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Round-up of the first day of the seventh round of the Ranji Trophy Super League

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Dec-2010Group ASourav Ganguly’s much-anticipated return to first-class cricket was an anticlimax as he scored just 13•AFPIt was a low-scoring first day in the last round of Ranji Trophy matches, as several teams prepared result-oriented wickets in search of victories that could take them through to the quarter-finals.Twelve wickets fell in the crucial game between top-side Mumbai and third-placed Delhi on a pitch that was offering the seamers some assistance at the Roshanara Club Ground in Delhi. The hosts hold a slight edge after dismissing Mumbai for 267 after they had elected to bat. Delhi lost some of the advantage when they came out to bat, with seamer Ajit Agarkar striking two blows for Mumbai to leave Delhi at 47 for 2. Virat Kohli, who missed the last three of Delhi’s games because he was playing for India against New Zealand, was bowled by one that kept low from Agarkar and at that stage Delhi were 28 for 2. Shikhar Dhawan and captain Mithun Manhas were unbeaten at stumps. Delhi need a win to ensure qualification for the next round, while three points will give them a chance, provided other results go their way.Seamers Sumit Narwal, who took nine wickets in Delhi’s last match against Railways, and Pradeep Sangwan, did the damage for the hosts, taking four wickets each. Narwal got the first breakthrough, bowling Mumbai wicketkeeper Onkar Gurav in the third over of the match. Later, Narwal credited Manoj Prabhakar and Sanjeev Sharma for fine-tuning his bowling. “They have been talking to all of us how to read the batsmen, how to analyse a game, passing off their knowledge and helping us with our technique at the same time,” Narwal told .Seamer Parvinder Awana chipped in with a couple of wickets to reduce Mumbai to 47 for 3. Captain Wasim Jaffer and Rohit Sharma both got starts in the middle-order, but Suryakumar Yadav was the only Mumbai batsman to reach a half-century. His 73 off 89 balls and some useful runs from Agarkar and left-arm spinner Iqbal Abdulla were the reasons Mumbai managed to go past 250. Yadav, however, was disappointed not to reach his hundred. “It is disappointing to get out when you are almost close to the three figure mark,” Yadav said. “I was trying to guide the ball for a single but it ballooned into the hands of Kohli. I would have been happier if I had got a hundred on debut.”

Bengal only managed 201 in their first innings against Railways at the Karnail Singh Stadium in Delhi, but it may turn out to be a decent score given that the wicket was already behaving unpredictably on the first day. Both teams knew the wicket was going to turn and keep low, so it was no surprise that Bengal elected to bat first.Sourav Ganguly, the former India captain, was playing his first Ranji Trophy match of the season, and he came in at a crucial juncture with Bengal at 109 for 3. He looked uncomfortable, barely moving his feet during the 43 minutes he spent at the wicket, and eventually inside-edged one that kept low from seamer Anureet Singh onto his stumps.While Railways spinners managed to get some assistance from the wicket, it was poor shot selection that was the main cause of Bengal’s low total. Captain Manoj Tiwary got his eye in and was looking comfortable on 42 when he tried to smash left-arm spinner Nileshkumar Chauhan down the ground, against the spin. He ended up holing out to mid-on to leave Bengal at 160 for 6. It was a similar story for opener Aridnam Das, who was set on 21 when he was caught at short fine leg attempting a slog sweep off left-arm spinner Murali Kartik. Wicketkeeper Gitimoy Basu was the only batsman to build on a start, reaching 58. Kartik ended up with two wickets for Railways while Anureet took three.Bengal will hope the pitch deteriorates further as the match goes on, since Railways will have to bat last. Both sides still have a chance of making the quarter-finals, and are separated by just one point in a very tight Group A table.

The Chennai weather continued to be the biggest obstacle to Tamil Nadu’s passage to the next phase. They have already had three rain-affected matches at the MA Chidambaram Stadium of which two did not see the first-innings completed. Only 42 overs could be bowled on the first day in their crunch match against Gujarat.On a wicket that, like many others in the last round, took turn from the first day itself, Gujarat crawled to 69 for 4, scoring at 1.64 runs per over. The hosts would be happy with their position but will be nervous about further rain stoppages in the next three days. If they do not manage to finish an innings in the match, it will give Delhi, Bengal and Railways all a chance to pass them in the table and go through to the quarter-finals. Gujarat’s batsmen struggled against the offspin duo of R Ashwin and Suresh Kumar, who took three wickets between them. Ashwin took the vital wicket of Parthiv Patel, luring him to drive straight to Ganapathy at cover. S Badrinath did his bit on the field by taking a sharp diving catch at first slip to remove Bhavik Thaker off Suresh Kumar. Niraj Patel managed to stay unbeaten at stumps, after his 26 had taken 109 balls.

