obvious fighting spirit, Elgar can also be expected to lead by example, with form on his side. In six County Championship matches for Somerset, Elgar scored 517 runs at 47.00 including two centuries and is nicely familiarised with English conditions and players. He knows what South Africa will come up against and he knows they need to treat everything, including the warm-up in Worcester, as the real thing.”We’ve got to hit the ground running. The series starts tomorrow and it’s going to be vitally important for us to have some prep,” he said. “We’ve got to compete against a very good England Lions side. To get that competitive edge is a big thing for us. Naturally the guys will have that instinct in them. It’s a very big three days of cricket we have ahead.”

India’s struggle to find a long-term No. 4 in ODIs is illustrated by the fact that they have tried 11 batsmen in that position since the 2015 World Cup. Manish Pandey and KL Rahul are now vying for that role, and it is imperative India give them time to f

Alagappan Muthu22-Sep-2017Since the 2015 World Cup, India have won six out of nine bilateral series, and played the final of an ICC tournament. In that same period, they have also tried 11 different batsmen at No. 4. Such a drastic turnover rate – no other team has had to dig through their reserves to such an extent – can’t be helpful but so far it hasn’t proved costly to Virat Kohli and his men.That’s only because there have been some pretty stirring rescue acts. In Chennai, Hardik Pandya intervened. In Kolkata, Bhuvneshwar Kumar. In Pallekele, MS Dhoni weathered a Sri Lankan uprising. In London, there was no one.No. 4 is a vital position in any form of cricket. And in ODIs it requires an exacting set of skills. The flexibility to raise the tempo of an innings going well or rebuild one that is going horribly wrong, the wherewithal to look ahead, but not so far that it starts playing with the mind, and the confidence to adeptly play both pace and spin.India are on the hunt to find men who can step up to these demands, investing in Kedar Jadhav (30 ODIs) Manish Pandey (15 ODIs) and KL Rahul (10 ODIs) as middle-order options. It is far too early to discard any of them, with Jadhav averaging 46.20, Pandey 38.88 and Rahul 35.42. But that doesn’t mean their performances won’t be judged.There was a great opportunity at Eden Gardens. Australia were in strife. Their two main bowlers, and wicketkeeper, were suffering under the glare of a scorching sun. Two top-order batsmen had already made fifties. If all went well, India would soar past 300.Pandey was in at No. 4. He was new to the crease and would have felt vulnerable. Everyone does at that stage. But he had walked onto a solid platform – 121 for 2 with more than half the innings left. If he showed proper care, he had the time to get in and go big. But a quicker delivery from Ashton Agar floored him. India then went on to lose three more wickets between overs 36 and 40 and had to rely on Bhuvneshwar, a man who has confessed he struggles to hit boundaries, for that crucial final push.In an alternate reality, Pandey would have overcome his nervous start – as he does in the IPL – and Australia would have been forced to call back their main bowlers – as opposed to Kane Richardson relieving Nathan Coulter-Nile – and the total would have been much larger than 252.Doing little things like that well is what India want from their No. 4. But they might have to make changes to the way they go about rectifying this situation too.It is now apparent that an ageing Yuvraj Singh was only a stop-gap solution ahead of the Champions Trophy. And that his tally of 358 runs in nine innings over the last two years remains unchallenged speaks of how no one in the pipeline has been able to impress.KL Rahul faces a delivery in the nets•AFPHere are their tales: Rahul has been challenged to remodel himself if he wants a place in the ODI XI. Ajinkya Rahane functions as back-up opener. Manoj Tiwary, Dinesh Karthik and Ambati Rayudu have vanished. Perhaps moving Dhoni up might help – his first instinct now is to accumulate rather than attack – but there may yet be more merit in keeping him at No. 5 or 6 because then there are more chances of him batting with, and helping mould, Hardik Pandya.So let’s look at the latest to put their hands up. In Sri Lanka, Rahul was given first dibs at No. 4. But he was upstaged by Pandey. Now Pandey has not started well against Australia. What are India going to do?Both players are talented. One of them made his maiden ODI hundred away from home and it won them the game. The other is one of three batsmen in the country with centuries in all formats. The most viable point of separation between them is the fact that Pandey has been playing as a middle-order batsman for most of his life whereas Rahul has built his career as an opener.It may not be decision time yet, with the World Cup a couple of years away, but it is difficult to ignore the feeling that if one of them is given a longer rope, they just might become what the team is looking for. After all, Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan are India’s best one-day batsmen and they know exactly what positions they’ll bat at. Every single time.

