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Displaces Hazlewood at the top of the ICC rankings following his ten-wicket haul at the Asia Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Sep-2023Mohammed Siraj is back as the No. 1 ODI bowler in the world following his spectacular show in the Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka on Sunday. This is the second time Siraj has been at the top of the table, having previously held the position between January and March 2023 before being displaced by Josh Hazlewood.Siraj has climbed eight positions to the summit of the rankings following his Asia Cup haul of ten wickets at an average of 12.20. The highlight of that performance was the spell of 6 for 21 that dismantled Sri Lanka for 50 all out in the final. That spell – “like a dream”, according to Siraj – included a four-wicket over, a feat only achieved three times in men’s ODI history before.

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Performances at the Asia Cup also took Afghanistan spinners Mujeeb Ur Rahman (No. 4) and Rashid Khan (No. 5) into the top five. They took two wickets apiece in the group stage. Hazlewood (second) and Trent Boult (third) complete the top five.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Kuldeep Yadav, who took nine wickets at the Asia Cup with an average of 11.44 has dropped three places from sixth to ninth. Keshav Maharaj moves up from 25th to 15th after helping South Africa complete a 3-2 turnaround from 0-2 down against Australia. He took eight wickets in the series at 16.87 apiece, including 4 for 33 in the series decider.

Klaasen breaks into top ten

South Africa batter Heinrich Klaasen produced a blistering 83-ball 174 against Australia in the fourth ODI, and as a result has jumped twenty places to No. 9 on the ICC rankings for ODI batters. It was a record-breaking innings in the sense that no batter has ever scored as many runs in an ODI innings at the strike rate of Klaasen’s (204) previously.Over in England, Dawid Malan has moved to a career-best 13th in ODIs after top-scoring (277 runs) in the home ODI series against New Zealand. He averaged 92.33 with a strike rate of 105.72 and is currently the highest-ranked England batter. Ben Stokes jumped up to 36th after his blistering 182 at the Oval. The top three positions remain with Babar Azam, Shubman Gill and Rassie Van der Dussen following the latest update.

“I simply don’t understand, what is the criteria of dropping him and keeping the others who failed?”

Shashank Kishore25-Jun-20232:22

Has Cheteshwar Pujara played his last Test?

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar believes Cheteshwar Pujara has been made a “scapegoat” for India’s batting failures, most-recently at the World Test Championship final which they lost to Australia by 209 runs.Pujara is the only batter to be left out for the upcoming Test series against West Indies, from the core group that featured in that match. With the new WTC cycle beginning with the the two-Test tour of the Caribbean in July, the selection panel, led for now by SS Das, have picked uncapped Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad in the 17-member squad. This means India will potentially have a debutant at No. 3, unless Shubman Gill drops down one position.Related

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“Why has he been dropped? Why has he been made the scapegoat for our batting failures? He has been a loyal servant of Indian cricket,” Gavaskar told . “But because he does not have millions of followers on platforms who will make a noise in case he gets dropped, so you drop him. That is something beyond my understanding. What is the criteria of dropping him and keeping the others who failed? I do not know because nowadays, there is no media interaction with the selection committee chairman, where you could ask these questions.”Pujara managed scores of 14 and 27 at The Oval. Overall, in the 2021-23 WTC cycle, he was India’s second-highest scorer with 928 runs in 32 innings at an average of 32 with one century and six half-centuries. Virat Kohli is at the top but he was only marginally better – 932 runs in 30 innings was 32.13, with one century and three half-centuries.Gavaskar believes Pujara can still offer a couple of years to Indian cricket, but the road back to the team could be very tough, especially if India’s injured regulars Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer return. For now, Ajinkya Rahane, their top-scorer in the WTC final, has been named vice-captain to Rohit Sharma.Gavaskar – “Apart from Rahane, the batting completely failed. Why Pujara has been made the fall guy is something the selectors need to explain”•AFP/Getty Images

