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Two rounds have been cut from the Sheffield Shield while the Marsh Cup is a five-game season plus the final

Alex Malcolm10-Feb-2021Two rounds have been cut from the Sheffield Shield and the Marsh Cup will be a five-game tournament in the restructured Australian domestic calendar, but the completion of all the fixtures hang in the balance because of the uncertainty regarding state border controls around the country. Western Australia remains a major concern for Cricket Australia’s schedule, with the state government maintaining strict Covid-19 border rules for travellers coming in.CA and the state cricket associations ticked off on the new revamped domestic schedule late last week with each state to play eight Shield matches in total, including those already played, and five 50-over Marsh Cup matches with the top two teams in each competition to play off in the finals in April. The Marsh Cup final will be played on April 11 and the Shield final on April 15-19.The Australian Cricketers’ Association agreed to a reduction of games this season on the understanding that it would return to ten rounds and a final next season.The first half of the Shield season took place in October and November in a hub in Adelaide but the rest of the fixtures will now be played in all six states, with teams to fly commercially alongside the general public and arrange their own accommodation as has been the case in previous seasons. The bio-security rules are set to be far less stringent than they were during the BBL.Related

• Victoria cleared to travel to NSW for domestic fixtures despite Melbourne lockdown

• NSW and Victoria aiming to still play Marsh Cup opener despite latest lockdown in Victoria

• Australia seek middle-order answers during T20 mission in New Zealand

• BBL beats season of uncertainty

• Cummins named NSW captain for the rescheduled 50-over Marsh Cup

The season recommences next Monday with New South Wales hosting Victoria in a Marsh Cup fixture in Sydney, where Pat Cummins will make his NSW captaincy debut before the two sides meet in a Shield game at the SCG two days later.WA were initially scheduled to face New South Wales in Sydney on that date but the entire schedule was restructured because of WA’s complicated border situation.Travellers entering WA from states where there has been a community Covid-19 case in the previous 28 days are required to do 14-days strict home isolation upon arrival. With the BBL final being played in Sydney, where there has been a recent case, WA and Perth Scorchers’ entire coaching staff, as well as WA and Scorchers players Cameron Bancroft, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis, Matt Kelly, Joel Paris and Corey Rocchiccioli have been forced into home isolation in Perth for the next 14 days, with the period to end on February 21, a day after the first two rescheduled Shield games have been completed. Had the final been played in Canberra, where both the Qualifier and the Challenger were played, none of the coaches or players would have needed to do home isolation.David Moody delayed his return to WA in the hope that borders would open, only for Victoria to report multiple Covid-19 cases in the past week•Getty Images

Shaun Marsh and Hilton Cartwright, who played in the BBL with the Melbourne Renegades and the Melbourne Stars respectively, are currently in home quarantine, having started 14 days earlier than those coming back from Sydney. David Moody, who was with the Hobart Hurricanes, is also starting a 14-day quarantine having travelled home from Melbourne. Moody delayed his return to WA in the hope that borders would open, only for Victoria to report multiple Covid-19 cases in the past week. The remainder of WA’s squad that aren’t in New Zealand with Australia’s T20I squad, including Test player Cameron Green, have been in WA during the BBL, although Green and Australia coach Justin Langer had to serve 14-days quarantine after returning home from the Brisbane Test against India last month.The WACA has secured training exemptions for staff and players to attend three training sessions at the WACA ground next week on the proviso there are no further cases in NSW.WA is set to host three Shield matches and three Marsh Cup matches under the new schedule, including fixtures against Victoria in both competitions from March 23 to March 28. WA is also set to travel to Sydney to face NSW in a Marsh Cup fixture on March 14. If the current WA border rules remain in place, both NSW and Victoria would need to have 28 consecutive days from now without a community Covid-19 case for those fixtures to go ahead as planned.CA executive general manager of high-performance Drew Ginn said CA would remain agile and open to shifting fixtures if and when necessary as it was during the BBL.”Today’s announcement safeguards the integrity of the Marsh Sheffield Shield and Marsh One-Day Cup competitions while managing the physical and mental wellbeing of players, officials, and staff on account of the extraordinary demands placed upon them this season,” he said. “Every person across Australian Cricket has worked incredibly hard to deliver this summer of cricket and should be proud of those efforts. At the same time, the lived experience of operating through the pandemic has provided us all with new appreciation and perspective for the increased workloads required to deliver elite, national sporting competitions.”It is out of this duty of care that, with the input and support of the States and Territories Associations and the ACA, we have elected to shorten the Marsh Sheffield Shield and Marsh One-Day Cup, while ensuring both competitions are of a sufficient length to ensure a high-level of competition for teams and players.”As has been the case throughout the summer, we will need to remain agile and responsive given the public health situation across the country. The health and wellbeing of players, officials, and staff remains the top priority.”

