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Ireland Women begin their new season in a new division this weekend. They were promoted to Division three of the ECB County Championship last season.

ESPNcricinfo staff01-May-2012Ireland Women begin their new season in a new division this weekend. They were promoted to Division Three of the ECB County Championship last season.The new campaign begins against Leicestershire at Bardon Hill and on Monday they play Huntingdon & Cambridgeshire on Monday at Sawston.Head coach Jeremy Bray is hopeful of another successful season: “The squad has got a great blend of youth and experience and I’m sure will be rewarded for all their efforts during the close season.”It’s an exciting time for Irish cricket in general and you can feel there’s a real buzz about the game at the minute. I’m sure it won’t be too long before the women are emulating the men’s team in terms of results.”2012 Squad
Isobel Joyce (capt), Clodagh Conway, Laura Delany, Emma Flanagan, Cecelia Joyce, Shauna Kavanagh, Louise McCarthy, Rebecca Rolfe, Melissa Scott Hayward, Clare Shillington, Alison Smith, Elena Tice, Mary Waldron

An inspired recovery from Chennai’s faltering bowlers and a controlled approach to the chase from Suresh Raina and Michael Hussey lay at the heart of a comfortable win

The Bulletin by Siddhartha Talya04-May-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMr. Cricket took charge in typically assured style•AFP

Chennai Super Kings continued their dominance at home and eased to a fourth-successive win in conditions where power play took a backseat to opportunistic strokemaking, and stamina and steady consolidation were more crucial than short outbursts of runs. The sweltering Chennai heat and a slow pitch made it a tiring ordeal for batsmen, and it seemed at one stage that Rajasthan Royals, riding on the back of Rahul Dravid’s fluent half-century, would have the better of the contest. But an inspired recovery from Chennai’s faltering bowlers and a controlled approach to the chase from Suresh Raina and Michael Hussey set up a comfortable win – their fifth in five games at home this season.The Rajasthan openers, Dravid and Shane Watson, had displayed excellent determination to occupy the crease and set a strong foundation to their team’s innings. The pair ran well between wickets, rotated the strike, picked the gaps to scramble back for the twos, before Dravid took charge against the spinners. He pulled R Ashwin twice in an over to the midwicket fence, reverse-swept and punched Suraj Randiv for three fours in an over to different parts of the ground. The highlight of the first ten overs was his inside-out drive over extra cover off Shadab Jakati, as Rajasthan coasted to 86 in the first ten overs.The trigger for the fightback was a brilliant return catch from Jakati off Watson, as he put his hands up and intercepted a ferocious thwack back towards him in the 11th over. Despite an encouraging run-rate, and with plenty of ammunition left in the batting for a surge at the death, the desire for clearing the ropes overrode any thought of building the innings for a few more overs. Ashok Menaria holed out needlessly against Ashwin, and Johan Botha, who had picked a cheeky boundary, succumbed when he tried to use force against Jakati. Dravid was swimming in sweat in the Chennai heat and fell to a tiring shot, and not long after, the seamers returned to contain the flow further. A couple of fours from Ross Taylor was offset by a double-strike from Albie Morkel in the penultimate over, and Rajasthan only managed 61 in the last ten, losing six wickets.The wicket of M Vijay was an early boost for Rajasthan but some sloppy fielding, a difficult opportunity that was grassed, and the maturity of the Raina-Hussey combine put paid to Rajasthan’s hopes. Stuart Binny conceded eight runs in the field, through a misfield and an overthrow, and was listless with the ball. Raina was let off by Watson diving full stretch in the deep, but otherwise there weren’t any opportunities.Like the Chennai bowlers had done in the first ten overs, Rajasthan’s attack erred in line and length, giving the batsmen timely opportunities to pierce the field. Siddharth Trivedi bowled too often down the leg side, and the more accurate Watson and Botha were worked around. With both batsmen settling in well, left-arm spinner Nayan Doshi was carted for two sixes in the 11th over – the same passage in the Rajasthan innings had marked a decisive turn of events. As the shoulders drooped, Binny doled freebies outside off which Hussey cut for successive fours before delivering the same treatment to Menaria on the leg side. Raina’s dismissal was against the run of play, but his knock, along with Hussey’s, had made a relatively one-sided contest out of a potential cracker.