“He has been playing county cricket. So, he has played a lot of red-ball cricket, so he knows what it is about,” Gavaskar said when asked if Pujara can make a comeback. “Today, people can play till they are 39-40. There’s nothing wrong, they’re all very fit; as long as you are producing runs and taking wickets, I do not think age should be a factor. Clearly only one man has been singled out, while the others who have failed…to me, the batting failed. Apart from (Ajinkya) Rahane, the batting completely failed. Why Pujara has been made the fall guy is something the selectors need to explain.”Gavaskar also questioned the value of the Ranji Trophy especially in the wake of Sarfaraz Khan’s exclusion. The 25-year-old has stacked up mountains of runs over the past three seasons, His first-class average (79.65) is second only to Sir Don Bradman, among batters who’ve played at least 50 innings. However, Sarfaraz had a modest IPL in 2023 and wasn’t a regular starter for the Delhi Capitals, leading Gavaskar to wonder if the IPL had been a hindrance to his selection.”You do well in the IPL and you get to be picked even in Test cricket. That seems to be the situation,” Gavaskar said. “Even if you look at the selection of the team, you have four opening batters for two Test matches. It’s not the old fast West Indies attack where you needed six opening batters.”Sarfaraz Khan has been scoring at an average of 100 in all past three seasons. What does he have to do to be picked in the [Test] squad? He might not be in the XI, but you pick him in the team. Tell him that his performances are being recognised. Otherwise, stop playing Ranji Trophy. Say, it’s of no use, you just play IPL and think you are good enough for the red-ball game as well.”

Sam Hain’s 63 off 39 balls rescued Rockets from 54 for 5 against Southern Brave

ECB Reporters Network01-Aug-2023Defending champions Trent Rockets kicked off their Men’s Hundred campaign with a six-run victory over 2021 winners Southern Brave in a low-scoring contest at Trent Bridge, Daniel Sams and Lewis Gregory taking three wickets each.Sam Hain’s 63 off 39 balls rescued the Rockets from 54 for 5 with support from Imad Wasim – a last-minute substitute after Rashid Khan’s 11th hour withdrawal – but with Chris Jordan’s 3 for 18 the stand-out performance in a solid bowling display, 133 from 100 looked below par.Yet, on a slow pitch that was offering the bowlers some help, it was too much for Brave, who were 41 without loss from 37 balls but lost five wickets for 32 in the next 28, a position from which they never recovered, despite some late heroics with the bat from Jordan, bowled out for 127 from 99 balls.Related

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Asked to bat first, Rockets lost their top three batters for 25 inside the powerplay. Alex Hales miscued Craig Overton to mid-wicket and Dawid Malan sent up a steepler off the same bowler that James Vince had plenty of time to get under. In between, George Garton produced a beauty to bowl Tom Kohler-Cadmore.Neither Colin Munro nor Gregory fared any better at imposing themselves, the former skying one from Tymal Mills that was comfortably caught at mid-off, with skipper Gregory hit squarely in front by Jordan to perish for two as Rockets reached the 50-ball mark at a miserable 54 for 5. Scoring chances were generally scarce as the Brave attack kept their discipline, backed up for the most part by some excellent fielding.Hain at last gave a subdued home crowd some excitement when Overton returned for his final set to be hit for three boundaries in a row, the middle one a falling-over scoop that carried over the rope and he and Imad were able to put together something of a recovery.They added 78 in 49 balls – 48 of them in the last 25 – before both fell in a dramatic finale to the innings that saw Jordan run out Hain then bowl Imad and Matt Carter with his next two deliveries before Luke Wood survived the hat-trick ball.The priority for Brave in the chase would have been to lose no early wickets and though they were merely level with Rockets for runs after their opening 25, the difference was that the wickets fallen space on the scoreboard still showed zero.Things looked much less comfortable at halfway. Devon Conway’s top edge off Gregory pinged off his helmet to point, then Imad entered the attack with two wickets in eight balls. His first delivery did for Vince, stumped going down the pitch to one that spun away, before Finn Allen, who had looked the man most likely to carry Brave home, holed out to long-on, leaving Brave 51 for 3 from 48 balls.As panic set in, Garton skewed Matt Carter to short fine leg and Tim David, looking to ease the pressure, picked out Hales at long-on, before another slightly freakish delivery saw James Fuller caught behind off glove and pad to leave Brave six down for 89, needing 45 from 22 balls.Leus du Plooy was caught behind in a scoop attempt, Jordan pulled Wood for six, was dropped at short third on 16 – a gallant one-handed effort by sub fielder John Turner – but was yorked by Sams for 22 off 11 with nine needed from three before Overton was run out and Mills leg before.