Scoops, sweeps, infamous drops and audacious hitting – the Champions Trophy had it all

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jun-2017Buttler’s hitting endangers a cameraman
England became the first side to secure a semi-final berth, with a victory against New Zealand. Key to that was Jos Buttler’s unbeaten 48-ball 61. During his innings, Buttler played an astonishing ramp shot off Trent Boult that nearly wiped out the cameraman positioned on the gantry above the sight-screen. Ramp shots are usually played off full or length deliveries, but this was a short ball from Boult. Buttler had moved across his stumps and was preparing to crouch down, but when he saw the length, he adjusted quickly, stood up tall and just scooped the ball straight over the wicketkeeper’s head.The Wood over Williamson•Getty ImagesWood startles Williamson
Chasing 311 against England, New Zealand reached 158 for 2 in 30.1 overs. With Kane Williamson batting on 87, they had a chance to take the game down to the wire. Then, Mark Wood, England’s fastest bowler, produced a ripping cross-seam ball that got big on Williamson and brushed his glove on the way to the wicketkeeper. The wicket gave England the edge, and they ended up running through the lower middle order.Asela Gunaratne likes to make a mockery of the coaching manual•AFPGunaratne sweeps Bumrah for six
There were some outrageous shots played in Sri Lanka’s successful chase of 322 against India at The Oval, none more incredible than Asela Gunaratne’s sweep for six off Jasprit Bumrah. Sri Lanka were cruising to victory, and Gunaratne was in a hurry to finish the game off. The shot he played off Bumrah was not a ramp or a scoop. It was a genuine sweep, the kind batsmen play off spinners. He got down on one knee to a full ball and used the pace to lift the ball over the square-leg boundary.What is this strange feeling? AB de Villiers was introduced to the a golden duck•AFPA golden duck for de Villiers
AB de Villiers had never been out first ball in his long and illustrious one-day career. Against Pakistan, with South Africa in trouble at 61 for 2, he made the strange decision of trying to smash the first delivery he faced, off left-arm spinner Imad Wasim. He miscued, and the catch was taken at point. The moment was a turning point for Pakistan, who were now firmly back in the tournament after being written off. South Africa lost and were later dumped out of the tournament before the knockouts.Hasan Ali’s hates a set of upright stumps•PA ImagesHasan Ali bamboozles Parnell
If you want to watch just one ball from Man of the Series Hasan Ali in the Champions Trophy – you really should watch more – let it be the jaffa to Wayne Parnell. Hasan was bowling around the wicket and angled one in to Parnell. The ball should have ended up on leg stump, but midway through its journey it swung away and straightened. Parnell was looking to flick it through the leg side, but the ball was nowhere near his bat and smashed into off stump. It was Hasan’s second wicket in two balls, and it put Pakistan right on top in the game.Where did all my luck go? Lasith Malinga had Sarfraz Ahmed dropped twice of his bowling in a virtual quarter-final•Getty ImagesThisara Perera drops Sarfraz Ahmed
Pakistan played exciting cricket to win the Champions Trophy, but they also needed a little bit of luck on the way. Against Sri Lanka, in a virtual quarter-final, they were tottering at 162 for 7 chasing 237. A steady partnership between captain Sarfraz and Mohammad Amir kept them alive, but with 43 still needed to win, Sarfraz chipped a Lasith Malinga slower ball straight to mid-on. This was the kind of catch you expect school kids to take quite easily. The ball floated gently to Thisara Perera, but inexplicably, he dropped it. Sarfraz was dropped again in Malinga’s next over, and Pakistan sneaked into the semis.Pakistan simply couldn’t have enough Fakhar Zamans on the field•Getty ImagesFakhar Zaman takes a blinder
Pakistan had been slammed for their shoddy fielding in their first game of the tournament, against India. By the semi-final, though, they were a different side. When Moeen Ali top-edged a Junaid Khan bouncer, it did not look like Fakhar Zaman would reach the ball from square leg. He sprinted to his left and then dived to hold on to the catch. The ball was slightly behind him when he took it, which made the catch even more remarkable. England were already in trouble before that dismissal, but losing Moeen made their situation dire. They never recovered, and Pakistan stormed into the final.Beware Kedar Jadhav’s side arm… action•Getty ImagesKedar Jadhav gets Tamim with a side-arm ballBangladesh were scoring briskly against India in the semi-final when Virat Kohli turned to the part-time offspin of Kedar Jadhav His skiddy slower deliveries kept the batsmen quiet before he dealt a crucial blow to send back Tamim Iqbal for 70. What was remarkable about the ball, a straight and full delivery that Tamim tried to slog-sweep and missed, was that Jadhav changed his action significantly for it. His arm, which starts quite wide anyway, was almost down around his waist when he delivered it, and it was, perhaps, the trajectory that deceived Tamim.The hand of Erasmus signalling Fakhar Zaman to come back and cause chaos•AFPBumrah gets Zaman off a no-ball
Fakhar Zaman’s 114 set up Pakistan’s massive win in the final, but he could have been dismissed for just 3 had Bumrah sorted out his habit of overstepping. India had begun well after putting Pakistan in to bat, bowling tight lines to Zaman. Bumrah then tempted Zaman with width, and he fished outside off and edged behind. The celebrations had begun before umpire Marius Erasmus stopped Zaman from leaving to check if it was a no-ball. It was, and Zaman made India pay heavily.With shots like these, Fakhar Zaman might not be the best friend of the cricket purist•Getty ImagesZaman slaps Ashwin for six
Zaman was involved in the run-out of his opening partner, Azhar Ali. Logic may have suggested he be circumspect, but he attacked by smashing a massive six and two fours off one Ravindra Jadeja over. But it was the shot he played in the next one, bowled by R Ashwin, that typified his knock. He came down the wicket but was nowhere near the pitch of the ball. Rather than trying to check his stroke, he just lunged towards the ball with his body and cross-batted it down the ground for a flat six. He was off balance, his feet were all over the place, and so was his head, but his power and timing were enough to get the ball over the rope. When Virat Kohli later said there was not much his bowlers could do about high-risk shots coming off, this was probably the shot he was thinking of.Mohammad Amir’s dismissal of Virat Kohli dashed India’s hopes of a comeback win•Getty ImagesMohammad Amir bags the big fish
India were set 339 to win in the final and needed their top three, especially captain Virat Kohli, to fire to give them a chance. Mohammad Amir removed Rohit Sharma with a peach of a delivery that swung back in to Rohit and trapped him lbw. Then, he got Kohli to edge one to slip, where Azhar Ali put down a straightforward catch. Indian fans had not finished breathing their sigh of relief when, next ball, Amir drew another mistake from Kohli. This time, the leading edge was caught at point, and the title was Pakistan’s.