Those who scoffed at Yorkshire’s self-belief after the side tipped for relegation had won their opening two matches might decide to keep their thoughts to themselves if Andrew Gale’s young team can turn a compellingly strong position in this contest into

Jon Culley at Headingley 28-Apr-2010

ScorecardJacques Rudolph left Durham left Durham’s depleted bowling attack with an undefeated 228•Getty Images

Those who scoffed at Yorkshire’s self-belief after the side tipped for relegation had won their opening two matches might decide to keep their thoughts to themselves if Andrew Gale’s young team can turn a compellingly strong position in this contest into an emphatic victory over the defending champions.It not yet being May, there is a temptation to dismiss early-season results as not particularly relevant, on the basis that there is still a long way to go. In fact, after what had appeared to be a ridiculously early start, bound to be ruined by the weather, has instead produced three weeks of unbroken and positive cricket, we may be witnessing the decisive phase of the campaign.Durham’s crown has not slipped yet – they did, after all, beat Hampshire, supposedly a key rival, only last week – but they are looking much less invincible than had been supposed, particularly with their bowling resources so stretched. A comeback game for Graham Onions is still some way off and Steve Harmison’s back is taking time to heal. Given that those two shared 96 wickets last season, it is little wonder Durham are feeling their absence.Here they need to reach 461 merely to avoid the follow on after a second day dominated by Yorkshire, in which the redoubtable Jacques Rudolph, despite taking a bang on the helmet when a shot from partner and fellow centurion Anthony McGrath caught him with a glancing blow, expanded an epic innings to seven and three quarter hours, eclipsing his own personal best.Having laboured so long in the field, unable to make much headway on a slow pitch against batsmen happy to accumulate rather than take liberties, they might have hoped at least to post a sizeable total of their own, but after losing three wickets in the last session, their prospects look less than rosy.Ominously, moreover, they lost two of those wickets to consecutive deliveries by Adil Rashid, the leg-spinner, who has the experience now to deliver what Durham’s Scott Borthwick, the 20-year-old, could only hint at.Rudolph, the South African left-hander, walked off unbeaten on 228, bettering the 222 not out he made on his Test debut against Bangladesh in 2003, after Gale had decided he had enough in the bank 38 minutes after tea.The runs took his tally for the season to 473. He is on course already to be Yorkshire’s top scorer for the fourth season running. A controversial signing when he arrived in 2007, penning a Kolpak deal only five months after playing his 36th Test for South Africa, Yorkshire can count themselves fortunate to have him. His arrival might have been blocked in the first place but, after passing the revised Kolpak criteria for this season, he is contracted to stay now until the end of next season.Bizarrely, he and McGrath attracted criticism for scoring too slowly at times yesterday, not least when the chance to push on for a fourth batting point was allowed to pass with no discernible change in approach. But perhaps that is a legacy of the tempo at which much of today’s cricket tends to be played, prompting questions to be asked if a feat happens not to be achieved at high speed.A measured approach is sometimes exactly what is required and this Rudolph innings should not be considered a lesser achievement just because it was more workmanlike than classical. And no batsman hits 35 boundaries without unfurling the odd high-quality shot and when there are so many running off towards the fence it is easy for the appreciation to be dulled.The partnership with McGrath was in itself a tour de force, adding 206 in 74 overs and grinding Durham’s spirits to dust, even if it ended a little farcically, McGrath setting off for a run to mid-off, Rudolph declining and Dale Benkenstein hurting his knee as he retrieved the ball and executed the run-out.Gale missed an opportunity of his own, driving a widish ball from Liam Plunkett to square cover, before Borthwick bowled Jonathan Bairstow and had Rashid caught low down at extra cover. Borthwick’s overs were experience in the bank for a young player who will hope to emulate Rashid.They were of small consolation later, however. Durham survived Tino Best’s first Championship overs for Yorkshire but lost Kyle Coetzer when Rudolph grabbed a catch at first slip off Steve Patterson at the second attempt before two Rashid googlies accounted for Will Smith and nightwatchman Mark Davies. They have it all to do on day three.