Worcestershire leg-spinner among young faces heading to Malaysia for ODI and T20I series

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Nov-2019Sarah Glenn, the Worcestershire leg-spinner, has earned a maiden call-up to the England Women’s team for next month’s ODI and T20 series against Pakistan in Malaysia.The 20-year-old Glenn caught selectors’ attention while playing for Loughborough Lightning during the 2019 Kia Super League, which included figures of 3 for 25 when she bowled three top-order batsmen in an eight-wicket victory over Lancashire Thunder in August. Among those wickets was Indian star Harmanpreet Kaur, bowled for a golden duck.Fellow youngster Mady Villiers, the 21-year-old who claimed 2 for 20 on debut as England beat Australia in the third T20I of the Women’s Ashes series in July, held her place in the squad announced on Wednesday.Sussex seamer Freya Davies, who played the last of her three T20Is against Sri Lanka in Colombo in March, returns to the England squad.England and Pakistan will play three ODIs starting on December 9, followed by three T20Is. All of the matches will be played at Kuala Lumpur’s Kinrara Oval.The ODIs are part of the ICC Women’s Championship, offering six points towards qualification for the 2021 ICC Women’s World Cup, with England having already secured their place at the tournament. The three T20Is are a chance to prepare for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia in February.England captain Heather Knight said her side were looking forward to returning to the international arena.”It’s been a few months since our last game and there’s been a fair bit of change in that time so this tour is an opportunity to start a new era and move forward,” Knight said. “There’s a few younger faces in the group but also a lot of proven talent. I’m really happy with the group and we can’t wait for the next few months.”With star wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor having retired from international cricket in the wake of her long battle with anxiety, Amy Jones will take the gloves for England.The side will travel to Malaysia with interim coach Ali Maiden after Mark Robinson left his post as head coach at the end of a disappointing home summer. Lisa Keightley, the Western Australia and Perth Scorchers coach who was last month appointed as England Women’s head coach, will take over in January.England: Heather Knight (capt), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Kate Cross, Freya Davies, Sophie Ecclestone,Sarah Glenn, Kirstie Gordon, Amy Jones, Nat Sciver, Anya Shrubsole, Mady Villiers, Fran Wilson, Lauren Winfield, Danni Wyatt.

A chase of 186 was made to look very easy by South Africa’s Test batsmen

The Report by Firdose Moonda17-Nov-2019Tshwane Spartans got their first win of this Mzansi Super League (MSL) with only the second successful chase of the tournament so far. After the Nelson Mandela Bay Stars eased to victory chasing 109 against the Jozi Stars on Saturday, the Spartans made a heavier task look easy and hunted down a target of 186 with five balls to spare. Their win has taken them up to third place on the points table and pushed Paarl Rocks into fourth.It’s blowing in the wind While the east coast of the country has been hit by heavy rain, the west has seen strong winds with gusts of up to 50kph over this weekend and it had an effect on the fielders. Six catches were dropped in total, four by the visiting team and two which gave top-scorer James Vince lifelines.Henry Davids was on 14 when he was put down at deep square-leg, and he went on to score 30. Vince did much more damage. He was first put down on 5 when he miscued a shot off Lungi Ngidi to AB de Villiers at long-off. De Villiers had the ball in his hands but was back-pedalling and heading over the rope so he tossed the ball up, but not high enough that he could get back on the field and complete the catch.Three overs later, Vince offered a much simpler chance to by Donovan Ferreira at deep midwicket off Roelof van der Merwe but the ball slipped through the hands. Morne Morkel then dropped a return catch off Dwaine Pretorius when the batsman was on 7. He, however, only added two more to his total.The hosts did not escape the wind either. Isuru Udana had two chances put down – Theunis de Bruyn, who was dropped by Bjorn Fortuin at long-on when on 31, and de Villiers, on 8, put down by Pretorius at backward square-leg. While de Bruyn went on to make 42, de Villiers only scored 19.Faf v Morne Watching former team-mates take each other on is part of the fun of T20 franchise cricket and though today was billed as being about Faf du Plessis v de Villiers, it was actually du Plessis v Morne Morkel. The former Titans and South African team-mates were on opposite sides in Paarl and Morkel claimed major bragging rights. He had du Plessis caught at midwicket for a third-ball duck to put the Rocks in early trouble at 45 for 2.Highest opening partnership of the competition Who said Dean Elgar and Theunis de Bruyn are red-ball cricketers only? Not us! The Test duo put on the highest opening partnership of the competition so far – 104 runs in 12.2 overs, which featured a dynamic array of strokes. De Bruyn cut and pulled well while Elgar was enterprising and aggressive, hitting down the ground and timing and placing the ball well, especially in the air. Elgar was the match’s top-scorer with 88 off 60 balls, including seven fours and two sixes.Captain Klaasen The most-scrutinised leadership skills in this competition are Temba Bavuma’s and Quinton de Kock’s as the succession race for the South African national team hots up, but Heinrich Klaasen showed why he also has something to offer as he led from the front to take his side to victory. Klaasen’s cameo of 31 runs off 13 balls featured a reverse-sweep, a straight drive over Tabraiz Shamsi and back-to-back sixes at the end of the 19th over to ensure the Spartans only needed two runs to win off the last six balls.

