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The ICC has shown faith in the Bangladesh Cricket Board by reiterating that next year’s Under-19 World Cup will be hosted by the nation

Mohammad Isam13-Oct-2015The ICC has shown faith in the Bangladesh Cricket Board by reiterating that next year’s Under-19 World Cup will be hosted by the nation, but stressed on the need for a security plan that satisfies both the ICC and the member countries.”The [ICC] board confirmed that the Bangladesh Cricket Board will host next year’s ICC U19 Cricket World Cup from 22 January to 14 February,” an ICC statement said. “As part of this decision, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), working in conjunction with its government, will be developing an appropriate security plan that addresses all security risks to the satisfaction of the ICC’s security advisor, working closely with the security advisors for the other Members.”The confirmation should soothe nerves in the BCB as well as among Bangladesh fans, especially after Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa postponed Bangladesh tours scheduled for this month due to safety concerns for foreigners.The Under-19 World Cup is the next tour that raised doubts among many in Bangladesh. But neither the ICC nor any of the participating nations sounded any concerns about the tournament.The BCB was awarded the tournament’s hosting rights a couple of years ago and had already started preparation, particularly in redeveloping venues across the country.

USA batsman Steven Taylor became the first American cricketer to score a century in Twenty20 cricket during a match against Bermuda in the 2013 ICC World Cricket League Americas Division One Twenty20 tournament in Fort Lauderdale

Peter Della Penna24-Mar-2013USA batsman Steven Taylor became the first American cricketer to score a century in Twenty20 cricket during a match against Bermuda in the 2013 ICC World Cricket League Americas Division One Twenty20 tournament in Fort Lauderdale. The 19-year-old from Miramar, Florida scored 101 off 62 balls, bringing up his landmark in 61 balls, as USA beat Bermuda by 48 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis method.Taylor was on 78 with three overs to go in the innings before a string of sixes in the next two overs, including a couple in the 19th over off Rodney Trott, took him to triple digits. He brought up his hundred with his sixth six and his innings also included five fours. Earlier in the tournament, Taylor fell for 95 against Cayman Islands, trying to hit a six to get to his hundred.Last October, Taylor was the only American player in the International World XI that played two T20 exhibition matches in Pakistan to help foster the return of international cricket to the country. He was named his side’s player of the series after taking four wickets in the two games.Taylor also holds the American record for the highest score at the Under-19 level for his innings of 140 off 120 balls against Papua New Guinea in a 2011 ICC Under-19 World Cup qualifier.USA are unbeaten in seven matches of the ICC Americas tournament and have secured a spot at the 2013 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier. They finished in 12th place with a 3-6 record at the Twenty20 Qualifier in 2012 but notched a big upset with a seven-wicket win over Scotland in the group stage, in which Taylor scored an important 40 runs.

Mustafa Kamal, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president, has said he will with work with PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf at the ICC level to return international cricket to Pakistan

Umar Farooq03-Mar-2012Mustafa Kamal, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president, has said he will work with PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf at the ICC level to return international cricket to Pakistan. Kamal was speaking in Islamabad, after meeting with Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik to discuss security issues regarding Bangladesh’s proposed tour in April.Although no formal decision was taken at the meeting, the delegation from Bangladesh was briefed about the security arrangements the Pakistan government would make and Kamal was optimistic about the limited-overs series going ahead. The delegation will inspect facilities in Lahore and Karachi before returning home on March 5 to submit a report to the Bangladesh government.”Now I am here to make a commitment that both Mr Zaka and I will work together to make things right at the ICC level,” Kamal said. “We have our endeavour and always will work hand in hand to convince our other colleagues in the ICC to bring back cricket to Pakistan at the earliest.”I am here with a positive frame of mind and I want us to be in a position to convince our ICC board members, so that they also agree to play in Pakistan as early as possible.”The ICC was not part of the meeting between the BCB and the Pakistan ministry and they will carry out a separate assessment of the security situation if the tour is confirmed. Malik assured the Bangladesh delegation of the security their team would be given, saying the government had taken “total political ownership” of the series.”I have given full assurances regarding security, they will visit two stadiums, let them have a look at all those arrangements which we are proposing,” Malik said in Islamabad. “I assured him [Kamal] from my side, on behalf of the government, that we have taken total political ownership of this match.”I’ve also given him the prerogative that if he wants to add or subtract [to security arrangements] we will do it. We will show our capabilities, and of course then it comes to the planning, the road map, security parameters as to how we’re going to take care of things. So all those things at international standard, they all will be met.”Two members from the Bangladesh delegation went to Karachi to witness the security arrangements that would be put in place should a match go ahead at the National Stadium there.There are two itineraries proposed at present: one is a three-ODI series and the other is two ODIs and one Twenty20 international to be completed in a week in April. Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium and Karachi’s National Stadium are the potential venues.”This is the first step, and I am sure they will be fully satisfied with the security plan being given by the ministry and by the provinces of Sindh and Punjab,” Ashraf said, “And when they go back home, they go back home fully satisfied.”It is three years to the day that terrorists with guns attacked the bus carrying the Sri Lankan team to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, and several players and officials were wounded. Since then, no international side apart from Afghanistan, has toured Pakistan. They were removed as co-hosts of the 2011 World Cup and have been playing their home bilateral series at offshore venues such as England, New Zealand and the UAE.Edited by George Binoy