ESPNcricinfo joins up with our team of supporters to preview the South Group in the NatWest T20 Blast

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jul-2017South Group

Essex Eagles
Captain: Ryan ten Doeschate
Overseas: Mohammad Amir (Pak)
One to Watch: Amir, fresh from his Champions Trophy triumph with Pakistan, will give the Eagles real star quality.
Last Finals Day appearance: 2013 (Semi-finals)
bet365: 14

Supporters Zone: Essex will get to Finals day. The lower order hitting often led by Ryan ten Doeschate and Azhar Zaidi along with Varun Chopra, Dan Lawrence and Tom Westley at the top will see the batting prosper. Simon Harmer is in red hot form, Zaidi will add some spice to the bowling with Jamie Porter and Paul Walter keeping it tight. Mohammad Amir will be influential under lights but the key man is all-rounder Bopara who can script a fairy tale on Finals day. Watch out for Adam Wheater playing as a batsman and youngster Kishen Velani as a pinch hitter.
Chanaka Wirasinha

Glamorgan
Captain: Jacques Rudolph
Overseas: Rudolph (SA) – plus fellow South Africans Colin Ingram and Marchant de Lange as Kolpaks.
One to Watch: Ingram hit a record-equalling 29 sixes in last year’s competition to lead Glamorgan to a home quarter final.
Last Finals Day appearance: 2004 (Semi-finals)
bet365: 25

Supporters Zone: Glamorgan’s surfeit of allrounders suit the short form. Ingram was dominant in the Royal London Cup and should expect to be so here, backed up by big hitting from Aneurin Donald, David Lloyd, and Chris Cooke. The pace bowling is also strong, but a lack of spin quality and tendency to collapse probably means a quarter-final place would be a success.
Matt Yano