The England allrounder sensed the West Indies bowlers tiring quickly after tea and thought the time was right to “bury them almost”

Alan Gardner at Headingley28-Aug-2017At the close of the third day in the second Investec Test, England had been hopeful of setting a target above 200, while West Indies ideally wanted to keep them to 150. The scale of the turnaround in expectations can be measured simply enough: when England on the fourth evening, they had set West Indies 322 to win, a score that would constitute the highest successful chase at Headingley since 1948.There was no one saviour of England’s second innings as the collective strength of their lower order again coalesced into a formidable whole. Joe Root, Dawid Malan and Ben Stokes contributed half-centuries but, at 327 for 7, they were still only 158 ahead. Enter Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes, whose belligerent stand of 117 in 23.2 overs put England firmly on top.It was an eighth-wicket partnership that, coincidentally, equalled that of Ian Botham and Graham Dilley on this ground in 1981, and one that put a severe dent in West Indies’ chances of a first Test victory in England since 2000. Moeen, in particular, revelled in his role as the tourists lost their grip on the match.”We felt like their heads went down pretty quickly after tea,” he said. “We were trying to go up five runs at a time and keep going, keep burying them almost, make them suffer in terms of keeping them out in the field. Their bowlers were getting tired, there wasn’t much going on and they were a bit down I guess as a side.”We didn’t try to go out and be positive, it just came off. I think that was due to the way the guys played up top, we kind of pounced on it a little bit.”England had to dig in during the first half of the day, having resumed on a lead of just two runs with seven wickets in hand. They lost Root during the morning session, before a watchful 91-run stand between Malan and Stokes, only for a mini-slide of 3 for 24 during the afternoon to leave them in a precarious position once again.Ben Stokes congratulates Dawid Malan on his half-century•Getty Images