Ricky Ponting is confident Australia’s pace attack can threaten every team in the World Cup, after they proved too good for Zimbabwe in the 91-run win in their opening game of the World Cup on Monday

Brydon Coverdale22-Feb-2011Ricky Ponting is confident Australia’s pace attack can threaten every team in the World Cup, after they proved too good for Zimbabwe in the 91-run win at Motera on Monday. Australia have gambled on a bowling unit full of speed for this tournament and Mitchell Johnson took 4 for 19 in the opening victory, while Shaun Tait and Brett Lee also fired.The Zimbabwe top-order batsmen were jumpy against Tait and Lee in particular, but the captain was most pleased by the accuracy of Johnson, who he believes can be one of the stars of the tournament. Although it’s difficult to draw from that performance how Australia will fare against the stronger teams, Ponting is confident that no batsman will enjoy facing the trio.”If we get those three up and running and bowling as well as they can, then I don’t care what team we’re playing against or what conditions we’re playing in, that intimidation is going to be there,” Ponting said. “Those three guys are pushing 150kph and with the conditions that we’ve seen, the ball’s going to reverse at different times here as well.”If we’ve got those three guys bowling well in reverse-swinging conditions, then it’s going to be difficult. They can intimidate because they can use their short balls well. They generally don’t give too much away either. If they’re all bowling well, we’ll go a long way in the tournament.”Ponting described Johnson’s effort against Zimbabwe as one of the best spells he had seen from the left-armer in one-day cricket, and his two wickets in two overs early in the innings helped halt Zimbabwe’s fight. Johnson has taken 32 ODI wickets at 21.25 in India and he is set to overtake Nathan Bracken as Australia’s most successful bowler in the country.Ponting believes that Johnson will succeed in the subcontinental conditions again, after an Australian summer in which it seemed like the bad old Mitchell Johnson was back to stay. But having been axed for the Adelaide Ashes Test, Johnson began to regain his form, and even before the Zimbabwe outing, the captain was confident he could be one of the key men in the World Cup.”With the skill set he’s got, he could be one of the players of the tournament, there’s no doubt about that,” Ponting said in the lead-up to the opening match. “We saw in the last couple of games in Australia how dangerous he can be with the bat. He went in as a pinch hitter in Sydney and got 50-odd for us there and changed the way the game was going.”He went to Perth then, and probably bowled as well as he bowled for the whole summer, got 3 for 18 or something and got a few runs as well. He’s in pretty good shape at the moment. He’s got the chance to be one of the outstanding players in this tournament.”Australia left Doug Bollinger and John Hastings out of their series opener, and after the success of the attack it is unlikely there will be any changes for their second match against New Zealand. Jason Krejza also showed some promising signs against Zimbabwe, collecting 2 for 28, and should hold his place for Friday’s game.