The visitors took a 2-0 lead in the five-match T20I series

Srinidhi Ramanujam30-Apr-2024Radha Yadav’s three wickets and D Hemalatha’s breezy 41 not out on comeback helped India beat Bangladesh by 19 runs in the rain-hit second T20I in Sylhet. India lead the five-match series 2-0.After India’s spin trio of Radha, Shreyanka Patil, and Deepti Sharma dismissed Bangladesh for 119, Hemalatha – returning to India’s XI after one and half years in place of the injured Yastika Bhatia – took the visitors to 47 for 1 in 5.2 overs before the second rain break ended the game. India were 19 runs ahead of the DLS par score of 28 when the match was officially called off, and Hemalatha was adjudged the Player of the Match.India lost Shafali Verma for a golden duck in the small chase, but Hemalatha’s fluency against the new ball and crisp stroke-play yielded five fours and two sixes in her 24-ball innings. Smriti Mandhana was unbeaten on 5 off seven deliveries at the other end as Hemalatha made most of the opportunity at No.3.Bangladesh had shown intent after choosing to bat, following a dismal performance in the first T20I when they were restricted to 101 for 8. But their intent didn’t result in runs. Opener Murshida Khatun scored a 49-ball 46 with five boundaries but none of her team-mates got going.Despite losing Dilara Akter and Sobhana Mostary in the second and sixth overs, Bangladesh got to 43 for 2 in the powerplay. India’s spinners, however, began to exert pressure after the field restrictions were lifted. Left-arm spinner Radha trapped Nigar Sultana and Fahima Khatun lbw off successive deliveries in the 10th over, and Patil and Deepti also picked up two wickets each.Bangladesh were 70 for 5 after 11 overs when rain halted play for an hour. Once the match resumed and the pitch became sluggish, India spinners found more turn and drift to trouble the batters.Ritu Moni, who replaced Shorna Akther in the XI, scored a 18-ball 20 and added 32 off 31 with Murshida for the sixth wicket. They took Bangladesh past 100 before Deepti returned to bowl Moni in the 16th over. Bangaldesh slumped after that from 101 for 5 to 119 all out.Radha, in the penultimate over, picked up her third wicket by drawing Rabeya Khan out of her crease with flight and having her stumped to finish with figures of 3 for 19 in four overs. Pooja Vastrakar then bowled Fariha Trisna in the final over to dismiss Bangladesh for a below-par total.

RCB still have a mathematical chance to qualify for knockouts but will need a number of results to go their way

Sruthi Ravindranath13-Mar-2023Royal Challengers Bangalore’s winless streak in the tournament continued as Marizanne Kapp and Jess Jonassen kept their cool to guide Delhi Capitals home in a close encounter at the DY Patil Sports Academy.On a two-paced pitch, Royal Challengers got off the blocks slowly but ended up posting a competitive 150 thanks to Ellyse Perry’s half-century. In return, after losing the dangerous Shafali Verma early, Capitals got a good start thanks to Alice Capsey, but a few quick wickets pushed them to play watchfully.The chase looked tense at a point after Jemimah Rodrigues’ wicket, with Capitals needing 42 runs off 33 balls. But Jonassen and Kapp not only patiently ran singles, but also turned the pressure back on the Royal Challengers’ bowlers with their big hits from time to time.It came down to Capitals needing nine off the last over. Renuka Singh conceded just two runs in the first two balls. With seven needed off four, Jonassen clattered the ball over a leaping Perry at deep midwicket. She then smashed a full delivery emphatically down the ground to silence the “RCB, RCB” chants at the stadium.However, it’s not all over for Royal Challengers yet. They are still mathematically in, but will need a number of results to go their way if they want to secure a top-three finish.