They did appear to gain a slice of luck after tea when Moeen, on 32, edged Devendra Bishoo to the wicketkeeper – it had already been called a no-ball, though replays suggested it was a tough decision against the bowler and one that could not be rescinded via technology. While both Moeen and Roddy Estwick, West Indies’ bowling coach, played down the incident, it seemed to help shift momentum England’s way.”I feel with the team we have and the strength we have, we were capable of being in this position,” Moeen said. “We’re very, very happy to be in this position, at the start of the day we probably wouldn’t have thought we would be and it’s fantastic.”Definitely, over the last couple of years, we feel one of us [in the lower order] will get the opposition. We thrive on that. We know we’ve got the ability to do that. It’s great when guys at the top like Rooty, Malan and Cooky get runs, then we can come in and capitalise. If we are struggling, because we see ourselves as proper batters, it’s a great situation to have as a team.”If England were to pull off victory, after Root’s attacking evening declaration, it would rank alongside a couple of similar recent comebacks. Moeen was again to the fore against Pakistan at Edgbaston last season, with a freewheeling 86 off 96, as they overcame a first-innings deficit of 103, while victory over New Zealand at Lord’s in 2015, when they trailed by 134, was achieved on the back of twin 50-plus scores from Ben Stokes.Although no breakthrough was forthcoming in the six overs possible at West Indies’ openers, Woakes said that the players were confident of taking ten wickets on the final day.”The deficit after the first innings, we were very much behind the eight-ball,” he said. “To even be in this position, we’re delighted to have the opportunity to go out and potentially win a Test match. We do realise it’s still a half-decent pitch but, fingers crossed, it does deteriorate on day five and give a bit of variable bounce. If we bowl well and stay patient we can get the Test win over the line but rest up and be patient, it’s going to be a tough day.”Estwick was left to lament another example of West Indies’ poor catching costing them, after Malan was dropped during the morning session at a point when England’s lead was just 43. He said, however, that the tourists had gone some way to proving their ability, after an innings defeat in the first Test, and were not giving up hope of victory.”It’s been very frustrating, mainly because we work very, very hard at it,” he said of the fielding. “We continue to make mistakes at critical times – when we dropped Malan today, England could have been 50 for 5. You can’t continue to give good players chances at this level and we really paid for it.”We’re still looking to win this Test match. We’ve got nothing to lose … We’re still in with a chance. If we can play well enough in the first two sessions, then we’ll assess at tea and see where we’re at.”I remember in 1984, we were set 300-odd and Gordon Greenidge got 200-odd and we won that Test match. So hopefully tomorrow the boys can come out and go well. But the key thing for us is that we’ve shown improvement, after the Birmingham Test match when everyone was saying we were the worst team to ever arrive on these shores, we’ve scrapped and battled and taken it in the fifth day with a chance of winning.”

Paul Adams’ position as Cobras’ head coach is under threat after 14 of the franchise’s contracted players lodged a formal grievance against him

Firdose Moonda16-Sep-2016Paul Adams’ position as Cobras’ head coach is under threat after 14 of the franchise’s contracted players lodged a formal grievance against him. The players, none of whom has been named, claim there has been a “material breakdown in their relationship,” according to Andrew Breetzke, head of player services and advocacy at the South African Cricketers’ Association. The board and the players will meet on Monday to take a final decision on Adams’ future.The complaint against Adams was laid at the end of the previous season – the first in eight seasons that Cobras went without a trophy – and pertains to Adams’ man-management skills, and tactical and technical knowledge. Adams was aware of the situation and underwent a leadership course over the winter period in an attempt to address any shortcomings.However, player unhappiness had not subsided by the time pre-season training began, and the Western Cape Cricket board convened a five-man independent panel to investigate. They recommended the appointment of a mediator which WCC accepted. Former national mental conditioning coach Paddy Upton was tasked with the job, and he submitted a report to WCC which was discussed at a board meeting on Thursday night, but no resolution was reached. Instead, Adams will have to wait until Monday before there is certainty over his future.Adams declined to respond when ESPNcricinfo attempted to contact him.Adams, who has been in charge of the Cobras since 2012 and has guided them to five domestic titles, was recently given a new two-year contract. He has also had his support staff beefed up with the addition of former internationals Ashwell Prince, who was appointed his assistant, and Alan Dawson, the new convener of selectors. Whether that will be enough to pacify the players is unclear. reported that several senior players may opt to leave the Cobras if Adams is retained.

Saqlain Mushtaq has confirmed his return to Bangladesh as the team’s spin bowling consultant later this month