It was another case of what could have been for Bangladesh as they mixed talent and frustrating naivety to stutter to 330 for 8 on the opening day in Dhaka

The Bulletin by Sahil Dutta20-Mar-2010Bangladesh 330 for 8 (Tamim 85, Mahmudullah 59, Swann 3-94) v England

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsTamim Iqbal’s glittering innings lit up the morning for Bangladesh•PA Photos

It was another case of what might have been for Bangladesh as they mixed talent with frustrating naivety to stutter to 330 for 8 on the opening day in Dhaka after their innings had been launched by a blistering 85 from 71 balls from Tamim Iqbal. Mahmudullah contributed a silky half-century and captain Shakib Al Hasan returned to form with 49, but England chipped away after opting to play five bowlers.In oppressive heat and on a track remorselessly lifeless for the quick bowlers the visitors toiled hard. They were punished whenever they strayed by a Bangladesh side bristling with positive intent but unable to buckle down and build something more substantial. The tone was set by Tamim’s sizzling assault in the morning session.He celebrated his 21st birthday by launching into England’s new-ball bowlers, dispatching Tim Bresnan for 23 from three overs and pinning Alastair Cook on the defensive almost immediately. He was dropped twice, a tough chance on 7 by Paul Collingwood at second slip and a much simpler offering to Cook at mid on 35 from a leading edge, and they cost England.Having climbed to No. 2 in the world following his Man-of-the-Match outing in Chittagong, Graeme Swann’s introduction was supposed to halt the run glut but Tamim was in no mood to let up. Identifying Swann as the pivotal threat in England’s attack Tamim picked off two boundaries from his first over before unfurling four more in successive deliveries a couple of overs later, the last of which was handsomely deposited over mid on as he bought up a half century from just 34 balls.Having sauntered to 80 with almost an hour remaining before lunch it appeared Tamim was on his way to becoming only the fifth player in Test history to make a century before lunch on the first day. The fireworks had left Cook desperately seeking some stability and it came from his second spinner, James Tredwell, who was making his Test debut at the expense of Michael Carberry.Despite lacking the effervescence that makes Swann such a force, Tredwell has a game honed through a decade in the English shires, and he proved accurate enough to induce a poorly-executed sweep from Tamim which, in a flurry of bat and gloves, looped up to Matt Prior although the ball came off the forearm. Tamim looked disgusted to have been given out he had every right to feel aggrieved.Having prized an opening Swann then burst through with a two wickets, trapping the debutant Jahurul Islam in front for a sixth-ball duck before removing Junaid Siddique, a century-maker in his last innings, in similar fashion after lunch. With England on the brink of taking control Shakib joined Mahmudullah for an enterprising 59-run stand.Mahmudullah was unhurried and untroubled, working the ball around nicely and feathering boundaries during a half-century reminiscent of VVS Laxman. He reached his 50 with a languid cover drive off Swann and looked set to go on, but drove lazily to point against the first ball of a new spell by Steven Finn. It was Finn’s only joy on a tough day. He was on the wrong end of Tamim’s attack during the morning session and failed to find the consistency and bite, albeit on a very placid track, that he produced at Chittagong.Meanwhile, Shakib chose to swipe his way out of poor form. Having been dismissed twice by Swann in the first Test, Shakib took the attack to his nemesis, slog-sweeping and cutting well, without quite giving an air of permanence. He reached 49 before missing an attempted heave across the line to give Tredwell his second wicket of the day. Once again Bangladesh needed a period of rebuilding.Mushfiqur Rahim had picked up where he left off in Chittagong, displaying technique and temperament during a calm knock that threatened to edge the day for Bangladesh before he fell to a snarling delivery from Bresnan to the second new ball. On a day where nothing even offered to move off the seam Bresnan got one to climb and jag away from Rahim. With the shadows lengthening Abdur Razzak attempted an ambitious slog to leg to become Swann’s third lbw victim of the day and epitomised the regular lapses of concentration that continue to haunt Bangladesh’s progress.Throughout the day Cook’s captaincy was more robotic than insightful, chasing the ball and quickly reverting to defensive fields as England flagged in the late-afternoon heat. Yet on a pitch that looks like it could deteriorate come the latter stages, their eight wickets ensured the edge after a fluctuating day.

