Punjab execute plans to perfection in resounding win

Yuvraj Singh led from the front as Punjab secured their first win of the season © Cricaction

By this time last week, Punjab were left wondering where they went wrong in their opening encounter of the new season. Despite a star-studded line-up, they failed to not only defeat Railways but also conceded the first innings lead as they stuttered to a draw. With a tight schedule though, they had little time to recover before their next match began in Lahli against Madhya Pradesh. By the end of the second session on the final day, the mood in the camp changed.

Madhya Pradesh had a chance! A chance to win the game at the start of the day's play even though they were on the back foot for the majority of the contest. They also a chance to force a draw in the second session, which again they squandered. The plans Punjab had put in place worked to perfection. It all began from the timing of their declaration on the third day. The team management decided to give their seamers somewhere around ten overs to pick up a wicket or two by the end of the day's play, which they gladly obliged as Shubek Singh Gill got rid of Mukul Raghav in the final session on the penultimate day.

Prior to the declaration, Punjab could have played it safe. They could have taken their time to post a big score in order to give MP a huge target and ensure they take defeat completely out of the equation. But Punjab didn't want another draw. Their approach was fantastic. Victories are not handed out on a platter, especially against a gritty side like MP, who began the campaign with a bang against Uttar Pradesh. Their inspirational skipper Devendra Bundela refuses to brand them as underdogs despite lacking star power in their line-up. Against a side that had its moments in the game, Punjab had to force the issue in order to have a crack at victory.

They knew that the ball would be only eight to ten overs new at the start of the final day's play, something which their fast bowlers could exploit in these conditions where the water level is higher, as admitted by first-innings centurion Gurkeerat Singh.

"300 runs on the board in this wicket is quite tough to chase," Gurkeerat had said following the third day's play. "In the morning session, the wicket is damp, the water level over here is quite up, so maybe we get some assistance and get them out as early as possible." And indeed they did. MP began well in the first 45 minutes and even scored some boundaries to create panic in the Punjab dressing room but the seamers remained patient. Four pacers including a debutant were picked in the XI considering the nature of the track and the senior most struck first.

Manpreet Singh Gony, who picked up six in the first innings, found a touch of luck to dismiss Rajat Patidar as the ball slowly went on to disturb the stumps after he inside-edged it onto his pads. That was the opening they needed as the tall seamer struck again exactly four overs later by trapping opener Aditya Shrivastava for 27. With the top order back in the pavilion, skipper Bundela and Harpreet Singh Bhatia, who had scored a double century in the first game had a huge task in their hands. This partnership was crucial to MP's plans and the opposition knew it too. Fifteen balls later, Gony landed the crucial blow by trapping Harpreet plumb in front to nullify MP's chances of going for a win.

Three big wickets in the first session and that was job well done for the bowling side. With 199 more runs needed in the final two sessions and six wickets in hand, MP had to make a decision during the break. Either you play out and be content with a draw or go for the win and risk a loss. Bundela and Shubham Sharma, who looked assured in the first innings, added fifty patient runs but their tactics still weren't clear.

Punjab, on the other hand, were clear with what they had to do. Even with the bat, Punjab's plans in the first innings paid off. They had clear intentions to be positive and look for runs in the final session after tiring out the MP bowlers in the first two, as revealed by Gurkeerat. Jiwanjot Singh did the hard part initially by blunting the attack and then 158 runs came in that final session on the first day.

Their seamers refused to bowl very full on the surface and kept resorting to bowling back of a length in order to get movement off the track. Probably that was the reason why Sandeep Sharma wasn't effective as the other three. Sandeep generally relies on swing and isn't 'hit the deck hard' kind of bowler like Gony. But he was the one who provided Punjab with the first breakthrough post lunch. An element of luck was present in it though as a straight ball from the 23-year-old kept a bit low to shatter Bundela's stumps. But there was no such luck in the next dismissal though as the short leg fielder was perfectly stationed a couple of steps back than his usual position for Ankit Dane. He fell for the trap as the ball looped up in the air after taking the inside edge to land on the same fielder's palms.

With six wickets down, the cat and mouse game began as Ankit Sharma decided to play his shots with Shubham dropping anchor at the other end. The plan was probably to take it as close to the target as possible with a quickfire cameo. It didn't work though as Ankit played one shot too many as he edged one behind to give Gony his tenth wicket of the match. The Punjab selector who was present at the venue had a smile on his face. The move to persist with Gony, who had fallen off the radar in recent years after a strong start to his career, paid off. The 32-year-old badly needed this performance with young pacers knocking on the doors. Barindar Sran is recovering and is expected to be picked once he regains fitness, the debutant Shubek had a decent game and so did Siddarth Kaul, who bowled without luck for the major part of the game.

By this time, a small group of people were present in the ground hoping to catch a glimpse of Yuvraj Singh. At one point, the cheers were clearly audible when he brought himself on to bowl for one over. Kaul on the other end though finally picked up a wicket. He let out a huge roar after getting Shubham caught behind. Prior to that, at one stage he got frustrated when he kept missing the outside edge of the bat and had to be egged on by his teammates. He got rewarded for his patience in the end as he added the last two wickets as well to his tally to complete the formalities.

Punjab will be boosted soon by the return of Harbhajan Singh, who missed the first two games. Mandeep Singh will be back as well following the conclusion of the One-Day International series, but on the flip side, tougher challenges lie ahead with the likes of Mumbai, Tamil Nadu, Bengal and Uttar Pradesh present in the same group. But expect this unit to be a step ahead of their opposition and put their plans in place yet again.

Younis Khan included in Pakistan squad for second Test against West Indies

It will be interesting to see if Babar Azam makes way for the 38-year-old veteran © Cricaction

Younis Khan, Pakistan's veteran batsman, has been included in the squad for the second Test against West Indies, to be played at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi from Friday (October 21). The 38-year-old had missed the first game, also Pakistan's first Day-Night Test, after being advised for his recovery from a dengue fever.