Gloucestershire
Captain: Michael Klinger
Overseas: Klinger (Aus), Thisara Perera (SL)
One to Watch: Has to be Klinger – a run machine for the last four seasons.
Last Finals Day appearance: 2007 (Runners-up)
bet365: 16

Supporters Zone: Every time the cricket journalists make Gloucestershire favourites for a game they lose. The Glosters need to be underdogs to succeed and so this season looks set to be a winning one. Thisan Perera will find he plays like a Chris Gayle at Bristol, just like Michael Klinger does, and Benny Howell and Jack Taylor’s performances will once again embarrass the England selectors.

James Young

Hampshire
Captain: James Vince
Overseas: George Bailey (Aus), Shahid Afridi (Pak)
One to Watch: Mason Crane, the 20-year-old leg-spinner, showed his star potential in two T20 international appearances for England last month.
Last Finals Day appearance: 2015 (Semi-finals)
bet365: 11

Supporters Zone: Prediction? Finals day, I think. We have a good record at getting that far and we have been playing well recently. Spin twins of Mason Crane and Shahid Afridi make us worth watching, to go with some elegant stroke makers. Our ability to collapse with the bat will let us down though.

Matt Warwick

Kent Spitfires
Captain: Sam Northeast
Overseas: Adam Milne (NZ), Jimmy Neesham (NZ)
One to Watch: Sam Billings – after travelling the world as a T20 specialist this winter, would love to lead Kent to an overdue Finals Day return.
Last Finals Day appearance: 2009 (Semi-finals)
bet365: 16

Supporters Zone: Kent will look to harvest the fruits of the kiwi with bowling relying heavily on Adam Milne’s pace. Jimmy Neesham provides batting fire power to support Darren Stevens and Sam Billings; expect Kent to chase as often as possible. Sam Northeast’s captaincy of his bowlers could be pivotal to a successful campaign.
Chris Smith

Dan Vettori and Brendon McCullum make up a formidable brains trust at Middlesex•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesMiddlesex
Captain: Brendon McCullum / Dawid Malan
Overseas: McCullum (NZ), Tim Southee (NZ)
One to Watch: Malan, a clean hitter, has had international recognition and could be reaching his peak. He can only be helped by the involvement of Dan Vettori, who has been appointed as a specialist T20 coach.
bet365: 11

Supporters Zone: Middlesex made their first quarter-final in nine years last year, and will fancy their chances once again. In Brendon McCullum, Eoin Morgan, and now Malan, there is international quality with the bat, and expect contributions from Paul Stirling and Nick Gubbins too. The bowling is much improved too, though may lack a little nous at the death – long Middlesex’s Achilles heel. Middlesex are a very streaky side – if they get off to a good start they can fly, but if they lose their first few, things could fall apart pretty quickly (see every T20 season bar 2008). Lord’s isn’t your ‘traditional’ ground for T20 with fireworks and loud music, but there’ll be plenty of full houses, and the atmosphere for the London derby next Surrey will be electric.
Will Atkins, @willatkins92

Somerset
Captain: Jim Allenby
Overseas: Corey Anderson (NZ)
One to Watch: Roelof ven der Merwe – easily overlooked, but his combination of powerful hitting and off-spin is crucial to Somerset’s balance.
Last Finals Day appearance: 2012 (Semi-finals)
bet365: 12

Supporters Zone: How will we do? Hopefully better than a tame 3-10 last year. A second straight year of being good at 50-over cricket will hopefully translate into the shorter stuff. Johann Myburgh will open and he tries to hit every ball he sees for four. Check his recent (50 over!) innings against Notts and Essex for examples. It’s great fun. Fast bowling may let us down. Bowling at Taunton is not always rewarding, and the Overton twins and Lewis Gregory struggle to put their four-day talents to work in the 20-over game.
Will Colwell

Surrey
Captain: Gareth Batty
Overseas: Aaron Finch (Aus), Kumar Sangakkara (SL), Moises Henriques (Aus)
One to Watch: Kevin Pietersen – making a welcome return to the domestic scene after a two-year absence.
Last Finals Day appearance: 2014 (Semi-finals)
bet365: 8

Supporters Zone: Surrey will inevitably reach Finals Day in a high-scoring blaze of glory before capitulating on a rainy Saturday. We are worth watching for Jason Roy playing with the carefree brilliance we know him for and Kevin Pietersen’s somewhat surprise return to the Oval. What will let us down? Jade Dernbach’s death bowling.
Santokie Nakulendran

Sussex Sharks
Captain: Ross Taylor
Overseas: Taylor (NZ)

One to Watch: Tymal Mills – desperate to get back on the field after suffering back problems following his lucrative IPL stint, and could form a mouthwatering pace combination with Chris Jordan, Jofra Archer and George Garton.