Champions require just 39 minutes on the fourth morning to see off Warwickshire

Matt Roller13-May-2024Jamie Smith has the necessary “grounding” to become a “high-quality international” according to his Surrey coach Gareth Batty, who encouraged Smith to be “a dreamer” as he enters the conversation to become England’s Test wicketkeeper this summer.Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes struggled with the bat during England’s 4-1 loss in India earlier this year – neither scored a half-century in the series, both averaged in the low-20s – with Rob Key and Brendon McCullum making clear since that the position is up for grabs ahead of July’s Test series against West Indies.Smith, 23, has been involved in England’s pathway since Under-19 level and made his international debut in last September’s ODI series against Ireland. He started the County Championship season with half-centuries against Somerset and Kent but was Surrey’s match-winner against Warwickshire, hitting 155 off 179 balls to set the game up for their bowlers.”He’s coming on very nicely,” Batty said. “I thought last year was his big coming-of-age season, turning potential into output. There were some wonderful knocks for us, and I suppose now with international stuff coming along soon, how well he’s played in this game will be on everybody’s lips. The good thing with Jamie is that it’s not just this innings, it’s been over a period of time now. He has that foundation or platform behind him.”He’s the modern-day player. To be a high-quality international, you have to have the old-school grounding. He has that, and he’s prepared to do the hard work. He has a solid defence but we also see his expansive nature. We also see what he can do in white-ball cricket, and what he did here against a tiring attack. It’s all down to the individual now.”Surrey have backed Smith to bat at No. 4 this season, despite the arrival of Dan Lawrence – England’s spare batter on their India tour – from Essex, who has found himself down at No. 6. Foakes has been their first-choice wicketkeeper, but Smith deputised in last week’s victory over Hampshire and kept tidily, despite only being involved in one dismissal.Batty declined to comment on Smith’s Test aspirations, unsurprisingly given Foakes’ own hopes to remain involved in the England set-up. But he encouraged him to be ambitious, saying: “Everybody’s a bit of a dreamer, aren’t they? I don’t think you should play sport if you’re not going to dream.”There’s a stable base behind the wonderful stuff that we see out there, which hopefully prepares you for the unexpected. People are saying very nice things… we’re trying to produce a level group, and Jamie is just one of that group. It’s nice that people are saying nice things – we want that, of course – but he has earned the right.”Surrey took 39 minutes to wrap up their nine-wicket win on the final day, chasing down their target of 89 without breaking sweat. Rory Burns fell chipping Jacob Bethell to mid-on, but Dom Sibley guided them home with a calm, unbeaten 46. Ollie Pope struck the winning runs, working Rob Yates’ offspin into the leg side and coming back for three.”We fought hard throughout the game to get the win and it was a very good team performance,” Batty said. “Our bowling was actually a bit clunky at the start of the match, after a bye week last week, but we got better and better and really turned the screw later in the game and showed just what a wonderful bowling unit we have.”Warwickshire were without several first-choice bowlers in this match – Chris Rushworth (calf) and Liam Norwell (back) are injured, Hasan Ali was unexpectedly called up to Pakistan’s T20I squad and Chris Woakes has been at the IPL – and lost Craig Miles to an ankle injury while he was celebrating his fifth wicket on the second day.”We’ve done a lot right, but we haven’t been good enough,” their coach Mark Robinson said. “It’s aspirational for us as a big club like Warwickshire to get up level with them [Surrey] – at the moment, they’re Man City and we’re not. You need a few things to go your way to give yourselves the best chance… we’ve got four frontline bowlers who are unavailable, so that doesn’t help.”

Elgar’s captaincy in spotlight for South Africa while hosts look to balance their side with Starc and Green out

Andrew McGlashan03-Jan-20233:27

McDonald backs Agar skillset despite lack of first-class cricket

Big Picture

Another Sydney Test where the series is decided, but the advantage of the World Test Championship is that plenty remains at stake. For Australia they can, barring points deductions, secure a place in June’s final with victory at the SCG while South Africa need to win to keep their now slim hopes alive.The last time South Africa played here, back in 2008-09, they were the side that arrived 2-0 up and Australia secured a consolation victory. It came in dramatic circumstances when Graeme Smith walked out with a broken hand to try and save the match and only narrowly failed when Mitchell Johnson got one through him with 10 balls remaining.Can the result be reversed this time? It’s hard to believe it will be, given the gulf between the batting in the two sides. South Africa scrapped past 200 for the first time in eight innings in the final throes of the MCG Test. Their pace attack kept them in the World Test Championship, but their batting ultimately looks like costing them.Related

• Agar, Renshaw, Morris: Australia's Sydney balancing act

• 'It's gone way better than expected' – Marco Jansen reflects on his first year as an international cricketer