Seventeen wickets fell on the first day of the match between Saurashtra and Assam at the Khandheri Cricket Stadium in Rajkot. Assam needed an innings victory to give themselves an outside chance of making it to the top three spots, but ruled out that possibility after collapsing to 107 for 7 in response to Assam’s 140. That makes this match all about who will be relegated to the Plate League next season.After electing to bat, Saurashtra lost their last eight wickets for 48 runs, with five of their last seven batsmen failing to get to double figures. Shitanshu Kotak’s 44 was their highest score. The wickets were shared amongst the Assam bowlers, with Tarjinder Singh taking three, offspinners Arlen Konwar and Sarupam Purkayastha taking two each, while fast bowler Abu Nechim also got two.Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja derailed Assam’s reply early, taking three wickets and leaving Assam at 33 for 4. Offspinner Kamlesh Makvana then got in on the act, taking three scalps within a few overs and leaving Assam at 76 for 7. Purkayastha and Nechim managed to survive till stumps, and their unbeaten 31-run stand for the eight wicket was actually Assam’s highest partnership.Group BBaroda have all but booked their place in the quarter-finals after taking the first-innings lead against bottom-of-the-table Himachal Pradesh at the Moti Bagh Stadium in Vadodara. Left-arm spinner Bhargav Bhatt did most of the damage, snaring four of the first five batsmen to fall, as HP were dismissed for 119. At 78 for 8, it looked like HP might not even get to a century, but No.10 Gurvinder Singh made 25, and added 40 with Varun Sharma, to push them past the three-figure mark. The 20-year-old Bhatt finished with 5 for 40, while India seamer Munaf Patel backed him up with 3 for 30. Bhat is now the top wicket-taker this Ranji season, having taken 28 wickets, including two five-wicket hauls. “When I got the five-wicket haul against Haryana, it boosted my confidence,” Bhat told . “I keep my cool while bowling and never get intimidated by the reputation of a batsman.”Baroda lost three early wickets, including the dangerous Yusuf Pathan, with just 13 on the board, before Kedar Devdhar and Ambati Rayudu steadied the innings with a 108-run partnership. Vikramjeet Malik had Rayudu caught behind for quick 57, made from 72 balls with seven fours and a six, but Pinal Shah helped Devdhar, who was unbeaten on 71, take the hosts to 173 for 5.Haryana bowled Orissa out for 175 to keep alive their slim hopes of going through to the quarter-finals. India legspinner Amit Mishra and Sachin Rana each took three wickets at the Bansi Lal Cricket Stadium in Rohtak, with Subhrajit Sahoo the only batsman to go past 25, making an unbeaten 50 from 102 balls. Haryana got off to a decent start, with the openers putting together 30 before Nitin Saini was caught off medium-pacer Alok Sahoo for 14. That triggered a mini-collapse, with Sahoo taking two more wickets, and Debasis Mohanty bowling Ankit Rawat for 1, to leave the hosts 43 for 4. Former India batsman Hemang Bedani and Rana then took them to 75 at the close of play.Uttar Pradesh needs a win over table-toppers Karnataka to make sure they stay alive in the tournament, although a first-innings lead could see them through as well, depending on other results, and legspinner Piyush Chawla has given them the edge on the first day at Green Park in Kanpur, taking 4 for 74, to restrict Karnataka to 274 for 7. The visitor’s total was build around two partnerships: Manish Pandey and Amit Verma put on 102 for the third wicket after Karnataka found themselves in a bit of bother at 28 for 3, and Pandey was adjudged lbw – a decision that didn’t go too well in the Karnataka camp as they felt that the ball was going down leg – when he missed a sweep shot against Chawla. Karnataka recovered, courtesy Muralidharan Gautam and Vinay Kumar who added 91 for the seventh wicket. Verma made 54, Kumar 51 and Pandey 36, with all three falling to Chawla. Gautam was still there on 62, with former India left-arm spinner Sunil Joshi on 13 for company.