Last Finals Day appearance: 2012 (Semi-finals)
bet365: 16

Supporters Zone: At Sussex we have ‘the fiz’ but worry about our (Will) Beer being flat and past its best-before date. At least we didn’t have to pay a million pounds for Tymal Mills. At least I hope not. If Arundel is any guide, watch out for Jofra Archer threatening a fastest ever 50 before being denied by Ben Brown urging an innovative declaration from Ross Taylor. Effectively out before August.
Geoff Chapman

Suranga Lakmal’s Test future was feared last year, but he came back with a few changes in his action and fitness to become Sri Lanka’s bankable frontline seamer

Karthik Krishnaswamy in Nagpur22-Nov-2017At the end of the Kolkata Test match, Suranga Lakmal won an award. Not Player of the Match, for which he was surely in the running, but [insert sponsor name] Bankable Player of the Match. It isn’t an award that will live on forever in the ESPNcricinfo scorecard – sorry, Suranga – but it was, nonetheless, both well deserved and aptly named.Over the last year or so, Sri Lanka have been able to bank on Lakmal. They know what they’ll get with him. Since the start of their tour of South Africa last December, none of their fast bowlers has played in as many Tests as Lakmal. It is a reflection of his (relative) durability, at a time when being a Sri Lankan fast bowler has invariably meant being an injured Sri Lankan fast bowler, and of his consistency: in nine Tests in this period, he has taken 28 wickets at an average of 31.10, while giving away 2.90 per over. That economy rate is fairly standard in Test cricket, but it’s relevant here because no other frontline Sri Lankan bowler in this period – not even Rangana Herath – has conceded less than three runs an over.In these last nine Tests of his – he missed the home series against India in July-August with back spasms – Lakmal has grown into the bowler he had always threatened to become: accurate, persistent, and a proper menace when there is swing or seam available. Having feared for his Test future before the start of the 2016-17 South Africa tour – he began it with an average of 47.65 from 31 Tests – he came out of it with 12 wickets in three Tests, including a five-for in Port Elizabeth, and his confidence restored. He then played a key role in Sri Lanka’s 2-0 series win against Pakistan in the UAE, with six wickets at 21.66, and at Eden Gardens did everything in his power to put Sri Lanka in a position to win a Test in India for the first time. That they did not was down to India’s strength and resilience as a batting and bowling unit, and to deficiencies elsewhere in Sri Lanka’s team.Lakmal’s upswing has coincided with a slight change in his action – he now bowls with a higher arm than before, which has allowed him to hit the seam with greater frequency. His performance in Kolkata was a clear reflection of this, particularly on the fifth morning when the sun was out and there was little of the cloud cover that had enabled him to swing the ball so dangerously in the first innings.Instead, the threat to the batsmen now came from the cracks on the surface, which had opened up over the course of a sunny fourth day. Landing the ball on the seam accentuates the effect of cracks on the pitch, and Lakmal did so ball after ball.In a riveting eight-over spell on the fifth morning, he sent back three high-quality batsmen, nipping one back to bowl KL Rahul through the gate, finding extra bounce to have Cheteshwar Pujara caught at backward point, and again finding inward movement from a perfect length to trap Ajinkya Rahane on the shuffle. In that time, India slipped from 192 for 1 to 213 for 4 – effectively 91 for 4 – and Lakmal, for the first time in his Test career, had picked up seven in a match.In growing into a Test-match force over the last year or so, Lakmal has followed a trajectory similar to a couple of his contemporaries. Like Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, who has been rested from this India tour, has a career average in the 40s, but has picked up his performances of late, averaging 35.42 since the start of 2015. Dhammika Prasad averages just under 36 overall but took 53 wickets in 13 Tests at a world-class 26.41 between January 2014 and October 2015; since then, he has spent a long and frustrating time out of the side, battling persistent injuries.It makes you wonder how good a pace attack Sri Lanka could have if all three – and the tall, fast and bouncy Dushmantha Chameera – were fully fit at the same time. It puts in perspective India’s feat of ensuring that all their main fast bowlers, barring the odd niggle here and there, have remained fit through the last two years.Sri Lanka, though, can only spend so much time envying their opponents. They have two more Tests left to play on this tour, two more Tests in conditions that should help the fast bowlers.Two days before the second Test, the pitch at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur looked as green as the one in Eden Gardens. The soil here won’t be the same as in Kolkata, and the overhead conditions are likely to be a lot warmer and drier, but there will still be help for the quicks. For Lakmal, it’s another chance to keep landing that seam in just the right areas, and extend the upward trend of his career graph.