• Hazlewood on injury layoff: 'It just happens to be at the wrong time of the year'

However, Australia will have to make changes. Mitchell Starc is out with a broken middle finger – his second-innings bowling in Melbourne was herculean – but in many ways, the bigger loss is Cameron Green because of the balance he provides (his fifty, with a broken finger, was another huge effort). The fact there have been many questions over the balance of Australia’s side weeks shows the impact of Green’s absence.There has been talk of having an eye on India and the SCG surface may naturally allow Australia to go that way, but they do not want to take their eye off the ball with the final so close. Little moments, not just their over-rate, cost them in the last cycle and they’ve also had problems taking 20 wickets on this ground in the last few years.As has become tradition, this is also the Pink Test – the 15th, with South Africa having played in the first – where money is raised for the McGrath foundation and the third day is dedicated to Glenn’s late wife, Jane, who died of breast cancer in 2008. The Pink Test has raised more than AU$17 million and the foundation now employs 193 breast care nurses with the aim of having 250 by 2025.

Recent form

Australia WWWWL
(last five matches, most recent first)
South Africa LLLLW

In the spotlight

Josh Hazlewood is confident the pecking order of Australia’s pace bowlers remains intact, but it’s been a bad time for him to miss the best part of two home summers. Scott Boland’s barnstorming start to his Test career has left the selectors with some tough decisions to make when everyone is available. Hazlewood’s record of 217 wickets at 26.16 is outstanding, but with another subcontinent tour on the horizon, where only two frontline quicks are a possibility, plus an Ashes tour that appears tailor-made for Boland it would be an opportune time for a big Test.It’s been a tough few weeks for Dean Elgar. His team needed big runs from him but they haven’t materialised. Twice he has been caught down the leg side, but that isn’t all bad luck – it is clearly an area opposition bowlers feel they can dismiss him – and the first-innings run out at the MCG was self-inflicted at a vital moment. Some of his captaincy has also come under the spotlight although he did not have much to work with in Melbourne.Lance Morris may have to wait for his Test debut•Getty Images

Team news

Pat Cummins will often confirm an XI the day out from a game but was keeping his cards close to his chest this time. Ashton Agar would appear a strong chance of a first Test since 2017 but Lance Morris may have to wait for his debut. There is also a debate around four bowlers or five, but just two frontline quicks would appear a risk.Australia (possible) 1 David Warner, 2 Usman Khawaja, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Travis Head, 6 Alex Carey (wk), 7 Ashton Agar, 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Nathan Lyon, 10 Scott Boland, 11 Josh Hazlewood.South Africa will have to make at least one change with Theunis de Bruyn having returned home. Rassie van der Dussen, who was dropped after the first Test, and Heinrich Klassen are the only batting options remaining. Elgar said he remained in favour of a five-bowler attack. Offspinner Simon Harmer will come into consideration.South Africa (possible) 1 Dean Elgar (capt) 2 Sarel Erwee, 3 Rassie van der Dussen/Heinrich Klaasen, 4 Temba Bavuma, 5 Khaya Zondo, 6 Kyle Verreynne, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Anrich Nortje, 11 Lungi Ngidi/Simon Harmer

Pitch and conditions

SCG curator Adam Lewis compared the pitch to an SCG surface of 10 years ago and was excited about the potential return to the old characteristics. The Sheffield Shield surface when New South Wales played Western Australia in November turned. There are significant showers and thunderstorms forecast for the opening, but there is hope they will largely come in the evening. Further showers are possible during the match.

Stats and trivia

• This will be the first Test since The Oval in 2019 where Australia have not had Mitchell Starc
• Australia head coach Andrew McDonald made his Test debut in the 2008-09 Test between the teams in Sydney
• The last time Australia fielded two spinners at home was against Pakistan at the SCG in 2016-17
• Usman Khawaja needs 33 runs for 4000 in Tests

Quotes

“I think it’s a bit different to most Aussie wickets, especially with a couple of injuries. With Green in particular we have to dice it up a bit differently. But we’re pretty confident in our XI.”
“We’ve also got a lot to play for with regards that final in June. That’s a massive incentive for us. We always want to play tough Test cricket and be a thorn in the side of the opposition and if we can disrupt Australia’s potential plans for that final, then it’s definitely part of the work in progress for this game.”
Dean Elgar on his New Year ambitions