The illness had previously forced the batsman from playing in the opening round matches in the domestic tournament - Quaid-e-Azam trophy. It remains to be seen if his return is made way for by Babar Azam's exclusion, who made his debut in the first Test, wherein he scored a half-century in the first innings. 

Younis played a key role in Pakistan's drawn Test series in England that catapulted them to the top ranking in Tests, albeit temporarily. After slow starts in the first three Tests, Younis enthralled the crowd at The Oval with a scintillating double century in the first innings of the fourth Test, that laid the foundation for Pakistan's 10-wicket victory.

SC reserves order as BCCI seeks more time to implement Lodha reforms

Anurag Thakur filed a personal affidavit to explain the request he made to ICC and denied that he tried coerce Shashank Manohar to state that the Lodha reforms would be seen as government interference. © Cricaction

The Supreme Court of India, on Monday (October 17), reserved its order regarding Board of Control for Cricket in India's implementation of the Lodha reforms in toto, after the Indian cricket board sought more time for the same. The suggestion, put forth by Amicus Curiae Gopal Subramaniam that the the top brass of the board should be removed owing to non-compliance of an order from the supreme court, but the apex court deemed that step to be an "extreme measure".

While making room for BCCI's request, the Chief Justice of India (CJI) has asked for a written undertaking from the board on the dates by which the cricket board will implement the Lodha reforms completely. On its part, BCCI has maintained that it put all the proposals to vote amongst its members and those that received the mandatory 2/3rd majority would be implemented.

During the course of Monday's hearing, BCCI president Anurag Thakur filed a personal affidavit in the Supreme Court, one that was asked of him on a previous hearing on October 7. He explained his conversations with ICC President Shashank Manohar in the affidavit and denied trying to coerce him to state that the Lodha reforms would be seen as government interference.

"I am filing this affidavit pursuant to the order dated 7 October, passed by this court, on whether I had asked the ICC CEO to state that the appointment of Justice Lodha Committee was tantamount to government interference in the working of the BCCI," Thakur said in his affidavit. "At the outset, it is denied that any such request was put forth by me to the CEO of the ICC."

"Pointed out to chairman Shashank Manohar that when he was BCCI president he had taken a view that the recommendations of Justice Lodha committee appointing the nominee of Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on apex council would amount to governmental interference and might invoke an action of suspension from ICC; therefore requested him that being the ICC Chairman can a letter be issued clarifying the position which he had taken as BCCI President, " the affidavit further explained.

During its previous hearing on October 6 , the apex court had given BCCI one day to adhere, in writing, to the administrative and functional reforms proposed by the Justice Lodha committee. The three-member judge had dismissed BCCI's response to the status report filed by the Lodha committee following the board's failure to meet an important deadline with respect to the implementation of a Memorandum of Associations (MoA). On October 7, the court adjourned the hearing till after their 10-day break, on October 17.

Earlier that week, the Lodha committee moved the supreme court over what they termed as the BCCI taking a defiant stance towards reforms. The sport's governing body in India had adopted a rather selective approach during its September 30 Special General Meeting towards implementing the July 18 recommendations of the Lodha panel - having down-voted key proposals including the one-state-one-vote and the age and tenure caps for board administrators.

The Lodha committee, also comprising retired supreme court judges Ashok Bhan and R Raveendran, was setup by the apex court of India in January 2015 to pronounce the quantum of punishment for those found guilty by the Mudgal report pertaining to the IPL betting and spot-fixing scandal. In addition to pronouncing the punitive measures for perpetrators, the top court of law empowered the trio to recommend changes in the administration of BCCI. Over the course of the year, the trio met various stakeholders of the game, including former cricketers and BCCI office bearers before putting forth their reforms.

Darren Bravo's majestic hundred keeps West Indies in the hunt

Numerous great tales in the history of cricket have that moment where defeat is in the air, with little hope left of charting a comeback. However, just in the nick of time, the talisman emerges to end the barren run of doom and gloom. Darren Bravo, the mainstay of the West Indies batting line-up, galvanised the visitors in times of need with a majestic hundred to give them genuine hope of pulling a heist on Day 5 of the Day-night Test at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Monday (October 17). The tourists ended the second session at 232 for 6, chasing 346.

As nerves were frayed and fingernails chomped, Roston Chase (35) and Bravo played with poise and equanimity. If Chase's innings consisted of wristy flicks, then Bravo crunched languid drives, cuts and punches. In the 67th over of the innings, the way he expertly cut Yasir Shah off the rough exemplifies the point. As the sound of Bravo's willow on the leather filled the air, the worried look on Misbah-ul-Haq's face indicated that the self belief which took Pakistan briefly to the No. 1 Test spot was slowly ebbing away. There were some shrill appeals made by the close-in fielders too as the situation got desperate.

It was Yasir who lifted the spirits of the home side by castling Chase. The all-rounder tried to whip the legspinner from round the wicket and his stumps took a beating. Incidentally, Chase had played a wristy flick off the previous delivery, too. The credit has to go to the ace spinner for holding his nerve to entice the right-hander to again attempt the shot.

It took almost 24 overs for Yasir to snare his first wicket of the innings and not surprisingly, he celebrated the dismissal by pumping his fist. Wahab Riaz, the gutsy fast bowler then bowled a peach of a delivery to dislodge Shane Dowrich. From slightly wide of the crease, he used the inswinger and then it straightened on the angle to clean up the wicketkeeper-batsman. Dowrich had a bemused look on his face as he walked back to the pavilion perhaps wondering how could he have kept out that delivery.

Even after Riaz and Yasir made inroads into the line-up, Bravo continued to collect boundaries at will. Misbah had a packed off-side field, but just couldn't prevent the left-hander from spanking free-flowing drives and the left-hander reached his hundred in style with a cover-drive. At the Dinner break, with Bravo at the crease, West Indies would still believe they have a chance to register a famous win. However, he needs support from the other end and will be hoping that skipper Jason Holder can play the ideal second fiddle.