That is the the third-highest tally ever recorded in a calendar year, behind only Kumar Sangakkara and Ricky Ponting

Bharath Seervi05-Dec-2017610- Runs scored by Virat Kohli in this Test series, the most by an Indian in a three-match Test series and the fourth-highest overall. The record for this is held by Graham Gooch, who made 752 runs against India in 1990. Against Sri Lanka, only Brian Lara, with 688 runs in 2001-02, has done better than Kohli.3- Players who have scored more than 600 runs in a series batting five or fewer innings. They are Kohli, Don Bradman (806 against South Africa in 1931-32) and Mohammad Yousuf (665 against West Indies in 2006-07) The previous highest tally for an India batsman in a series playing five or fewer innings is 526 by Vinoo Mankad against New Zealand in 1955-56.293- Runs for Kohli in this Test – 243 in first innings and 50 in the second. This is the most made by an India captain in a Test match. He eclipsed Gavaskar’s 289 (107 & 182*) against West Indies at Eden Gardens in 1978-79. Kohli is the seventh captain to score a double-century and a fifty in the same Test and the first since Ricky Ponting, against Pakistan in Hobart in 2009-10.

3- Times that Kohli has aggregated 600-plus runs a Test series, which is a new record for India as he went past Sunil Gavaskar and Rahul Dravid, who have done it twice each. Kohli scored 692 runs in Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2014-15 (four Tests) and 655 against England last season (five Tests) before doing it again in this three-match series against Sri Lanka. Bradman, having scored 600-plus in six series, is the only player ahead of Kohli in this regard, whereas Neil Harvey, Garry Sobers and Lara have also had three such series.2- Batsmen to aggregate more than Kohli’s 610 runs in a series after starting off with a duck. They are Jacques Kallis 625 runs against England in 2004-05 and Michael Vaughan 615 runs against India in 2002. Kohli bagged a duck in the first innings of this series and followed it up with scores of 104*, 213, 243 and 50.ESPNcricinfo Ltd2818- Runs for Kohli across all formats in international cricket in 2017 – the third-highest tally ever recorded in a calendar year. The list is topped by Kumar Sangakkara with 2868 in 2014 and Ponting’s 2833 in 2005. With Kohli being rested from ODIs and T20Is against Sri Lanka, this is his final match of 2017.

All around the sun-bathed Oval they were on their feet in anticipation, well before he walked out – one last time – for England

Melinda Farrell at The Oval09-Sep-20183:42

#ThankYouChef: A tribute to Alastair Cook

And now, the end is near. And so he faced the final curtain.All around the sun-bathed Oval they were on their feet in anticipation, well before Alastair Cook walked out – one last time – for England. There was not the guard of honour from the India players and the umpires that had ushered him onto the field in the first innings. There didn’t need to be. The applause from all those standing to greet him did it all.It swelled as he jogged down the steps ahead of Keaton Jennings and onto the pitch. On the big screen a list of his greatest achievements scrolled past one by one. There were many: the milestones, the major series victories, the number of games, the captaincy records and, of course, the runs. And as the numbers flashed up, still they applauded.He paused on the outfield for a quick stretch, went through the usual routine as he has done 290 times before and strode to the middle. And still they applauded.There was a handshake from Virat Kohli, as there was in the first innings as India’s fielders settled into their positions and Jasprit Bumrah walked back to the top of his mark. And still they applauded. It was as if the crowd could hold off the final moment by clapping all afternoon.It was the longest ovation at least one reporter could remember witnessing in person. And it was filled with genuine warmth.Eventually the ground announcer spoke and the crowd, almost reluctantly, hushed and took their seats.He took his guard and Bumrah ran in, thumping the ball into Cook’s thigh-pad. The air evaporated from the Oval as the crowd collectively held its breath and released with a rumbling murmur of relieved tension.The first ball had passed and the last innings had begun.