Shikha Pandey – far from finished

Before she was recalled to the India squad after a gap of 15 months for the T20 World Cup in February, Shikha Pandey wrote up an affirmation poster on her bedroom wall which read “our greatest growth comes from our darkest times. You go.” At 33, she’s growing and growing, not only showing she’s still got it, but also that she’s here to stay.She had a decent outing at the T20 World Cup, with economical spells and a total of three wickets in three games. Now, she’s got those wickets coming too.So far at the WPL, she has taken eight wickets in five matches. In a tournament that has seen a number of high scoring games, her economy of 6.84 is the third-best among fast bowlers who have bowled more than 10 overs.On the day, she took out Royal Challengers’ captain Smriti Mandhana in her very first delivery, luring her into a pull to deep square leg with the short ball. She mixed her lengths on the day and made use of the slight movement on offer. On the last ball of her next over, she angled one into Sophie Devine and rattled her leg stump to leave Royal Challengers at 41 for 2 in nine overs.Perry and Richa Ghosh came together for the fifth wicket and began to rebuild. The duo then started accelerating after gaining a grasp of the pace of the pitch, scoring 67 runs in four overs between the 15th and 18th.It was Pandey’s turn to bowl again, and she broke through immediately. She had Ghosh, who was looking to scoop, edge one to the keeper, with a slow-ish full delivery. She finished with figures of 3 for 25 at an economy of 5.75.In between all the wicket-taking, she also took a brilliant diving catch at short fine leg to send Heather Knight back.Pandey’s bowling display and her energy on the field clearly showed that she’s far from finished. Her performance probably went unnoticed given how the chase unfolded, but captain Meg Lanning did not forget to credit her during the post-match chat with the host broadcaster.”I think Shikha Pandey has gone under the radar a little bit,” Lanning said after the match. “She’s been bowling extremely well.””We executed really well. Obviously, throughout this tournament we’ve shown that if you can hit that good length nice fast and straight is the way to do it. I think for most part we did that really well.”

Capsey turns it on

Before Jonassen and Kapp played those calm knocks, it was Capsey who laid the platform for the chase.Teenager Capsey made up for Shafali’s early dismissal. She played a counter-attacking knock, hitting eight boundaries in her 24-ball stay, making the required run rate go down. Lanning faced just two balls during their 26-ball partnership.After smashing Renuka Singh for three boundaries, she took Preeti Bose on for four boundaries in a row in the fifth over before holing out.”I’ve been able to watch Meg abs Shafali do their thing almost every game,” Capsey told the commentators during a chat from the dugout. “So I have taken a few tips from them. It’s about playing through the line a little bit more and trusting it a little bit more which as a batter is a pretty nice adjustment to go that way than the other.”Capitals have been using Capsey largely as a floater in the line-up. She came in at No. 5 in the match against UP Warriorz and played at No. 3 in the last two games. While she has played at No. 3 in the England side barring one game, she’s batted in the middle order regularly in the women’s Hundred.”It’s a different role, but it’s a role I’m quite used to in England,” she said at the press conference. “England use me where, if there’s a wicket in the powerplay, I go in and try to create a bit of counterattack and if there’s a good partnership up top I slot into the role of [Nos.] 5 or 6 which I’ve done a couple of times. I really enjoy both roles. They’re very different roles and I do enjoy both roles. For me it is not too much difference I just go out to bat put pressure on bowlers.”I felt a bit short of runs this tournament so far, so it was nice to contribute to the team’s win. Nice to hit a few boundaries, and [to] get us ahead of the game in the powerplay was brilliant.”

No recall for Andre Russell, three players to miss Ireland series due to Covid-19