Earlier, In what turned out a dour and attritional first session, Bravo's steady hand guided the tourists to Tea. On a track offering enough assistance for the spinners, Bravo didn't alter his game-plan and grounded out a useful knock. He showed the required batting expertise to use the crease and defend off the back foot with his stout blade. Only at the fag end of the session, he played a shot of class and quality with a sublime punch off Wahab Riaz to collect a boundary.

However, Pakistan chipped away at the batting order by picking up a couple of scalps. Marlon Samuels, who was earmarked as one of the key batsmen for West Indies to chase down the target, came a cropper as Mohammad Amir dismissed him off the first ball of the day. From round the wicket, Amir bowled that teasing off-stump line and got the ball to straighten on the angle to induce the outside edge.

For a while, Bravo and Jermaine Blackwood (15) resisted as runs came in a trickle. Eventually, Mohammad Nawaz snuffed out Blackwood leg-before. Initially, it was adjudged not-out, but Misbah took the punt by asking for the review and the decision was overturned. The angle seemed to be taking it down leg, but the HawkEye projected that the ball would knock over the leg-stump.

Pakistan stuck to their task quite well and were rewarded with a couple of scalps. Amir and Yasir Shah shackled the opposition by bowling tidy lines. The rest of the bowlers, too, hardly gave away any freebies. The hosts also looked to dry up the runs by having more fielders in front of the wicket but Bravo was unfazed as he came up with a defiant knock to keep West Indies' hopes alive.

Brief scores: Pakistan 579/3 (Azhar Ali 302*, Sami Aslam 90; Devendra Bishoo 2-125) and 123 (Sami Aslam 44; Devendra Bishoo 8-49) lead West Indies 357 (Darren Bravo 87, Marlon Samuels 76; Yasir Shah 5-121) and 232/6 (Leon Johnson 47, Darren Bravo 102* Leon Johnson 47; Mohammad Amir 3-52) by 114 runs

TNPL will produce future players: Badri

Badri felt success in TNPL won't necessarily result in the revival of Tamil Nadu's Ranji campaign. © Cricaction

S Badrinath, who will captain the Karaikudi franchise in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL), is keeping cards close to his chest with regards to his plans for the Ranji Trophy season. Badrinath, who switched allegiance to Vidarbha two seasons ago, is back in the state fold this year. "I've got an NOC from Vidarbha and TNCA has given me an acceptance letter as well.So, I am here," said Badrinath.

The 35-year-old mentioned that -staying away from family -was one of the main reasons for his return to homeland. "I was very happy (playing for Vidarbha) and it was a great experience. I've been travelling for the last 15 years and it was important to spend time with my family," he mentioned.

Is he hopeful of getting into the Tamil Nadu Ranji side again? "At the moment, my focus is only on TNPL and I'll be able to answer this question only later," he added.

Badri felt success in TNPL won't necessarily result in the revival of Tamil Nadu's Ranji campaign.

"It's tough to correlate TNPL and Ranji Trophy campaign because the formats are different. I believe TNPL will produce cricketers who would go on to play the shorter formats of the game be it for the state, in IPL or at a higher grade," he mentioned.

Abbott ruled out of quadrangular A-Team series with ankle injury

Matthew Short will take over as the skipper of the NPS side for the remaining games. © Cricaction

Sean Abbott, the captain of the National Performance Squad, has been ruled out of the ongoing quadrangular A-Team One-Day series with an injury to his left ankle, Cricket Australia announced on Thursday (August 18).

The New South Wales all-rounder was struck on his left ankle off the final ball of their game against Australia A on Tuesday. The scans revealed a fracture, ruling him out of action for the remainder of the series.

"Sean was struck during Tuesday's match and suffered some damage to the ankle bone," Stephen Timms, the team physiotherapist said. "Sean will undergo further scans in Sydney to assess the full extent of the damage and treatment required."

Matthew Short will take over as the skipper of the NPS side for the remaining games.

Border laments Australia's brittle batting after series loss to Sri Lanka

Australia have lost nine straight Tests to subcontinental teams away and have won just once in Asia in the past decade. © Cricaction

Allan Border, the legendary Australian cricketer, believes Australia will need to undergo a post-mortem in a desperate bid to reverse its subpar performances in the subcontinent.

In the aftermath of Australia's shock whitewash to an inexperienced Sri Lankan team, Border said Australia would need to confront some hard truths after another inept display in the subcontinent. Australia have lost nine straight Tests to subcontinental teams away and have won just once in Asia in the past decade.

"Obviously the post mortems will start soon about Australian cricket and our non-performance in the subcontinent," Border told Ten Sports on Thursday (August 18). "This has been going on for 35 years. We've had the odd bright moment under Adam Gilchrist and Ricky Ponting and under Stephen Waugh. We've had some good moments, but they've been few and far between.

"There'll be a post mortem. There's not too many positives for the Australians," he added.

Border, who captained Australia in a record 93 Tests from 1984-1994, believed much of the blame could be attributed to the underwhelming top-order batting. "Mitchell Starc, obviously, is a standout. Twenty-four wickets for him, he held it together well for the Aussie boys," he said. "But it was the batting that really struggled in the face of some quality spin bowling. What we do about that is the million-dollar question."

Border lamented Australia's numerous collapses during the series. "You can't do that and it just shows how important first-innings runs are," Border said. "Australia were 267 for 1 in the first innings, you're looking at a big 400-score from that and to give yourself breathing space when you go into the fourth innings.

"We just need to be better throughout the innings and not lose wickets in clumps like we've been doing," he added. "When one brings two, three, four and beyond, you can't win games in the subcontinent when you're doing that."