Manchester City have not been shy when it comes to buying players from Spanish clubs over recent years such as Ferran Torres, Rodri and Aymeric Laporte among others.

Looking ahead to the next summer transfer window, it seems as though the Manchester club have set their sights on securing another one of La Liga’s star figures.

What’s the news?

According to a recent Twitter post from journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, City are “interested” in signing Villarreal defender Pau Torres this summer.

As a product of Villarreal’s youth system, the centre-back has made a combined total of 194 appearances for their senior and youth teams, prior to their Champions League semi-final clash against Liverpool this evening.

In those appearances, the 25-year-old has chipped in with 12 goals and four assists along the way.

In terms of his defensive capabilities, the Spaniard has the second-highest number of interceptions (39) and clearances (103) out of anyone in Unai Emery’s squad for this La Liga campaign.

Also, with a combined number of 57 tackles and blocks, Torres is clearly a very capable defensive figure.

Supporters will be thrilled

Having been described as a player that “fits perfectly in teams which want to play out from the back, with coaches who think that way,” by Paco Lopez, this would make the Spain international a seemingly good fit for Pep Guardiola’s side.

To put that into perspective, only nine other players in La Liga have completed more passes than the Villarreal centre-back this season (1562).

Taking into account how three of the Premier League’s top five passers this season are City defenders, this shows just how suitable a player like Torres could be for the reigning league champions at the back.

With that in mind, it would surely be a massive positive for the City fans to hear that Guardiola has his eyes on bringing another defender that can play his type of football to the Etihad Stadium.

Moving forward, securing a deal for the Spaniard this summer could be a great bit of business from the Manchester club and further strengthen what is already a rather strong defence.

In other news: “Man City have discussed…”: Romano drops exciting summer update, Pep will be buzzing

Celtic have had a storming campaign in the Premiership this season under the management of Ange Postecoglou.

Prior to Sunday’s Old Firm clash which could put the Hoops within touching distance of the title if they pick up a win, the Parkhead club have won 27 of their 34 league games.

Along with their impressive run of results, particularly since October, the Bhoys also boast the best attacking and defensive record in the top flight, with 80 goals scored and just 19 conceded.

However, one man who hasn’t been a particularly prominent figure for Postecoglou’s side is goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas, who is currently picking up a wage of £20k-per-week. The 27-year-old has only appeared in one league game for Celtic, this season which came back in December during their 3-1 win over St Johnstone.

Last month, it was reported that the Greece international had demanded to be allowed to leave the club in the summer.

Having had his move to the Parkhead club labelled a “disaster” by Frank McAvennie, it seems as though the Hoops have their eye on bringing in a new goalkeeper during the summer who could well end up replacing Barkas.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Football Insider, Celtic are plotting a move to sign Bodo/Glimt ‘keeper Nikita Haikin this summer.

Having started his career in England at youth level, the Russian has played with clubs in his homeland, Portugal, Spain and Israel before eventually joining his current employers in Norway.

In the midst of moving to and from clubs earlier in his career, the shot-stopper had run into issues with his passport and work permits, which he described as “insane”.

Since arriving at Bodo/Glimt, the 26-year-old has played in 81 games across all competitions, keeping 28 clean sheets in the process.

In Celtic’s 3-1 defeat against the Norwegian club in February’s Europa Conference League clash at Parkhead, the Russian made five saves in total, including one punch and one high claim. This shows just how capable a goalkeeper he is against tough opposition.

Looking ahead to the summer transfer window, if the Hoops are able to finally get rid of Barkas, adding Haikin to their ranks as his replacement could be a good bit of business for the club.