Another defeat would condemn England to No.7 in the Test rankings, and surely spell the end of Trevor Bayliss’s tenure as Test coach

George Dobell at Headingley31-May-2018It might be hard to remember right now but, just five years ago, England were chastised for winning a Test in Leeds too slowly.It only took them four days – the first day of that match against New Zealand was lost to rain – but, such were expectations of England at the time, winning wasn’t enough. They had to win with style; they had to “show intent” and “aggression” and “positivity”. Later that summer, England won the Ashes 3-0 and were criticised for a lack of joie de vivre. Joni Mitchell almost certainly wasn’t thinking about cricket when she wrote “you don’t know what you have til it’s gone” … but still.How England must hanker for those days. They come into this game having won none of their last eight Tests – and lost six of them – and in danger of slipping to not only a third-successive series loss but, if they are defeated, No. 7 in the ICC’s Test rankings. For a nation with their financial advantages – the investment they are able to put into development programs, overseas tours, coaching (remember, two of their coaches were working for another nation when they were recruited) and player salaries – that should be a national embarrassment. England won’t care how ugly the performance is, they just want and need a win.As they have won just two of their last eight Tests in Leeds – and lost 16 of their last 30 Tests everywhere – it is hard to be wildly optimistic. To make matters worse, Ben Stokes was reduced to a peripheral role in training – he did not bowl at all – due to his hamstring strain, while Jonny Bairstow had his left knee heavily strapped after appearing to hurt himself in a pre-training football match. Bairstow is certain to play but Stokes will have a scan on Thursday and a fitness test on Friday morning. He is a significant doubt.There is also some doubt about the new recruits. Keaton Jennings averages 26.18 in first-class cricket since he was dropped from the Test team in August – which hardly makes a compelling case for a return, though he has made centuries in his two most recent first-class innings – while Jos Buttler is still without a first-class century since January 2014. Dom Bess, meanwhile, for all his class with the bat, was less convincing with the ball. When Ed Smith was appointed as the new selector, there was speculation that he may apply a data-heavy analysis to the role. It currently appears he is going far more by instinct than evidence.Joe Root and Trevor Bayliss•Getty ImagesThere may well be consequences if England lose this one. And not just in terms of adverse media reaction or the slide down the global rankings. It seems that, as Alastair Cook hinted on Wednesday, people may lose their jobs.Most at risk would appear to be Trevor Bayliss. Despite having done the job he was employed to do – improve England’s white-ball cricket and ensure a relaxed dressing-room – there is little evidence to suggest any players are improving in the team environment. Quite the opposite, actually: several have started well and fallen away. And while it seems there is little chance of his being asked to step down from the white-ball element of the role in which he has excelled, the possibility of the coaching job being split is very real. Gary Kirsten might be a viable candidate for the Test role.Even with Andrew Strauss absent on compassionate leave, even with Andy Flower only back in an interim role and even if there is a risk that, one year away from the World Cup for which they have been planning for three years, a coaching change could destabilise the dressing room, there seems little way another loss could be tolerated. Questions are starting to be asked of those much higher up the organisation. This really is make or break for Bayliss.The good news for the seasick sailors who make up England’s batting order is that the pitch – which is straw-coloured – looks full of runs. As a result, the option of dropping Bess, the only specialist spinner in the squad, is likely to be resisted. The width of the square in Leeds – it stretches across almost the entire playing area – might also encourage the seamers of both sides in achieving some reverse swing. Tickets for the first couple of days have all but sold out (capacity is just under 13,000 due to redevelopment work at the ground) but there are still many available on days three (currently 8,500 have been sold) and four (3,300).The other good news for England is that they remain, at full strength, a talented side which is capable of far better than they have achieved of late. They need to take their chances (their new fielding coach, Carl Hopkinson, has already earned the somewhat harsh nickname Carl Dropkinson after five catches went begging at Lord’s) and their bowlers must utilise helpful conditions when they arise. As for their batsmen, they need to be a bit more greedy, a bit more demanding and a bit more patient. If all of those conditions are met, their results can improve, and improve quite quickly. It really is ridiculous that a batsman as good as Bairstow is averaging under 40 in Test cricket and that Joe Root has 10 half-centuries but no centuries in his last 10 Tests.Either way, England’s current predicament underlines how underappreciated the 2013 side were. It reminds us, too, that their style of play – routinely criticised for its lack of positivity at the time – had many virtues. Attitude and positivity aren’t enough. Success at Test level also has to be earned through denial and determination and discipline. They might not be the most sexy of skills, but they still matter. The current side – all their coaches and some of the pundits who have urged England to be more positive for years – could do worse than reflect on that.