Brad Haddin has questioned the selectors’ decision to expose the part-time wicketkeeper Cameron Bancroft by choosing him for the final Twenty20 match against India at the SCG

Daniel Brettig01-Feb-20161:12

Watson backs Bancroft

Brad Haddin has questioned the selectors’ decision to expose the part-time wicketkeeper Cameron Bancroft by choosing him for the final Twenty20 match against India at the SCG. Bancroft had previously been in the Australian frame as an opening batsman, and his glove work at fault in a critical stumping chance offered by Suresh Raina.Cameron Boyce beat Raina through the air and off the pitch, but the ball rebounded hard off Bancroft’s gloves and eluded his grasp, allowing Raina to get back. Duly reprieved second ball, Raina played the match-winning hand for India, leaving Haddin to wonder why Bancroft had been chosen overs the likes of Tim Paine and Peter Nevill.”I’m a bit shocked with the decision to play Bancroft, because Tim Paine had a really good Big Bash, and Peter Nevill’s keeping has been outstanding,” Haddin told Sky Sports Radio on Monday. “His batting’s been faultless because he hasn’t had to bat all summer.”I think [Bancroft] is a tremendous character and a tremendous opening batter, I think it was a big call giving him the gloves, he only had a couple of games in the Big Bash, and last night there was a stumping missed by Raina early in his innings. My feeling’s that you should pick the best keeper, especially with the World Cup coming.”Haddin, who retired from international cricket after last year’s Ashes series in England, pointed out that Australia’s T20 plans seemed to feature the wicketkeeper batting down at Nos. 7 or 8 in the order, so wondered why the best pure gloveman was not being chosen. He had previously explained how his own comeback to the team in 2013 had been helped by the fact that Matthew Wade’s technique could not stand up to the challenge of keeping to spin in India.”Bancroft’s a part-time wicketkeeper, so I don’t know how Tim Paine and Peter Nevill are feeling this morning,” Haddin said. “My take’s always been is it’s a specialist position, the same as a spinner or an opening bowler, so you pick your best wicketkeeper.”By the looks of the Australian batting line-up the keeper’s going to bat down at seven and eight anyway, so you need them taking those half chances. I don’t really know the thinking behind playing Bancroft last night. But the chairman of selectors [Rod Marsh] is a wicketkeeper. I don’t really know his rationale behind it.”Australia’s acting captain Shane Watson had defended Bancroft, saying he should not be held responsible for the defeat. “I think Cameron Bancroft has done an excellent job for the Scorchers,” Watson said. “He had a good season and he batted very well against the Sydney Thunder out at Spotless Stadium, so in the end he performed and did a really good job.”I haven’t seen his ‘keeping that much, but he also saved some crucial balls as well. It’s a tough game. That ball also spun out of the rough. It was the first ball that really spun all night as well. You can’t just expose a guy on debut for missing a chance. That happens.”Even guys like Brad Haddin who played all the way through his career, it happens at times. So I would never expose a young guy. I think he’s done a great job to be able to get picked and he performed when he needed to. “With the gloves, he did a really good job outside of that (missed stumping).”In addition to taking the gloves for the Perth Scorchers due to an injury suffered by Sam Whiteman, Bancroft had also kept wicket in junior and club cricket, but never for Western Australia in first-class competition.