In other news: Bid made as Celtic now eyeing swoop for “strong” 63 G/A dynamo, he’s their next Edouard

Ryan Harris was sent for surgery on his injured left ankle on Wednesday and is likely to be out for three to four months, but he hasn’t entirely given up hope of being fit for the World Cup

Brydon Coverdale at the MCG29-Dec-2010Ryan Harris was sent for surgery on his injured left ankle on Wednesday and is likely to be out for three to four months, but he hasn’t entirely given up hope of being fit for the World Cup. That is a supremely optimistic goal for Harris, who broke down while running in to bowl during his 29th over on Tuesday and hobbled off the field with what was later confirmed as a stress fracture in the ankle.It was a major disappointment for Harris, who has made a strong start to his Test career and has collected 20 wickets at 24.40 in five matches, including nine during Australia’s win at the WACA this month. At 31, it won’t be easy for Harris to force his way back for Australia’s next Test series, especially given that he will carry a painful problem with his right knee for the rest of his career.”He’s obviously disappointed, albeit a little bit optimistic this morning,” Australia’s captain Ricky Ponting said after England retained the Ashes with an innings win. “I think he’s actually having surgery as we speak. It looks like it could be a few months. I had a chat to him this morning and said ‘it looks like it’s going to be hard for you for the World Cup’, and he didn’t rule that out. He’s that sort of character. As you saw the other day, if he’s even got one leg to run on, he’ll do it.”It would be a remarkable recovery if Harris was able to take part in the World Cup on the subcontinent, which begins in just over seven weeks. A more realistic goal for Harris is to be in contention for Australia’s next Test tour, in Sri Lanka in August, which will be followed by a Test series in South Africa before the 2011-12 home summer.But by then, Australia could be looking to the future, with younger fast men like Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Trent Copeland and James Pattinson all likely to push for international action in the next couple of years. Harris has been one of the quickest bowlers during the Ashes Tests and he is regarded as a genuine wicket-taker, and also has 41 ODI victims at 16.12.”It’s a massive blow for him and a massive blow for the team as well, because he has been a great performer in every game that he’s played, really,” Ponting said. “He’s a lion-hearted bloke that has got exceptional qualities to be a very good international bowler, as we’ve all seen, not just over the last couple of weeks but since he debuted in the one-day team a little while ago.”Harris wasn’t asked to bat during Australia’s second innings, as the final wicket fell with the deficit still standing at 157 runs to make England bat again. He was heading off for an operation after the Test, while his team-mates were commiserating following their failure to regain the Ashes on home soil.”Ryan was reviewed by a specialist in Melbourne this morning,” Trefor James, the Cricket Australia doctor, said. “The specialist confirmed that the best management for the stress fracture of his left ankle would be to undergo surgery. This surgery will occur today and we expect Ryan’s recovery time to be three to four months.”The injury means there will be at least one change to Australia’s squad for the final Ashes Test in Sydney next week, where the spinner Michael Beer is likely to make his debut after being 12th man in Perth and Melbourne. Doug Bollinger would be the most obvious candidate to come in to the pace attack, but four fast men are not usually the preferred attack on the SCG surface.

The Surrey seamer Tim Linley has signed a new deal that will keep him at the club for the next two years

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Feb-2011The Surrey seamer Tim Linley has signed a new deal that will keep him at the club for the next two years. Linley, 28, has been with Surrey since 2008, and earned the deal after a breakthrough season in 2010 in which he took 20 wickets in first-team cricket, backed up with another 23 for the Surrey second XI.This haul came despite a freak foot injury that struck him down for a large part of the season, suffered immediately after he had recorded superb figures of 4 for 13 as he ripped through the Derbyshire middle order at Chesterfield.According to a Surrey press release, the stability granted by the two-year contract will enable Linley to continue to develop the range and consistency of his deliveries as he seeks to fully establish himself as a first-team regular, competing alongside young talent such as Stuart Meaker, Matthew Dunn and the returning Chris Jordan.Speaking about his new deal, Linley said: “Signing on for two years at Surrey is the culmination of a huge amount of hard work and is a very rewarding feeling. Surrey is a massive club moving in the right direction and I am very excited to be a part of it for the next two seasons.”Surrey Professional Cricket Manager, Chris Adams, added: “I can’t think of many that have worked harder to get a deal and make a professional career than Tim Linley. He absolutely deserves everything he receives today.”Often the part you don’t see as a supporter or a member is what a player brings into a dressing room and Tim is a fantastic team man, is good to have around and brings a great deal to the squad.”

There have been ‘positive talks’ between Celtic and Jota regarding a permanent summer transfer, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Jota shines at Celtic

The Portuguese forward made a loan move to Parkhead last summer, with current club Benfica allowing him the opportunity to get more minutes elsewhere.

Jota and Celtic have been a match made in heaven so far, with the winger chipping in with 10 assists and nine goals in the Premiership, in addition to two apiece in the Europa League.