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Dec-2021Kieron Pollard is fit to lead West Indies in limited-overs series against Ireland and England next month, but the squads have been hit by Covid-19 positives for Evin Lewis, Fabian Allen and Anderson Phillip.Pollard had been ruled out of West Indies’ tour of Pakistan in December because of a hamstring injury, with Nicholas Pooran leading the T20I side in his absence. Shai Hope had been due to take charge in the ODIs, before they were called off due to rising Covid-19 infections among the party.Former captain Jason Holder is also back in both squads, but there was no room for Andre Russell, despite his recent spell in the Big Bash League. Obed McCoy was not included due to a shin injury suffered at the T20 World Cup.There had been suggestions that the Ireland T20I at Sabina Park could provide the stage for Chris Gayle’s farewell from international cricket, but he has not been named in the squad, amid reports a testimonial match could be arranged for later in the year.Allrounder Allen, who missed the World Cup with an ankle injury, has been passed fit despite testing positive for Covid and is expected to be available for the England series later in the month.”We have tried to maintain the general make-up of the squads from the Pakistan tour before Christmas, with the captain and some senior players coming back in,” West Indies head coach, Phil Simmons, said. “Covid-19 has also played a part in the final make-up of the squad. The challenges in the next couple months are getting the young players in both squads to not only improve on their skills but maintain the attitude and desire we saw in Pakistan.”We do need to start the year on a high. And we know both Ireland and England have very good teams, so we expect a very strong challenge as we look improve our chances of automatic qualification for the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2023 and building the T20 team for the ICC T20 World Cup in 2022.”West Indies will play Ireland in three ODIs in Jamaica, starting on January 8, followed by a one-off T20I. They will then host England in Barbados for a five-match T20I series.Ireland’s tour of the USA and Caribbean has also been hit by Covid-19. The ODI leg against USA was cancelled due to a number of positive tests, with Paul Stirling and Shane Getkate set to miss the first West Indies fixture while isolating in their hotel in Florida.West Indies ODI squad: Kieron Pollard (capt), Shai Hope, Shamarh Brooks, Roston Chase, Justin Greaves, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Jayden Seales, Nicholas Pooran, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Devon ThomasReserves: Keacy Carty, Sheldon CottrellWest Indies T20I squad: Kieron Pollard (capt), Nicholas Pooran, Fabian Allen (England T20Is only), Darren Bravo (England T20Is only), Roston Chase, Sheldon Cottrell, Dominic Drakes, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Jason Holder, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Rovman Powell, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Hayden Walsh JrReserves: Jayden Seales, Alzarri Joseph, Devon Thomas

Date shifted back by one day to avoid clash with West Indies T20I

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Aug-2020Edgbaston will stage the final of England’s new domestic 50-over women’s competition, the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.The final had originally been scheduled for September 26 at the home ground of the group winner with most points, but has been moved back by one day to avoid a clash with England’s T20I against West Indies and will be broadcast live by Sky.The tournament, which will be contested between teams from eight new regional centres, starts on August 29 with teams split into two groups of four.ALSO READ: West Indies women’s England tour confirmedThe 24 players in England’s enlarged training group will be released to play for their teams in the first two rounds of games, and players not selected in the final squad for the West Indies series will be available for later rounds.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Clare Connor, the ECB’s managing director of women’s cricket, said: “Edgbaston is a brilliant venue for the final, with a great track record of hosting domestic finals. It’s also a great fit for this summer because of Rachael’s links to the West Midlands.”The impacts of Covid-19 have demonstrated just how vital it is to have a sustainable and competitive domestic structure that gives our domestic women’s cricketers the chance to make a living from the game and also raises the standard of women’s cricket in England and Wales.”We’re proud of the work we’ve done to protect the momentum of the women’s game across this challenging period. We’re looking forward to 2021 when the eight regional teams will hopefully be playing even more cricket throughout the summer, along with the important addition of the profile opportunity of the Hundred.”Stuart Cain, Warwickshire’s chief executive, said: “It’s great to support and showcase women’s cricket by hosting a major national final in the city, particularly with the women’s Commonwealth Games cricket at Edgbaston in 2022.”This also means that the two of cricket’s showcase domestic finals are coming to Birmingham as the Vitality Blast Finals Day will take place a few days after the Rachel Heyhoe Flint Trophy final.”