Zimbabwe Cricket has admitted its annual audit, which was required to be submitted to the ICC within six months of the financial year-end, is yet to be finalised more than three months after it was due

Enock Muchinjo and Tristan Holme06-Oct-2016Zimbabwe Cricket has admitted its annual audit, which was required to be submitted to the ICC within six months of the financial year-end, is yet to be finalised more than three months after it was due.”The audit is going on. It will be premature for us to comment on it at this stage,” Tavenga Mukuhlani, ZC’s chairman, told ESPNcricinfo. “We have a road map in place to finalise the audit and when we are done we will be able to respond to your questions.”In February the ICC amended its rules to require Full Members to submit an unqualified audit within six months of their financial year-end. ZC’s financial year runs from January to December and so an audit should have been submitted by the end of June.It is understood that ZC has remained in regular communication with the ICC about the delays to allay any concerns thus far, and the ICC is expecting an audit soon. In the event that ZC is unable to deliver the audit to the ICC, or end up producing a qualified audit, the ICC can raise questions.Concerns around ZC’s accounts started to emerge when board members were sent a document that was supposedly an audit of the 2015 accounts ahead of the Annual General Meeting on September 14. As was initially reported in the , the document raised eyebrows among members of the board for the way figures were thrown around without sufficient explanation for how the money had been spent.The document, which ESPNcricinfo has a copy of, lists tour expenses of US$5.2 million despite the fact that a majority of Zimbabwe’s series during the year were bankrolled by other parties. Zimbabwe’s main visitors in 2015 were New Zealand and Pakistan, but Total Sports Marketing, a Bangladesh sports marketing agency, held the marketing and broadcast rights for the tours and was responsible for the expenses. Ireland and Afghanistan also toured, but Afghanistan paid their own way.Members of the ZC board, which underwent something of an overhaul in August 2015, questioned how the tour expenses figure was so high. “Most tours in 2015 were fully funded,” an insider told ESPNcricinfo. “From our investigations, it will take great extravagance for the total cost of all tours in 2015 to reach a million dollars.”These and other issues were raised at the AGM, which was unable to continue after the accounts were rejected, creating the need for a Special General Meeting. The day before the AGM, the auditing firm responsible for compiling ZC’s financial statements dissociated itself from the document presented to board members, saying that it was yet to complete the audit. The firm, HLB Zimbabwe, had begun the audit process but became hamstrung when it requested additional information from ZC that was not forthcoming.In a letter to ZC dated September 13, HLB representative Clement Ruzengwe wrote: “We have been waiting for outstanding information in order to complete the audit, which has not been forthcoming from Zimbabwe Cricket. We are thus surprised that the audit report for that year (2015) has been circulated to the Board.”If indeed an audit report has been circulated to the Board, this has been done without our knowledge or authorisation. We disassociate ourselves from that report, and we request an explanation from your good offices as to how that report, purported to have come from us, has ended up in your board papers.”Following the AGM a ZC board memo, which ESPNcricinfo has seen, was circulated with an engagement plan between ZC and the auditor. Yet it is understood that no engagement has taken place, and that the Special General Meeting set for last Friday was cancelled. Asked why the SGM had been cancelled, a ZC spokesman did not respond.ZC has endured financial difficulty for more than a decade, and Mukuhlani recently admitted in an interview that the organisation was $19m in debt. As a result, Zimbabwe’s players have often waited months for match fees, and most recently went on strike on the day of the AGM. Some players had not been paid match fees dating back to July last year, while there was also frustration at delays in handing out contracts.The players returned to training five days later after being given an assurance by Wilfred Mukondiwa, ZC’s managing director, that the backlog of payments would be cleared. Central contracts have subsequently been awarded, although the list has not been officially released.