The hope is that the 23-year-old makes a permanent move to the Hoops this summer, forging a long and successful career at the club.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/key-latest-celtic-updates-5/” title=”Key latest Celtic updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Latest: Positive Jota update emerges

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke claimed that the current signs of a permanent Celtic deal for Jota look good. He outlined:

“You would imagine there should be positive talks between both parties.

“Jota has come out and said he would like to stay at Celtic on a permanent basis, which is good news for them. He’s been a good signing since arriving on loan from Benfica.”

The Verdict: Should be a priority for Celtic

Nailing down Jota to a permanent move should be one of Celtic’s primary objectives this summer, considering what an influential presence he has been at Parkhead so far.

The young attacker has been described as ‘absolutely brilliant’ by Marvin Bartley and his quality from out wide has been a joy to watch at times.

The key to a permanent transfer could rest with whether or not Jota himself is happy to stay on at Parkhead or test himself at Benfica – if he chooses the former, then it is an absolute no-brainer for the Hoops to secure his services for good.

In other news, one Celtic player has been backed to leave the club this summer. Find out who it is here.

Martin Guptill’s century powered New Zealand to 32-run win despite a spirited chase by Ireland in the World Cup warm-up match in Nagpur

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Feb-2011
ScorecardMartin Guptill raced to 130 as New Zealand reached a big total•Associated PressMartin Guptill’s century powered New Zealand to a 32-run win despite a spirited chase by Ireland in the World Cup warm-up match in Nagpur.Opening the innings, Guptill struck 12 fours and three sixes on his way to 130 from 134 deliveries after being inserted by Ireland’s captain William Porterfield on a flat track at Nagpur. Despite sliding to defeat, Ireland showed enough to suggest they could be a dangerous side in Group B, with Porterfield leading Ireland’s chase with a 74-ball 72.Ireland’s seamers suffered at the hands of New Zealand’s top order despite Brendon McCullum falling in the second over to Boyd Rankin. Jesse Ryder’s return to form continued with a breezy 48 with Ross Taylor (33) and James Franklin (49) also making starts.Guptill was the rock though and after a frustrating series against Pakistan, where he looked in good touch without going on to make the telling contribution, this innings will please him and the New Zealand management greatly. George Dockrell, the much-heralded 18-year-old left-arm spinner was Ireland’s most economical bowler, but couldn’t make the breakthroughs that his hero, Daniel Vettori, did for New Zealand.Vettori’s four wickets ensured his side were not embarrassed, but not before they were given a scare by Ireland’s top order. Opening pair Porterfield and Paul Stirling raced to 93 in the first 13 overs with Stirling giving a demonstration of his abundant talent by striking three sixes in his 33-ball 39. At that stage, Ireland looked well placed for a tilt at the chase but Vettori broke through by trapping Stirling in front.Ed Joyce, back in Irish colours after playing for England in the 2007 World Cup , was less fluent but no less certain as he partnered Porterfield in a stand of 37. Hamish Bennett took the first of his three wickets by dismissing Porterfield and Ireland’s chase, though competitive, never really threatened from there on.Kyle Mills took the first of his three wickets when Joyce edged behind for 41 and wickets fell steadily from there. Trent Johnston had a late dash at the chase by swishing his way to 33 but was the last man out with Ireland still 32 runs short.

Tasmania are four wickets away from registering an innings victory against New South Wales at the Bellerive Oval

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Mar-2011
ScorecardTasmania are four wickets away from registering an innings victory against New South Wales at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart. Beginning day two on 2 for 204, Tasmania recorded an impressive 279-run first-innings lead, before running through the New South Wales top order to leave them tottering at 6 for 130 at stumps.The hosts looked on target to get an even bigger first innings lead, but after overnight centurion Nick Kruger was dismissed for 150, none of the batsmen took advantage of the starts they got. Fast bowler Scott Coyte ended an ominous 130-run third-wicket partnership between Kruger and George Bailey, dismissing the duo in the same over. New-ball bowlers Trent Copeland and Patrick Cummins then picked up five wickets at regular intervals to restrict Tasmania to 353.New South Wales’ batsmen were equally guilty of not carrying on after getting off to a start, as four of their top five got past 20 only to be dismissed soon after. Left-arm medium pacer James Faulkner was the pick of the Tasmania bowlers, taking 3 for 38 in a 10-over spell. Wicketkeeper Peter Nevill and Steve O’Keefe were at the crease at stumps.