England director confirms that management had been bound by confidentiality until story was made public

George Dobell02-May-2019Ashley Giles has accepted that Alex Hales would still be in England’s World Cup squad if news of his drugs test failures had not been revealed by the media.But Giles, the England men’s team director, has also insisted that Hales has not been “deselected” as a direct result of that indiscretion. Instead, according to Giles, Hales was axed from England’s World Cup plans because of “a string of poor behaviour over time” and “the effect the [latest] news had on the players, the management and the captain”.Giles also confirmed that, while he was aware of Hales’ second drug test failure before the selection of England’s provisional 15-man World Cup squad – only Giles, Tom Harrison (the ECB’s CEO) and Nick Peirce (the ECB’s chief medical officer) were informed among ECB officials – he had not passed on the information to the selectors as he was “bound by a duty of confidentiality”.ALSO READ: ‘Breakdown in trust’ between Hales and team – Morgan“When the teams were selected, the selectors and the captain were unaware of any issue surrounding Alex,” Giles said. “The advice we got from our legal guys was categorically we had a duty of confidentiality which we stuck to. We couldn’t tell them, simple as that.”But once the story broke on Friday, the effect of it on the England environment – on the players, management and captain – was really strong. We’re building towards our biggest summer of cricket in 40-50 years and our responsibility is to making sure we’re in the best possible shape going into the World Cup. This became too big a distraction for our environment to have.”Speaking candidly on Thursday afternoon, England’s captain Eoin Morgan confirmed that he and the team’s senior players – Joe Root, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes – had reached the conclusion that Hales’ place in their plans was untenable, due to a “lack of respect for [the team] values, and … a complete breakdown of trust”. Giles subsequently confirmed that he had been asked to take action.”Being at England’s camp in Wales and seeing the effect of that news, it was clear it wasn’t going to work,” he said. “There’s an element of trust in that environment and if that trust is not within the group, that’s a problem. I think that’s what occurred here. It could be seen that a string of poor behaviour over time has led us to this point.”There was consultation. The captain consulted with his senior players and I talked to the captain and the coach. I’m not a selector, but the selectors were unanimous in this decision, fully supported by myself and Tom Harrison that this was the right way to go.”While Giles was adamant the door had not been permanently closed on Hales’ England aspirations, he did confirm the player “had some making up to do”.”Alex has been an important part of this team’s journey over a period,” he said. “The door isn’t closed, whatever people think.”What we want to see is some really good behaviour over time and some good cricket, of course. We’re there to support him. I understand he’s going back to play for Notts but it’s important we have support from all corners, whether it be the PCA, the ECB or Notts. The player’s welfare is still fundamental. But there’s some making up to do, I’m sure.”Ashley Giles discusses selection matters with England’s Test captain, coach and selector•Getty Images

Giles seemed particularly underwhelmed by the statement from Hales’ management team which suggested that previous assurances from Giles that Hales’ World Cup place would not be affected were “rendered meaningless” by the subsequent decision to ‘deselect’ him.”I didn’t think that statement was particularly good, but he’s clearly disappointed and we get that,” Giles said. “We – Tom Harrison and I – kept our part of the bargain and maintained our integrity throughout this. Someone else clearly didn’t. That’s the problem.”We said no off-the-field incident could have a bearing on World Cup selection. We stand by that. Any process, whether it be discipline or otherwise, you can’t have double jeopardy.”At the same time, Tom and I can’t make guarantees on selection because we’re not selectors. That’s not handing over responsibility, but we assured him in this case that, for this off-the-field incident, it could not have a bearing on World Cup selection.”But once the story broke, the effect was really strong. It was too big a distraction for our environment to have. So yes, of course, had the story not been made public, the environment would not have been affected and he could have stayed in the side.”Giles also confirmed that England’s policies on the issue of recreational drugs may need to change. While he accepted the current guidelines had been put in place to avoid a recurrence of the Tom Maynard tragedy in 2012 – many felt Maynard may not have attempted a desperate escape from the police if he was less fearful of the repercussions to his career of a potential drugs test failure – he conceded they required reviewing in light of the Hales case.”The worst thing we could do is bury our heads in the sand and go, let’s hope this doesn’t happen again,” Giles said. “If policies need reviewing, that’s what we have to do to make sure next time things work much smoother.”Let’s remember why it was put in place. That policy was put in place after the Tom Maynard situation, a terrible situation, where if we had something like this in place, maybe that could have been avoided. But whether it operates right or not, that’s what needs review.”