After producing their first Test series victory against Australia since 1999, Sri Lanka "thoroughly" deserved the win, according to Border. "The contributions from the young players have been absolutely fantastic," he said. "Right from the first Test match until now, Sri Lanka have found ways to get themselves out of trouble and into a dominant position."

There is no room for self-doubt in T20 cricket, feels Robin

"After I stopped playing, I haven't been involved with cricket in Tamil Nadu, apart from seeing a few players play in IPL." © Cricaction

Robin Singh has seen Tamil Nadu cricket from close quarters. The former In dia southpaw, part of the Ra-nji Trophy-winning Tamil Nadu side in 1987-88 season, who has been coaching various teams in Indian Premier Lea-gue, Carib bean Premier Lea-gue will be donning the coach's role for Karaikudi franchise at the inaugural edition of Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL). The 52-year-old spoke on the importance of fielding, parameters that could be used to gauge the success of any T20 league and more. Excerpts:

How did your association with Karaikudi franchise materialise?

I was approached by a couple of guys and I thought it was an interesting venture to be involved in. After I stopped playing, I haven't been involved with cricket in Tamil Nadu, apart from seeing a few players play in IPL. I was keen on doing something here and this was the right opportunity to do the same.

Do you feel the absence of outstation players will have its effect on TNPL?

T20 is not about a strong team. It is about understanding what each player's roles are and how they gel well with the team's philosophy . Our team has the likes of S Badrinath as the skipper who has a lot of experience in this format. And I believe our team has a fair amount of talent and I'm pretty sure we would do well. In this format, a lot of people will win or lose, but ultimately everyone stands to gain.

As a coach, what are the challenges you encounter in this format?

Most of the players (in TNPL) are used to playing two-day cricket and I'm not sure how many have played T20 cricket. There is no room for self-doubt in T20s. You have no choice but to execute your plans properly .Technique may not be a big factor for a batsman, but as a bowler you should have skills to execute. The other challenge is to see how good the fielders are. I believe that fielding will play a big part in this tournament, and teams that field well will go the distance.

Mumbai Indians have often been accused of having too many coaches. Do you feel it could be detrimental to a team's success?

Every team has its share of coaches. CSK (Chennai Super Kings) also had a lot of coaches. They had the likes of Stephen Fleming, Steve Rixon and Andy Bichel as part of their support staff. Mumbai Indians too have the same number of coaches in -Jonty Rhodes, Shane Bond and Ricky Ponting among others. What everyone does is add value to the side.

You've been with CPL. Are these franchises leagues making it tough to piece together a full strength WI squad?

The Test series (between India and West Indies) was scheduled by the BCCI in consultation with West Indies Cricket Board (WICB). CPL had got nothing to do with the clash of schedule. Big Bash was going on during Australia's Test series at home, but no one criticized it. Indian board has a clear window for IPL and that's why all the cricketers are part of it, but no other countries have it. WICB knew the dates of CPL and when you know that there is tournament in the same time, you try and avoid it. It's not the players fault, but that of the board's.

Do you feel the India-West Indies T20s in Florida will benefit cricket in America?

I know there is money to be made in the States. You have to pump money in to USA cricket to develop it. Holding matches is not going to promote the game as you have to develop infrastructure.

You were known for your fielding skills during your playing days. Who according to you is the best in world cricket today?

In my mind there is only one player who is the best -AB de Villiers. I've seen him from close quarters. If he is fit, then he is easily the best. As a team, South Africa have set high standards, Australia too have been good. India too is right up there among the best fielding sides in the world today.

Royal London Cup wrap: Somerset, Warwickshire enter semis

Mahela Jayawardene hit 14 fours and two sixes during his knock © Cricaction

First quarterfinal: Somerset v Worcestershire

Mahela Jayawardene and Jim Allenby helped Somerset cruise to a nine-wicket win in the first quarterfinal of the Royal London One-Day Cup against Worcestershire at the County Ground in Taunton on Wednesday (August 17). 

Set a target of 211, Jayawardene (117 not out) and Allenby (81) added an unbeaten 118 runs for the opening wicket to push Worcestershire out of the game. The latter fell in the 34th over when he was caught off the bowling of Moeen Ali, but that was the only wicket that Worcestershire could manage. 

Earlier, Daryl Mitchell's decision to bat first didn't pay rich dividends as the batsmen failed to put a significant total on the board. Moeen (81) and Mitchell (64) made handy contributions but with no significant partnership flourishing, Worcestershire were left with a little less than what they would have desired. 

At one stage they were reduced to 42 for 3 before Moeen and Mitchell resurrected the innings with a 113-run stand. Both fell in quick succession to Peter Trego and Worcestershire failed to recover from twin blows. Joe Leach looked promising but his 18-ball stay, that yielded 20, was cut short when he was run out by Roelof van der Merwe. Worcestershire posted a sub-par total that was chased down with ease.

Brief scores: Worcestershire 210 in 42.5 overs (Moeen Ali 84, Daryl Mitchell 64; Peter Trego 3-33) lost to Somerset 214-1 in 36.5 overs (Mahela Jayawardena 117*, Jim Allenby 81) by nine wickets.

Second quarterfinal: Warwickshire v Essex

In a slightly more closely-contested quarterfinal fixture at Edgbaston on Wednesday (August 17), Warwickshire came out on top against Essex to advance to the semis. Jonathan Trott, the former England batsman, amassed a fine century, while Tim Ambrose, the captain of the side, and Laurie Evans made vital contributions to power the team to a challenging total of 283 for 7, despite the efforts of Graham Napier (3-60) and Ryan ten Doeschate (2-46).

Essex made a fine start to the chase as Nick Browne (39) and Tom Westley (61) started with a solid partnership but a middle-order collapse ensued, that saw the side fall from 75 for no wicket to 120 for 5. The spin duo of Jeeten Patel and Josh Posyden bamboozled the middle-order, leaving too much to do for Doeschate. To the Dutchman's credit, he fought hard with a gritty 52-ball 53, but there was a glaring lack of support at the other end. In the 43rd over, Patel dismissed Doeschate to end the Essex innings 70 short of the target.