ESPNcricinfo’s preview of the first ODI between Bangladesh and Australia in Mirpur

The Preview by Brydon Coverdale08-Apr-2011Match FactsApril 9, Dhaka
Start time 9.30am (0330 GMT)Australia’s new captain, Michael Clarke, made a half-century in their warm-up game•Associated PressThe Big PictureThese are strange times for Australia’s cricket team. Last month, they were knocked out of the World Cup in the quarter-finals, the first time in 12 years they had failed to win the tournament. For the first time in nearly three decades, the captain has resigned, but intends to play on under the new leader. And for the first time in four years, they are about to have a winter that is truly an off-season; the next item on their schedule is a tour of Sri Lanka in August, so it’s difficult to know how much they can really take from this three-game series in Bangladesh.The most fascinating aspect of the tour from an Australian perspective is the prospect of seeing Michael Clarke take full control of the side. He has been a stand-in leader before but now this is truly, officially, his team, even if the old boss is hanging around. On the occasions when he has captained Australia, Clarke has been willing to take risks and think outside the square, and now he can begin to shape a side that works to his plans. Ricky Ponting will be there in the background if required, but don’t expect Clarke to rush to Ponting for advice – he will be his own man. In any case, Shane Watson is the new vice-captain.For Bangladesh, this is a chance to regain some pride after failing to reach the quarter-finals, despite playing all their World Cup pool matches at home. That was a major disappointment for the country, but they have won their two most recent home limited-overs series, against Zimbabwe and New Zealand late last year. Beating Australia in a series would be their finest one-day achievement, and the first step is to begin the series well on Saturday.Form guide(most recent first)
Bangladesh LWWLW
Australia LLWWWWatch out for…It’s nine years since Ricky Ponting played an ODI for Australia under another captain. Not since Kim Hughes has an Australia captain played on after relinquishing the captaincy, but Ponting seems to have genuinely retained his passion for the game and believes he has something to offer the side in the future. His century in the World Cup quarter-final showed that he has not lost his ability to score runs, and he is expected to stay at No. 3.As captain of Bangladesh, Shakib Al Hasan would have been devastated with the way his team finished the World Cup, with a 206-run loss to South Africa. It was such a disappointing display that he couldn’t even identify any specific problem areas – everything was a weakness. It is his task to turn that around, and much of the responsibility will fall on his own shoulders, as one of the team’s key men in both the batting and bowling departments.Team newsSince the World Cup, Australia have lost Shaun Tait to one-day retirement, Jason Krejza, who has been dropped, and David Hussey, who is at home for the birth of his child. That means Xavier Doherty should come in to the line-up as the lead spinner, while there should also be a place for John Hastings, who sat on the bench throughout the World Cup but showed his talents by taking a hat-trick in the warm-up match on Thursday.Australia (possible) 1 Shane Watson, 2 Brad Haddin (wk), 3 Ricky Ponting, 4 Michael Clarke (capt), 5 Cameron White, 6 Michael Hussey, 7 Steve Smith, 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 John Hastings, 10 Brett Lee, 11 Xavier Doherty.Bangladesh have made a few changes from their World Cup squad as well, and they should be boosted by the inclusion of Mashrafe Mortaza, who missed the tournament due to a knee injury. Alok Kapali is also back, although it is unclear whether he will definitely play, while Junaid Siddique and Naeem Islam have been dropped from the side that lost to South Africa.Bangladesh (possible) 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Imrul Kayes, 3 Alok Kapali, 4 Shahriar Nafees, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 6 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 7 Mahmudullah, 8 Mashrafe Mortaza, 9 Shafiul Islam, 10 Abdur Razzak, 11 Rubel Hossain.Pitch and conditionsExpect a slow and low pitch with some turn. Bowlers who can attack the stumps should be rewarded. The forecast is for a sunny day and a high temperature of 32C.Stats and trivia Clarke has already captained Australia in 24 ODIs and has a strong record of 18 victories, giving him a 75% winning ratio Brett Lee is set to play his 200th one-day international, and he will be the ninth Australian to reach that milestone Excluding matches against Zimbabwe and the Associates, Bangladesh have played 63 ODIs at home, for nine wins. Four of those came in their whitewash against New Zealand last year Even the umpires are looking to the future after the World Cup – the neutral official for this series is Johanes Cloete, a 39-year-old South African who will be embarking on his first major overseas appointment Quotes”I think it is absolutely brilliant that Ricky still continues to play on. Having his experience around the group is very important for our development moving forward.”