The Bangladesh Cricket Board, however, has not yet made an announcement of his unavailability

Mohammad Isam11-Feb-2018Bangladesh’s T20I plans were further dented when their captain Shakib Al Hasan said his finger injury hasn’t fully healed. On Saturday, Shakib was named in the 15-man squad announced for the first T20 against Sri Lanka, on February 15.”There is still no official statement regarding this issue but the doctor has told me that the injury will take another two weeks to heal. So, if that is the case then maybe it is unlikely that I will play in the T20 series,” he said.The Bangladesh Cricket Board has not made an announcement of his unavailability.Shakib injured his finger during the tri-series final on January 27, which ruled him out of the subsequent Tests against Sri Lanka. It would have been his first series in his second stint as the Test captain.Bangladesh’s T20I squad includes five uncapped cricketers who impressed during the 2017 BPL.

When asked by Sky Sports if England had “stagnated” under his leadership, Alastair Cook responded: “That’s a fair shout, you can say whatever you want now

Andrew Miller20-Dec-2016Alastair Cook has conceded that England’s Test fortunes may have “stagnated” over the past 12 months, but confirms he will not rush any decision on the future of his Test captaincy, in spite of another humiliating defeat in the fifth and final match of England’s tour of India.Cook’s dismissal for 49 in the first hour after lunch was the catalyst for another dramatic collapse on the final afternoon in Chennai, as England lost ten wickets for 104 runs in 48.2 overs – including their last six for 15 – to slump to defeat by an innings and 75 runs, and a 4-0 series loss.The defeat was England’s eighth in 17 Tests in 2016, equalling their record number of losses for a calendar year, and they will finish the year at No. 5 in the Test rankings, some way below the levels they might have anticipated after winning both the Ashes and a memorable away series against South Africa last year.When asked by Sky Sports if England had “stagnated” under his leadership, Cook responded: “That’s a fair shout, you can say whatever you want now, if I turn around here and slag everyone off and use emotive language, I’m not doing my job. When you lose Test cricket, you get criticised. You have to take it on the chin.”The defeat was Cook’s 22nd in 59 Tests at the helm, meaning he has overtaken Michael Atherton as England’s most defeated captain in Test history. However, he confirmed he will wait until the dust has settled on the tour before deciding whether to carry on as captain, following an anticipated meeting with Andrew Strauss, England’s team director, in the New Year.”This is not the place to be standing asking me these questions,” Cook said. “I have to go away and do some thinking. I need to get back home and do it without the emotive side of what’s happened over the last nine weeks.”In his subsequent press conference, he added: “I need to go home first enjoy Christmas as much as I can do and then come back in January and look to plan with Straussy and see what’s the right decision for English cricket. I’ve got to go away and decide whether I am the right man to take England forward. It’s the wrong time to make those decisions as energy is low, energy is low and you can make foolish decisions as those times.”When there’s not a Test match for seven months it’d seem very foolish to stand here now and make a decision which either you regret or don’t. If there was a Test match in three weeks time you’d have to think. But while there is a bit of space why not use it?”The defeat at Chennai was England’s second by an innings in as many matches, and just as in Mumbai last week, they were blown away in spite of winning the toss and posting a large first-innings total – 400 at the Wankhede, 477 at Chepauk.”I don’t think we ran out of fight, all the guys gave their all, but weren’t good enough,” Cook said. “Whether that’s a culmination of the pressure being built up over a long period of time, or a bit of mental tiredness, people will look at that and say it’s an excuse, but we haven’t been good enough in these conditions.”I said at the beginning of the series, it was vitally important to stay in the contest as long as we can, because we’ve seen in previous tours here, it’s a hard juggernaut to stop – the India juggernaut at home, when they’re are playing as well as that. Once they get ahead, their confidence goes and it’s hard to stop that momentum.”Whether 4-0 is fair or not, it’s hard to say,” he added. “We’ve struggled to take 20 wickets and we haven’t got enough runs, so we probably didn’t deserve much more than that.”We’ve missed opportunities, we’ve been in games and had good fortune to win four out of five tosses, but we haven’t pushed home our advantages. Sometimes you have to hold your hands up and say we are not good enough in these conditions. We will have to be better when we come back.”