Mohammad Isam01-Sep-2013Saqlain Mushtaq has confirmed his return to Bangladesh as the team’s spin bowling consultant later this month. The former Pakistan offspinner will continue the 100-day contract with the Bangladesh Cricket Board for 2013, which saw him accompany the side to Zimbabwe earlier this year.”I look forward to joining the Bangladesh camp by the end of September. If not, (by) October 1 is a must,” Saqlain told .It is a busy time for Saqlain. He will conduct a three-week spin-bowling clinic for a group of current and emerging West Indies spinners from September 3. After that, he will be in Bangladesh for the series against New Zealand, which starts in early October with two Tests followed by three ODIs and a Twenty20 international.Saqlain first joined Bangladesh in 2012 when Richard Pybus was the head coach, and was part of the coaching staff in Sri Lanka for the World Twenty20 and the West Indies home series later in the year.During his time with the side, Saqlain has worked extensively with Sohag Gazi, and played a significant role in the young offspinner’s success against West Indies in his maiden series. Gazi bounced back from an early assault from Chris Gayle to dismiss the batsman on his way to 4 for 29 in his debut ODI. Saqlain has also worked with the senior spinners in the side such as Abdur Razzak and Shakib Al Hasan.According to these players, Saqlain has added more than just the odd word of advice. In the case of Gazi, he set specific fields for the newcomer, down to each batsman. Gazi, however, missed Saqlain’s input when he struggled in Sri Lanka in March this year, but as soon as the consultant returned to the Bangladesh dressing room, for the Zimbabwe tour, Gazi found a way to strike. He has since credited Saqlain for much of his success.It is unlikely that Saqlain will be working with emerging spinners in the country. However, Bangladesh’s next international series after New Zealand is only in January, so there is an opportunity for the BCB to utilize his knowledge to find the next crop of slow bowlers in domestic cricket after the New Zealand series is over in early November.

England’s bowlers will know plenty about BJ Watling after the wicketkeeper guided New Zealand XI to an excellent three-wicket victory with eight balls to spare in Queenstown

Andrew McGlashan in Queenstown02-Mar-2013
ScorecardBJ Watling played two crucial knocks to down the England XI in Queenstown•AFP

England’s bowlers will know plenty about BJ Watling going into the first Test, after the wicketkeeper guided New Zealand XI to an excellent three-wicket victory with eight balls to spare in Queenstown, to leave the visitors in far from perfect form heading into the series.It was England’s first defeat in a first-class warm-up match on tour since they lost by eight wickets against an India Board President’s XI in Vadodara in February 2006. The attack, except for Graeme Swann, struggled for consistency on a surface that, while offering a hint of turn, remained true for batting throughout.At tea, England were favourites with New Zealand XI 167 for 5. Watling and Corey Anderson, who together bludgeoned a 105-run stand in the first innings, produced a repeat performance in the second innings by adding 89 runs in 19 overs. Graham Onions again came in for punishment, as a two-over spell went for 23, on another dispiriting day for him. He claimed forgettable match figures of 1 for 213.Joe Root was given an extended bowling spell during the evening session, partly because Swann was off the field for a few overs, and also probably with a view to have him filling in for a few overs during the Tests. Root struck twice to keep England in the hunt. Anderson advanced down the pitch to Root and ended up yorking himself. After a 46-run stand for the seventh wicket, Jimmy Neesham picked out Stuart Broad at deep square-leg.However, Watling, who was dropped in the gully on 47 by Swann, shortly after he came back on the field, provided a calm head as the home side ended up winning with time to spare. Neil Wagner, after being added to New Zealand’s squad for the first Test earlier in the day, did not need to be shielded from the strike and played some handsome strokes, including a top-edged hook for six off Broad, and a boundary that leveled the scores, to ease the pressure on Watling in their match-sealing stand of 52England declared overnight, leaving the New Zealand XI a full day to chase the target. As in the first innings they made a solid start, seeing off the new ball through an opening stand of 56. Hamish Rutherford showed his intent by upper-cutting Broad over point for six, before departing playing a similar shot off Chris Woakes, which was taken by Nick Compton at point. Broad returned for a second spell and pitched the ball a touch fuller, which brought reward when Carl Cachopa was caught on the crease and lost his off stump.For the next 23 overs either side of lunch, Tom Latham and Neil Broom resisted solidly and kept the score ticking over. Onions was given another extended chance to bowl himself into form, but never suggested he would find his groove.Swann broke the partnership when he removed Latham while playing the sweep, and there was a touch through to Matt Prior who held on while in the process of appeal for lbw. Broad, who again maintained his pace throughout each spell, removed Broom offering no shot and when Dean Brownlie fenced to second slip the game looked to be England’s. Instead, they will travel to Dunedin on Sunday with another reminder of the fighting qualities of New Zealand cricketers.