Charl Langeveldt said South Africa’s bowlers have to be “box smart” and more disciplined than they were on the second day in Dunedin

Firdose Moonda in Dunedin09-Mar-2017Charl Langeveldt, South Africa’s bowling coach, has asked for more discipline from his attack, who he admitted will have to “box smart” on a tricky Dunedin pitch. Although Langeveldt believes New Zealand probably got the best of the surface on the first morning, when there was variable bounce, he believes South Africa could still tighten up and take control of the match.”If you’re going to have attacking fields, you are going to leak runs. In hindsight, we went for too many fours,” Langeveldt said. “Kane (Williamson) put us under pressure, especially against the spinner. He didn’t let the spinner settle down. Just blocking up one end would have been ideal. But Kane was on fire. Jeetan put us under pressure as well.”Not only did Williamson score freely off Keshav Maharaj, but he also took runs off Kagiso Rabada, who struggled with a slight stomach bug. Rabada’s illness was not serious enough to prevent him from taking the field, and Langeveldt is confident he will return with more venom on the third morning, but has invested most of his hopes in the team’s ability to strike early and find reverse-swing.”This is like a Port Elizabeth wicket. At the end there was a hint of reverse, so hopefully that will work in our favour,” Langeveldt said. “We have to box smart and try and contain Kane Williamson. He’s the key. I’m not sure whether Ross Taylor is going to come back but he’s a good batsman and they’ve got a few allrounders coming in. So we still have to bowl well to get them out. Tomorrow morning I feel we’ll have that opportunity, and then we need to box smart after that.”Taylor left the field with a calf injury and had scans at the university hospital. There is no definitive call on his availability for the rest of the match. Whether or not he returns, South Africa still have some big hitters and quick run-scorers to contend with, including Jimmy Neesham. Langeveldt would like to see his bowlers emulate New Zealand and squeeze a first-innings lead. “They bowled brilliantly and built pressure from both ends,” he said.Almost a third (32%) of the 122.4 overs New Zealand bowled were maidens, and they kept South Africa’s scoring rate to 2.51, as part of a plan to frustrate the opposition’s powerful line-up. “We were just looking to grip the ball and ask tough questions and not let them get too far ahead,” Trent Boult explained. “Everyone applied pressure in different stages, so it was easy for Kane to move between bowlers and not let that foot up. Stepping up maidens and dot balls was a big part of our plan, but there’s still a lot of work to be done.”By comparison, South Africa’s maidens efficiency was only 23%, and allowed New Zealand to score at 3.21. Still, Langeveldt believes the bowlers can make something happen, especially because Morne Morkel, who made a return after 14 months on the sidelines nursing a back injury, seems to be making a strong comeback. “His pace was up, he bowled a good amount of overs, he bowled really well and he got the ball in good areas. But the key thing was that Morne Morkel’s pace was up and he was bowling at 100%,” Langeveldt said.

Harsh lessons of 2014 serve England’s new director of cricket well, as he lays out vision for his tenure

George Dobell09-Jan-2019It speaks volumes for Ashley Giles’ determination – and confidence – that even at one of the lowest points of his career, he was planning his comeback.In April 2014, Giles was sacked as England coach. Paul Downton, who was the managing director of England cricket at the time, called at his house one day and informed him that he was to be replaced by Peter Moores.His reaction? Anger, certainly. But also determination. And before Downton’s car had disappeared from sight, Giles had turned to his wife, Stine, and informed her he would be back and he would be the boss.”I don’t know if I was sacked or made redundant,” Giles says, “but whichever way it was, it wasn’t very nice.”But I said I would be back at the time. I don’t know if I said it to Paul, but I certainly said it to my wife. And, if you look at my career progress over the last four or five years, I have sort of prepared for this role. If you are a performance director, this is the pinnacle.”You can understand why Giles was angry. He was one of only two long-serving men – Kevin Pietersen was the other – completely cut adrift by the ECB after the debacle of the 2013-14 Ashes, despite having no direct involvement in the coaching of that team. And while results at the 2014 World T20 were not pretty – England had been eliminated even before a heavy defeat against Netherlands – Giles had some mitigation. As the junior partner in a split coaching structure – Andy Flower was very much the dominant figure – he had become used to seeing his first-choice players rested from white-ball cricket.But that anger has long since faded into something more constructive. And while Downton has now made the reverse journey – he is doing a fine job as director of cricket at Kent – and Flower is a strong favourite to take up Giles’ old role as director of cricket at Warwickshire, Giles himself now looks back on the episode as the making of him.”We all feel hard done by when you leave positions,” he says now. “But now I think it was a great learning curve for me.”I didn’t manage that balance between the short-term plans and long-term vision well. I always had in mind that I would one day become Test coach and perhaps, if I hold my hand up, I took my eye off the importance of winning tomorrow. In coaching you can’t afford to do that.”I think that experience will help me in this role. In this role you have to worry about tomorrow and the long-term strategy.Ashley Giles, ECB’s new director of England cricket, at Lord’s•Getty Images