Brief scores: Warwickshire 283/7 in 50 overs (Jonathan Trott 101, Laurie Evans 70, Tim Ambrose 60; Graham Napier 3-60) beat Essex 213 in 42.1 overs (Tom Westley 61, Ryan ten Doeschate 53; Jeeten Patel 3-32, Josh Posyden 3-46) by 70 runs

Kusal Mendis's 176 key point of Sri Lanka's series victory: Mathews

"It was a special effort by him to get us on to a winning track," Mathews said. © Cricaction

After being blanked by Sri Lanka in the three-match Test series, Steve Smith admitted that things could have been a lot different if Australia had put up a lot more on the board in the first innings of the opening Test. After dismissing Sri Lanka for 117, Australia managed just 203.

Kusal Mendis then came up with his scintillating knock of 176 on a difficult track. His innings helped Sri Lanka post 353 on the board and seal a 106-run win. Angelo Mathews, the Sri Lanka captain, picked that essay as the crucial factor in his team's victory. "The key point I thought was Mendis's innings - that was the turnaround for the whole series after getting all out for 117 at Pallekele," he said on Wednesday (August 17). "It was a special effort by him to get us on to a winning track. From there onwards it really kicked off. The confidence levels were sky high from there. We worked very hard and actually we worked harder than the first two Tests ahead of the third Test as we were desperate to finish this 3-0."

Mathews also praise Dhananjaya de Silva, who ended as the highest run-getter in the series. "It's just pure talent, with the young batsmen," he gushed. "I suppose Dhananjaya has played a bit of first-class cricket, but Kusal Mendis hasn't. We've got to take that chance with some people sometimes, and it's paid off. You can see the way they batted in extreme conditions - it was turning square.

"They had Nathan Lyon, Jon Holland, and Steve O'Keefe in the first game. Mitchell Starc has been outstanding in the last three or four weeks as well. The calmness and composure of Dhananjaya at No. 7 was great. He handled that pressure well. Kusal Perera also played some brisk knocks, so the future is bright."

However, Sri Lanka's win was built on a stellar bowling effort from Rangana Herath. The left-arm spinner ended the series with 28 wickets at an average of 12.75. He was also struggling with a groin injury coming into the final day of the series but ended with match figures of 13 for 145 to seal an emphatic win and a 3-0 whitewash for the hosts.

Mathews, unsurprisingly, was full of praise for his veteran tweaker. "He was bowling off one leg, but one leg was enough for him," he said. "He got hit while batting and then he had a groin strain. He couldn't run and he couldn't jump. He was just landing the ball on one leg, and he is unbelievable. He has taken 28 wickets in the series and is one of the best I have seen. The batsmen are having a nightmare facing him no matter how well they play spin. He has been a great team man as well."

The two teams will now face each other in the five-match One-Day International series starting from Sunday in Colombo.

Have shown lot of improvement since first Test: Jason Holder

It is good to see Darren bravo get some runs and some form going in the last Test match: Holder © Cricaction

With pride and consolation at stake in Trinidad, West Indies captain Jason Holder opted to focus on the improvement his team has made over the course of the series despite not getting the results, his personal performance with both bat and ball, the need to capitalise on starts and more.

Excerpts from the press conference held on August 17 (Wednesday).

Q: How do you look back on your show in the series and the multiple roles you play?

A:Personally, I would like to get some better starts. Part of my job is to do the holding bit at one end, as the hard working boys tend to rest. I felt that I was always doing well in the series but just haven't got the wickets to show. I feel normal, pretty happy and pretty confident and I am just my normal self.

Q: There has been some criticism regarding your captaincy and tactics...

A: There's always criticism as people have things to say and people have their opinion. So I don't think about it at all and I do what I have to in the best interests of the team.

Q: Thoughts on overall performance in the series?

A: I think we have showed improvement from the first Test. We said in the dressing room that we need a lot of big moments in the game and the conversion rate hasn't been good as we have let them slip by at times. They are costing us some Test matches but I think we have had some pretty good personal performances. Obviously we have got a hundred and two five-wicket hauls, and I think we have made progress in terms of our bowling. I don't think, in the first Test match, we were up to scratch but definitely we have shown a lot of improvement. I have said that our aim is to get 20 wickets in a Test match win, and we got 17 in the last one, so we are looking to push a bit further in this last one.

Q: What went wrong on last day in St.Lucia?

A: I think we lost our play on the fourth day and lost our last seven wickets very cheaply. We were in a pretty decent position with our top-order. They laid the foundation, but we faltered a bit with our middle-order and gave India the lead. We never really were able to recover from that.

Q: What needs to change in batting?

A: We have had some one-on-one meetings with the batsmen and the coach, and we have tried to find ways where we can enhance our preparation for this fourth Test match. We have obviously been working very hard no doubt but the situation is just that, in the game, we haven't been able to convert it. I just think it needs that conservative effort to fight it a bit better and for a little longer. Whatever starts we get we need to capitalize on them. 

It is a situation where we haven't been doing that badly in terms of getting starts and just carried on. It is good to see Darren bravo get some runs and some form going in the last Test match. Marlon (Samuels) is fighting. It is just that we ask a lot of these two batsmen who are in the top four. I think kraigg (Brathwaite) has had an up and down series, he has got starts but just hasn't been able to carry on, so in this Test match it is just about them to continue to get starts. 

Q: What has Phil Simmons's role as coach with the team been like?

A: Obviously he is the coach of the team so he has his plans and ideas and he bounces them off and we try to come with the best possible solution to the team. Once we cross the line, then everything is down to me and we can share ideas but I try to do everything in the best interests of the team. Some of the senior players, and juniors as well, tend to share ideas, and keep everybody involved with the game. But the main thing about cricket or any sport is execution. If you don't do that properly you will always be trailing. So we are just in a situation where we need to execute.