Joe Root’s men are in sight of a memorable series whitewash in Sri Lanka, but can their recent failings be forgotten that quickly?

George Dobell22-Nov-2018England have the chance to complete their first overseas whitewash – in a series of three matches or more – since 1963 in Colombo over the next few days.Whatever happens in the Test, England will rise to No. 2 in the world rankings. But, if they win, it will be their first whitewash since the 2011 victory over India that took them to No. 1 and only the third ever inflicted against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka. On top of that, England have already achieved their first series win in Asia since 2012 and their first in Sri Lanka since 2001.All of which sounds excellent.And it is true that, over the last few weeks, England have found a way to win in conditions which have nearly always troubled them. In developing an attack that can take wickets in Asia and a batting line-up that can score runs against the turning ball, they have developed nicely since the tour of India two years ago. Their allrounders give them remarkable depth in both departments, while the emergence of Jack Leach has helped bring the best out of a spin attack that previously lacked the control required to build pressure. On the basis that Sri Lanka’s record is pretty good and that England will take confidence from this victory, it does seem fair to conclude they have made admirable progress.But this week’s talk of England reaching No. 1 in the Test rankings was just a little uncomfortable. While it is an admirable aim and it could, if results go their way, be achieved with victory in the Ashes, it could also seduce England into thinking they have made a little more progress than is really the case.To be fair to Joe Root, he has always maintained that England are “not the finished article” and he is quite right to celebrate success. But talk of England rising to No. 1 seems premature.For a start, England have won only two of their last 15 games away from home. They were thrashed in Australia and India – both 4-0 – beaten in New Zealand and the UAE (by Pakistan) and held to draws in Bangladesh and the Caribbean. Until several of those results can be corrected, any No. 1 ranking – while welcome – is going to feel just a little hollow.It has to be acknowledged that Sri Lanka are not the team they once were, either. While their recent record is decent – they beat Pakistan in the UAE and had not been defeated at home by a non-Asian side since 2014 – they have been hit by a succession of retirements in recent years (Rangana Herath being the latest) and are struggling to develop replacements of a similar standard.Joe Root sweeps in the nets at Colombo•Getty ImagesEngland might accept they have had some fortune, too. Root has – remarkably – won the toss in England’s last seven Tests. While there are times that matters little, there have been other times – not least in Kandy, Galle and at Lord’s against India – when that has been a substantial advantage.That’s not to detract from England’s success. They won the toss a few times in India, too: it made little difference. A team still has to be good enough to take advantage. But it is a factor that has to be acknowledged.The enduring issues remain, too. In picking Jonny Bairstow as their fourth No. 3 of the series, England have underlined their inability to fill the role since the loss of form of Gary Ballance or, before him, Jonathan Trott, while their newest pair of openers still have lots of questions to answer. Impressive as Rory Burns and Keaton Jennings have been this series, it is premature to view the former as a settled member of the side, while Jennings’ long-term Test record – he averages 28.20 after 14 Tests – remains modest. It shouldn’t be forgotten England were 103 for 5 in Galle and 139 for 5 in Kandy, either. That top-order batting remains fragile.Meanwhile, England are no closer to finding a replacement pair of seamers for James Anderson and Stuart Broad. They still don’t have a proven fast bowler who could give them a realistic chance of success in Australia and they were saved in Kandy – up to a point, anyway – by a couple of outrageously good pieces of fielding and final-wicket stands that added 101 runs across the game.So England deserve great credit for their success and the progress they have made. They are developing into a highly-entertaining side with a very exciting future. But at the risk of bringing some early humbug to Christmas, let’s go easy on talk of No. 1 for a while. There are substantially more difficult challenges to come.