Warwickshire failed to take full advantage of their strong position on day one at Edgbaston against Surrey

George Dobell at Edgbaston27-Jul-2012
ScorecardJim Troughton was unbeaten on 74•Getty Images

A glance at the scorecard might suggest that Warwickshire enjoyed a pretty good opening day against Surrey. Up to a point that was true, too: they have claimed three batting bonus points and have the power to add more on day two.But Warwickshire will also know that, from the platform they had established, they failed to take full advantage. They will know that, having won first use of a fine batting track, they might have squandered a chance to bat Surrey out of this game and that, despite all their admirable cricket so far this season, they could have made further progress towards their first championship title since 2004.At one stage here they were well placed on 130 without loss. Then they lost four wickets in the afternoon session before a fifth-wicket stand of 98 put them back on track only for Surrey to capture two more wickets before the close. It left Warwickshire with their noses in front, but it could have been far more.To increase Warwickshire’s frustration, they will know that several of their batsmen played more than a small part in their dismissals. Varun Chopra, who has the class to press for a position in the Test side in due course, compiled a typically elegant 60 before, partly through a lack of foot movement, played on as he reached to drive. For a man who had just been left out of the Lions squad, it was a frustrating dismissal. William Porterfield, who has scored only two championship centuries in his career and none in division one, then helped a legside longhop into the hands of the keeper. Ian Westwood and Darren Maddy both played fell playing across straight deliveries, before Richard Johnson’s admirable innings ended when he drove uppishly and Rikki Clarke was well held at point after thick-edging an attempted drive. Had Jim Troughton been held at short-leg on 23, a sharp chance to Rory Burns off the deserving Stuart Meaker, Warwickshire would have been 197 for five.Perhaps Chris Jordan deserves some credit. The 23-year-old fast bowling all-rounder, out of contract at the Oval and wanted at Hove, made the breakthrough in an expensive post-lunch spell of six overs for 45 runs. He forced Chopra on the back foot with a barrage of short balls and, while many of them were pulled to the boundary with disdainful ease and 14 more runs were donated from no-balls, perhaps his pace was responsible for Chopra’s reluctance to come forward to the full ball that dismissed him.But Meaker was, by some distance, the best of Surrey’s bowlers. Both openers were fortunate to survive leg before appeal in his first spell – he had Westwood on his hands and knees after digging out an inswinging yorker at one stage – and his pace and swing rendered him a tough proposition throughout the day.The Surrey attack was profligate, though. Their contribution of 43 extras – 22 of them no-balls – tells its own story. The bowlers were largely responsible for the large tally of no-balls, too, while Jordan’s surfeit of long-hops cannot have done his hopes of a new contract offer at the Oval much good.Having survived the opening spell, Chopra and Westwood batted well. While Chopra was the more pleasing, leaning into some delightful drives, cutting neatly and pulling with grace, Westwood also chipped the spin of Gareth Batty over mid on for a couple of boundaries and looked increasingly comfortable.He enjoyed one major let-off. On 10, Westwood clipped Murali Kartik’s first delivery straight to Burns at short-leg only to see the fielder, over eager to celebrate the catch, drop the ball in his excitement. The umpires conferred but agreed that Burns had not had the ball under his control.Warwickshire were grateful for the contribution of Troughton and Johnson. The latter, recalled from his loan spell at Derbyshire due to a thigh injury to Tim Ambrose, looked a well organised player in moving to the brink of his maiden championship 50 with a pulled six and six pleasing fours. Troughton, meanwhile, who registered only his second championship century since the start of 2010 in the previous game, appeared notably more solid than he had at the start of the season.There were some notable absentees. Chris Tremlett missed the game – and may not play again this season – after undergoing a scan to ascertain whether he required surgery on his right knee. Having managed just one game since his return from back surgery, such a reverse would represent a crushing blow.Chris Adams was also absent. Surrey’s director of cricket has, somewhat controversially, opted to take a quick holiday. While some will criticise his timing – there are, after all, many months out of season in which to take a holiday – it is worth remembering that Adams, like many of his team, has been through a great deal in recent weeks and that the bulk of his coaching work is done pre-season. Still, the timing seems slightly unusual. Ian Salisbury, who is first team coach, and Alec Stewart deputised.Warwickshire, meanwhile, rested Chris Wright and brought in Boyd Rankin for his first game of the season following a ‘stress reaction’ in his foot.