Q: Thoughts on Joel Garner's comment about hard work?

A: I would say we are working hard. I don't know what the manager is saying. That's his opinion.

Q: Will Trinidad be Samuels's final hurrah? What did you make of his shot selection in St. Lucia?

A: Firstly I don't know anything about this being Marlon's last test series. It is just speculation that we have heard and that's it, he hasn't come and said anything in the dressing room whether this is his last series. As for the shot, it didn't look the best but if you watch the game Marlon plays, he is quite unique in how he sets up. It is tough to gauge but once he gets in, we know how destructive he can be. And he has to be a little bit more selective in terms of his strokes and if he plays some shots thinking that it is a moment to capitalise on the bowlers or the moment, then he can take the game in his hands. I think he is a team player in terms of his approach and contributions for West Indies in the past, and putting everything in for the team. We just need to improve our shot selection and capitalise on the starts that we are getting.

Q: Thoughts on the surface?

A: Not quite sure yet. Yesterday I saw the wicket and I thought it looked pretty dry. There is a bit of grass on it as well and there is a possibility that we can see a change in the squad. But I haven't sat down with the selectors as yet and at the end of the day they have the final say. We will see what happens.

Q: Is there a lot of pressure on you at the moment? 

A: Personally it hasn't been too bad for me but I haven't had the results. Have only got one wicket in this series but I feel that I have done my job pretty well. Obviously need some wickets and put my hand up and just see if things go my way in this test match. I am feeling pretty normal, jovial, my normal self and (I am) trying to keep the dressing room lively. I have had interactions with lot of players over the last few days about this series and (we) keep things as comfortable as possible. I am trying to make sure they know what they are doing in this setup and it is easy for me to get along with them. There is a lot of camaraderie in the dressing room. It hasn't been difficult at all. Results haven't gone our way, in Test cricket things have been tough. But if we keep working hard, like in this series we have shown improvement, it is just about key moments in the game. So we are looking to keep learning and start putting things right starting with this last Test match.

Q: How do you deal with rain breaks?

A: It is tough. Some people switch off but one thing the coach always says is that when there is rain around, we need to stay switched on in the dressing room because when it's time, we don't stipulate what the playing conditions would be. When there is rain around and there is nothing to do, we just chill and try to relax. We play a few card games and not talk cricket and have some fun. We just try to keep things as happy as possible to pass time and see whenever we can get play. Looking at this dressing room, it is very young team and I thoroughly enjoy everyone's company and we have some talented cricketers, but we just have to learn quickly and we have to put things straight and start getting some results. 

Record-setting India aim for 3-0 series win

Rain is expected to play spoilsport during the course of the final Test © Cricaction

World No 1 - that's where the Indian Test team stands at the moment. It's a small incentive, as Virat Kohli rightly termed it, but the team is looking at continuing its winning form for much longer, in order to carve out an era.

India are 2-0 up with one game to play in the Test series against hosts West Indies, already a record scoreline for any Indian side visiting the Caribbean, and they will look to wrap up the series 3-0 when the two teams meet on Thursday at Queens Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad.

The pitch at the Queens Park Oval looks like one that will play to the spinners' benefit and that will put India at more of an advantage. Ravichandran Ashwin has already scored two hundreds and picked up a truckload of wickets on the tour, and he will be looking at another strong performance to cap off a successful series.

India's batsmen have been in good form, too, with Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha and Ashwin all getting hundreds. The curator at Port of Spain reckons the pitch will be a good one for batsmen, even though there will be spin and bounce on offer. India's batsmen will be keen on putting up another big performance with the bat.

For the West Indies, the only way is up. They showed some fight during the second innings at Jamaica and the first at St Lucia. However, they slumped to a new low during their second innings in the third Test, losing wickets in a heap and succumbing to another big defeat. They will hope for a good performance from at least one of their top four batsmen, who have all been, expect Kraigg Brathwaite to some extent, in bad form. The middle-order failure in the last game exposed how dependent the team is on them, and they can ill afford another bad show with the bat, against an Indian team hungry for success.

When: West Indies vs India, 4th Test on August 18 at 10:00 AM local time (7.30 PM IST) 

Where: Sabina Park, Port-of-Spain Trinidad

What to expect: Rain is expected to play spoilsport during the course of the Test, and the pitch could play a tad differently. Kohli opined that the rain, and with the pitch kept under covers, could help the faster bowlers, while the curator felt that the pitch will be a good one for batsmen and spinners.

Team News:

India: India sprung more than a couple of surprises during their last game in St Lucia, and it wouldn't be surprising to see them do so again in Port of Spain. Murali Vijay could come in for the out-of-form Shikhar Dhawan, while there might be a case for an extra seamer for Ravindra Jadeja, judging by Kohli's reading of the wicket.

Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara and Shardul Thakur have also been named in the sides to play in the Duleep Trophy. All three were left out of the starting XI in the last Test, and it will be interesting to see if the players are released to play in the pink-ball tournament if they are not picked for the fourth Test.

West Indies: The only change West Indies could make would be bringing in specialist spinner Devendra Bishoo for one of their pacers. Alzarri Joseph had a good debut, while Miguel Cummins sparkled with a six-fer in the second innings in St Lucia. It will be interesting to see which pacer gets the drop, should the team management go with Bishoo.

What they said:

Virat Kohli: If you're playing five batters and looking to bat someone at number five then the batting order that we played in the last game works. When we play six batters and four bowlers in home conditions maybe where you won't require that extra fifth bowler who might not bowl too many overs, then the combination becomes different. We are open to both

Jason Holder: Personally, I would like to get some better starts. Part of my job is to do the holding bit at one end, as the hard working boys tend to rest. I felt that I was always doing well in the series but just haven't got the wickets to show.