Alastair Cook has been named England’s new one-day international captain and Stuart Broad has been handed the leadership of the Twenty20 side in a major shake-up of the limited-overs teams

ESPNcricinfo staff04-May-2011Alastair Cook has been named England’s new one-day international captain and Stuart Broad has been handed the leadership of the Twenty20 side in a major shake-up of the limited-overs teams. Andrew Strauss announced his decision to stand down as ODI captain to focus on his Test career, while Paul Collingwood’s run in the Twenty20 job is over as England look to the future.It means that England will have a different captain for each format of the game. Cook has previously led the team on the tour to Bangladesh last year when Strauss was rested, but for Broad it is his first captaincy role at a senior level and he’ll now be at the helm when England defend their Twenty20 title in Sri Lanka next year.”It has never been tried before so I am excited by the opportunity it provides us with,” Andy Flower, the England team director said of the three captains. “We don’t know 100% whether it will work and be the most efficient system but we’re going to give it a try.”On the Bangladesh tour Cook made scores of 64, 60 and 32 in a 3-0 victory in the ODIs, before anchoring England’s twin Test wins with a pair of centuries at Chittagong and Dhaka. Despite the relative paucity of the opposition, the challenge he faced in unfamiliar conditions was immense, not to mention the ignominy he would have faced had he failed to complete a clean sweep of five international wins out of five.Despite some doubts about the speed and power of Cook’s strokeplay, Strauss’s departure from the limited-overs scene creates a vacancy for an opener who can be relied upon to bat through an innings, and besides, with a powerful cut and an aggressive slog-sweep, Cook himself believes he has the ability to build on an ODI record of 858 runs at 33.00, with one century against India in 2007.”I’ve worked hard on my limited overs cricket in recent times – I’ve never seen myself as a Test batsman exclusively and I know I have a lot to offer strategically and as a top order batsman in one-day cricket,” he said. “I’m excited by the challenge of taking our 50-over cricket to new heights and I believe I can play an integral role with the bat as well as captain.”I will continue to work closely with Andrew and also Stuart as we form a leadership team across all forms of the game. We have the chance to work together and share ideas which will benefit our cricket in all three formats.”Collingwood, who captained England’s Twenty20 side on 30 occasions and oversaw England’s successful World Twenty20 campaign in 2010, retired from Test cricket following the Ashes earlier this year but remains available for the limited-overs side. Broad will make his debut as captain when he leads England’s Twenty20 side against Sri Lanka in Bristol on June 25.”It’s a huge privilege to be named England Twenty20 captain and form part of a leadership team that I’ve no doubt will work well together with a great deal of synergy,” Broad said. “I’ve always enjoyed playing the shortest form of the game and I relish the opportunity to develop my leadership skills as England’s Twenty20 captain. As captain the chance to work closely with Andy Flower is an extremely exciting one and as current World Twenty20 champions I know there is a real responsibility to continue the team’s recent success.”Strauss, meanwhile, has decided that, at the age of 34 and with four years to go until the 2015 World Cup, the time is right to follow the example of many leading cricketers of recent times, and retire from ODIs to concentrate on Tests. A tough home summer against Sri Lanka and India is looming, but the long-term goal is a repeat of his home and away Ashes wins, with the next series coming back-to-back in 2013-14.”I’ve enjoyed my time as England One-Day captain immensely and I’m extremely proud of the strides we’ve made in limited overs cricket over the past two years,” he said. “We still have a long way to go if we’re to achieve our goal of winning ICC global events and I feel now is the right time for me to step aside and ensure someone else takes up that challenge.”Retiring from one-day cricket will also enable me to focus solely on the Test captaincy and our ongoing development in the Test arena as we also strive to be the top ranked team in world cricket.”I look forward to working closely with both Alastair and Stuart as we work together to progress England’s development across all forms of the game. Both Alastair and Stuart are proven world-class cricketers and both have outstanding leadership qualities which will ensure England’s success for many years to come.”