In a further shake-up of Glamorgan’s structures, Matthew Maynard has resigned as the county’s director of cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Nov-2010In a further shake-up of Glamorgan’s structures, Matthew Maynard has resigned as the county’s director of cricket after learning that Colin Metson, an ex-county wicket-keeper and current committee member, was to be brought in above him to head Glamorgan’s coaching staff. It was believed that Maynard would then have been demoted to a lesser coaching role, but instead he opted to tender his resignation with immediate effect.”I believe my position at the club has been made untenable with the recent situation,” said Maynard, who played nearly 750 matches for the club between 1985 and 2005 and took up the role of cricket manager in 2007. “I would like to thank everyone involved with Glamorgan cricket over the last three years for their help and support. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here and would like to wish the club and the players all the very best going forward.”Maynard’s resignation comes in the same week as Jamie Dalrymple’s replacement as captain by South African batsman Alviro Petersen at the county. It has emerged that Petersen did not discuss his position with Maynard before signing his contract, and it is unclear whether Dalrymple – or indeed Tom Maynard, Matthew’s son – will remain with Glamorgan.”Decisions about overseas players and captains should be made by the cricket manager and obviously this decision [to appoint Petersen] has not been made by Matthew Maynard,” former Glamorgan captain Steve James told on Tuesday, before Maynard had announced his resignation. “I’m not sure [if Maynard will leave]. I’d be very surprised if Jamie Dalrymple stays now.”

Ryan Harris, the injured fast bowler, is desperate to prove his fitness for the India one-day series in October so he can enhance his Ashes credentials

Peter English18-Aug-2010Ryan Harris, the injured fast bowler, is desperate to prove his fitness for the India one-day series in October so he can enhance his Ashes credentials. There were fears for Harris when he left England in July for knee surgery less than a year after a previous operation, but he has already started running and plans to be bowling in the next fortnight.”I’m definitely aiming for India,” Harris told Cricinfo. “I was hoping to be up for selection for the Test series but I’ve been told that’s a bit soon. I won’t have had the volume of bowling I’d need to go into a Test match, so I’m aiming for the one-day series.”Harris transformed into a dependable international bowler during a highly successful six-month run and is one of a core of fast bowlers on the comeback trail. Ben Hilfenhaus returned from knee tendonitis against Pakistan in England last month and Peter Siddle has been picked in Victoria’s Champions League squad for the upcoming event in South Africa.If Siddle goes well in that tournament he could also be a contender for a spot in the one-day squad for the three ODIs in India, which begin after the two Tests in the first half of October. Harris won his initial promotion due to Siddle’s injury but quickly became a valuable member of the limited-overs side, as well as appearing in his first two Tests against New Zealand.The knee injury was poorly timed, coming just before the Pakistan Tests, and he knows where he now stands in the pecking order. “At the moment, [Doug] Bollinger, Hilfenhaus, [Mitchell] Johnson, Siddle, I’m definitely behind those four and me and Clint McKay are vying for that next spot,” he said. “I always said I was in there as a replacement for those guys who were injured and those guys were doing pretty well before they were injured.”After the unscheduled lay-off Harris is “refreshed and ready to go”. He is pleased he got a longer break following a busy campaign, while being disappointed that the cartilage in his right knee forced him to give up his Test spot. “I really wanted to try and push through those Tests [against Pakistan] because I saw those as leading into this series against India and into our summer,” he said. “I guess when I look back now it has been good, but I look back to Christmas last year and I hadn’t played any cricket. So I was fresh and keen to play as much as I could.”Harris entered with consecutive five-wicket hauls against Pakistan in January and remained in form until the injury intervened following 10 wickets in the England series. In between those ODI engagements he collected nine victims in Tests at Wellington and Hamilton, an initiation which included bowling into a 100kph wind at the Basin Reserve.”That was probably the hardest spell of bowling in my career,” he said. “I wouldn’t take it back though. If it means bowling in a Test, I’ll do it.” The gutsy contribution earned him more respect than the batch of wickets.Over the past couple of years Harris has gained a couple of kilograms and a few kilometres of pace, putting him in the mid-140s. Add in some late swing and seam and he is an extremely tricky prospect. He will definitely be considered for the Ashes, although the selectors seem to be leaning towards an initial pace trio of Siddle, Johnson and Hilfenhaus.”The best thing for me is to hope I’m fit for India, and if I get picked for the one-day series to try my best over there and hopefully get back to where I was bowling,” Harris said. “If not, the season for Queensland looks exciting anyway. I’ll try to bowl my heart out there and be ready to go if someone isn’t performing or gets injured.” Just like he did last season.