Squads:

India: Virat Kohli(c), Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Amit Mishra, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Cheteshwar Pujara, Stuart Binny

West Indies: Jason Holder, Devendra Bishoo, Kraigg Brathwaite, Carlos Brathwaite, Jermaine Blackwood, Darren Bravo, Roston Chase, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Shai Hope, Leon Johnson, Alzarri Joseph, Marlon Samuels

Need to play consistent cricket for 3-4 years to be No. 1 in Tests: Kohli

"The term that people say, 'switch off and switch on' I think that is the most important factor in an interrupted game," Kohli said. © Cricaction

On the eve of the fourth and final Test in Trinidad, Virat Kohli, the Indian captain, shared his views on becoming the No. 1 Test side as per the latest ICC Test rankings and the 'little incentive' of retaining it, staying focussed during rain breaks, the flexibility of team selection based on the available conditions and more.

Excerpts from the press conference: 

Q: Thoughts on staying on top of ICC Test rankings if you win 3-0?

A: It's a nice incentive, but it doesn't really change anything for the team. Our goal has been to play good cricket, and we've done that in the past one year or so. We want to continue with the same. 

Even last year, when we won against South Africa, because of some other team losing we became number one, for a brief period. I think to be best side in the world, you need to play consistent cricket for a span of 3-4 years. This is a pretty immediate and short term incentive. You have to play good cricket for a sustained period of time to actually be the number one team in the world. We have played good cricket, that's why we've climbed up the rankings. If you see, we have played lesser number of games compared to other teams, so the more games you play, you can only be judged after that about how good the team has been. So far we've been very good, but I think at the end of the season, we'll probably be in a better position to look back at how we've played and then figure out where we stand.

Q: How do you prepare for rain breaks?

A: Sometimes when you have too many interruptions, some people tend to think they can relax, but I think you require more concentration in an interrupted game. When there are no breaks, you can plan according to how the game will go for five or four days. But with breaks, your plans and concentration will be disrupted very quickly. The term that people say, 'switch off and switch on' I think that is the most important factor in an interrupted game. That's what a cricketer has to master pretty quickly in his career, because you don't want a situation where you're not 100% into a game if you get interruptions. It's challenging, but when it happens you have to make sure that you get a hang of this as well, because it does happen quite often, especially in Test cricket.

Q: Do you prepare specifically for batting at No. 3?

A: No, I don't. If you're playing five batters and looking to bat someone at number five, then the batting order that we played in the last game works. When we play six batters and four bowlers in home conditions, maybe where you won't require that extra fifth bowler who might not bowl too many overs, then the combination becomes different. We are open to both, like I've said in the past. 

I don't look to prepare in a different way. For me, the mindset matters before I go in to bat. It can be any position, if you're mentally feeling good then more often than not you will be able to execute (your plans). 

Q: Bigger pool to select players from?

If the wickets are drastically changing from one venue to the other, then obviously you will see a change here and there. Specially with one bowler playing in front of the other. But as far as the pool of players goes, I think we have a very good squad here. The stand-by players back home have the skill sets as well. Everyone has been briefed clearly about the roles that they have to play and we have players that are being readied accordingly, according to every series. That is one thing that is very important to this team. That is the only way if you look to take chances, and take a few risks, that is the only way you can win games and win series and that's what we always look to do. 

Q: Any changes in the team selection for this game?

A: Again, as I've said before, it's one that the management and myself feel is the best combination we can play at a particular ground. Nowadays, the game is so competitive that you can't make changes forced on giving people chances in between a series. One or two spots will be available for changing and trying some other player, but I don't think we can make too many changes as far as one series goes, because we're playing a big season. We're playing at home as well, so you want players to be in that kind of mindset where they feel like... they come into the next series, they know they're in the starting XI and prepare accordingly. We have done that pretty well so far in the last year and a half. A couple of spots here and there will always be up for change because of what the conditions and pitch are like. As I said about one bowler playing above the other, or the batting spot I mentioned in the last game.

Q: Thoughts on the conditions?

A: I had a look yesterday, there were a few damp spots. Covers came on pretty quickly today, so I don't know how much that has dried up. We're obviously going to name a few more than eleven and take a call tomorrow as to what the best combination is. Apart from the damp spots, the surface looks pretty dry. Should have turn and bounce, that's the feeling I got, but if we have rain for the next three days on and off, I'm sure the seamers will get much more assistance. Even in the side nets today, the seamers did get a lot of assistance. So, we'll have to keep enough players in the squad for us to change last minute according to what the weather conditions are like and how much the wicket is going to stay under covers.

Former wicketkeepers defend Nevill for Karunaratne stumping

Adam Gilchrist took to twitter to show his support for Nevill, reckoning the batsman was being 'lazy'. ©Cricaction

Former wicketkeepers have leapt to the defence of Peter Nevill, Australia's gloveman who has attracted public criticism for his dismissal of Sri Lankan opener Dimuth Karunaratne during the third Test in Colombo. 

The stir on social media erupted after Karunaratne was beaten outside off stump by Nathan Lyon, Australia's spinner, on day four of the Test (on Tuesday). The Sri Lankan batsman casually lifted his back foot as Nevill pounced and whipped off the bails. 

In accordance with Law of Cricket Number 39, Karunaratne was adjudged stumped because a legitimate delivery found him out of his ground and the wicket was fairly broken by the wicketkeeper without the intervention of another fielder.

It was not the first time that type of cheeky dismissal has occurred, with Alec Stewart, the former England wicketkeeper, once dismissing West Indies batsman Brian Lara in similar fashion during a one-day international in 1997. Brad Haddin, Nevill's predecessor, often attempted something similar albeit unsuccessfully. 

But critics, including several prominent Australian journalists, questioned whether the stumping was within the spirit of the game and compared it to a 'Mankad' dismissal. Martin Blake, a veteran Australian sportswriter, deemed Nevill's actions as "morally wrong" and Rodney Hogg, former Australian paceman turned media identity, described it as "not a true dismissal". 

However, former wicketkeepers have united behind Nevill. Ryan Campbell, who was behind the stumps for Australia during two ODIs in the early 2000s, believed the 30-year-old did nothing untoward. "It's just out... has nothing to do with the spirit of the game," Campbell told Cricbuzz on Wednesday (August 17). "It's not like he waited 20 seconds or faked to throw the ball to someone. He watched the batsman and took the bails off instantly. 

"I think we misuse the phrase "spirit of cricket" way too much," Campbell added. 

Paul Nixon, who was England's wicketkeeper in 19 ODIs and one T20, believed batsmen should be more guarded with their footwork. Nixon said he had seen wicketkeepers attempt it "many times" during his playing days. 

"Batsmen have to keep their feet on the ground behind the line, end of story for me," Nixon told Cricbuzz. "Yes it was a longer delay but as a batsman you have to (keep the feet grounded). It's non-negotiable."

Adam Gilchrist, Australia's legendary wicketkeeper, also defended Nevill. "Nothing unethical about this one. Just a little bit lazy by the batsman," Gilchrist wrote on Twitter. 

Ever pragmatic, Nevill was nonplussed by the criticism. "If you don't want to get stumped, stay in your crease," he told the media after play on day four.

AUSTRALIA V SRI LANKA ODIS Aussies drop ODI squad bombshell

 

Rod Marsh issues a blunt message after Glenn Maxwell is axed from the ODI squad to play Sri Lanka, with Moises Henriques drafted in Australia’s selection chairman Rod Marsh has issued a blunt message to axed one-day allrounder Glenn Maxwell – if you can show us you’re capable of consistently making runs and taking wickets there is a place for you in our best white ball XI.

Maxwell, Australian cricket’s reigning ODI Player of the Year, was the headline omission from the 15-man squad named today for the five one-day internationals that will follow the current three-Test series as part of the Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka.

Australia ODI squad for the Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), George Bailey, Nathan Coulter-Nile, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa

"Obviously I'm disappointed to miss out on the squad but I've had some good chats to (selectors) Rod (Marsh) and Trevor (Hohns),” Maxwell told cricket.com.au.

"I got some really honest feedback which was good to hear but there are also things I need to work on.

"It is hard; I'm going to be watching on TV and seeing Australia play in coloured clothing and I'm not going to be there, but it's one of those things where it'll probably only drive me to train harder and make sure I'm there for the next tour.

"There's plenty of positives. Lots of players miss out on squads and get dropped at different times, and you see their character shine through – I'm hoping I can show mine and get back in that squad and show that I deserve to be there."

The 27-year-old will instead spend the next few weeks searching for form with the Australia A team in its current series of four-day matches against A teams from South Africa and India as well as a quadrangular limited-overs tournament that will also feature the National Performance Squad.

A quest that began poorly yesterday when Maxwell, added to the Australia A team a day earlier after left-arm spinner Jon Holland was drafted into the Test squad as a replacement for injured Steve O’Keefe, was dismissed for a duck by uncapped South Africa A seamer Sisanda Magala, though his caught-and-bowled effort on day two of the ‘A’ contest in Brisbane was a rather spectacular consolation.

One-Day Cup: Durham out of competition after Lancashire game washed out

Royal London One-Day Cup, Emirates Old Trafford

Lancashire 39-0 (7/17 overs): Brown 30*

Durham: Did not bat

No result - rain

Match scorecard

Durham were eliminated from the One-Day Cup after their match against Lancashire was abandoned and other results went against them.

In a match reduced to 17 overs per side at Old Trafford, only seven were possible with Lancashire on 39-0.

But Warwickshire's win at Yorkshire and Worcestershire's victory over Notts saw the 2014 champions finish fifth in the North Group with a worse net run-rate.

Lancashire remain bottom of the group with just two wins.

Following a delay of more than four hours, play eventually got under way at 18:15 BST with each innings reduced to 24 overs, and Lancashire's Karl Brown raced to 30 not out.

The players went off for rain 30 minutes later, but it was hoped they could start again at 19:45 BST, with the match now 17 overs for each team.

However, the weather closed in again and they did not return - meaning both sides take one point.

We have shown some glimpses but have to streamline it: Roston Chase

Roston Chase, who picked up his maiden five-wicket haul on day three of the second Test against India, reflected on his performance and spoke about the importance of a collective effort for West Indies to survive in the Test.

Excerpts from Chase's press conference:

On picking up a fifer in his second Test

It is a great feeling to get five wickets in any match, but at Test level it is a great feeling for me. I have just started my Test career and it is a great confidence boost for me that I can do it at this level, so this is a great feeling for me.

On bowling to the Indian batsmen

Yes, it was hard for me. It's Test cricket, so you are never taught that it would be easy, but the first game I found out that my line was a bit too wide. So I adjusted my line and length in this match and the skipper told me to do that, to attack the batsmen more and hold a tighter length and it worked for me.

On the bounce generated

As I am 6'4 I tend to get a lot of bounce, but I found that I wasn't only getting bounce this time but I was also getting some turn as well, so that helped me a lot. I was spinning some balls and straightening some of them as well. I also tried to vary my pace in the game as I found that in the last match I was a bit too quick. So when I slowed the ball I got more results in the match.

On West Indies' plans for day four

We are a bit behind the eight ball but I believe that once the team pulls together, we have been seeing glimpses in the first game and this game, that we have the ability to compete at this level. But we just need to streamline it a bit more so that we can have a better collective effort. As I said we have had some glimpses but we just have to streamline it and we will be fine.

On his role as an all-rounder

As I said I am mainly a batsman, but earlier in our local first-class season (I bowled a bit as well). I wasn't bowling a lot earlier on but some of our players left for West Indies duty, so that's when I got an opportunity to express myself as a bowler, so I am a bit accustomed to bowling now.