“That period with Andy Flower and the unravelling of the team in the Ashes and then the debacle against the Netherlands in Bangladesh, I guess that was almost a catalyst for me going back to university, studying, taking a masters and changing paths slightly. It was a good life lesson. It got me where I am today.”Giles’ behaviour in the months following that sacking is instructive. Instead of publicly criticising the ECB – as Pietersen did in a now-infamous book – Giles persuaded them to fund his return to university as part of his severance package. As a result, he went to Manchester Metropolitan Business School and gained a Master of Sport Directorship.And, instead of applying for coaching jobs, which he concluded left him vulnerable to fluctuations in fortune that could not always be controlled, he turned his interest to director of cricket roles which seemed more secure and more appropriate to a man with a hip replacement who no longer feels especially comfortable in a tracksuit. Less than a year ago, he declined an invitation to apply for the role of National Selector – a role subsequently filled by Ed Smith – in the belief that was a backward step for a man who had already served as a selector.So, what can we expect from Giles? Well, any player expecting a relaxation of the curfew that has been in place since the last Ashes tour is likely to be disappointed, for a start. And, in the long term, it seems the habit of playing football ahead of training every day may well be in jeopardy.”Curfews are in place to protect the guys,” he says. “I discussed curfews years ago. I don’t think we should look at those as being a negative thing. Everyone needs boundaries so it’s important that we have things in place that protect our guys.”We have got a responsibility to protect our players and the discipline side of things is really important to me. I have a reputation as being quite firm, but I think I am fair.”We’ve got to keep our best players on the park and I’m not sure playing football is the best way of going about that. If you look at what football does, the benefits from a physiological and fun point of view are outstripped by the dangers. In the long term we’ll perhaps see a change there.”But when you talk about short-term derailers I don’t want to be blamed for losing the World Cup because we are not playing football. I am not coming in with an iron rod right now. It’s something I’ll speak to the captains and coaches about.”There are other areas we may see change. Giles is likely to be asked to ‘rationalise’ – a euphemism for ‘cut’ usually – the budget at Loughborough with a growing realisation that spending has exceeded achievement there over the last few years. And he hopes to improve the relationship between the counties and the England team, drawing on the knowledge around the circuit and ensuring domestic cricket is well placed to produce international players.”The domestic system is hugely important,” he says. “So it’s important we get our system right in Championship cricket, because that is where our Test cricketers are coming from.”The counties do a fantastic job. There was a meeting yesterday of the county directors of cricket and I looked round the table and realised there was a hell of a lot of knowledge I can tap into. That relationship is important and I think it could be better than it has been. I want to see much stronger collaboration with the counties.”And then there’s the coaching role. Despite his own experiences, Giles has always maintained that a split coaching arrangement could work well. There is an acknowledgement that some of the best candidates may be reluctant to take the year-round workload required for an England coach, so there seems every chance that the role will be split once more. Paul Collingwood (for the white-ball sides) and Gary Kirsten (for the Test side) may well be among the frontrunners.”Whatever we do – two coaches or one – we need to make it normal and acceptable that coaches have time off and are able to watch some other cricket or have a break,” Giles says. “The programme is extremely busy, so to expect one or two head coaches to be there all the time is quite challenging.”Part of my role is coach development so, absolutely, we should be developing future England coaches and giving them opportunities. Perhaps the new competition is part of that? But I’m not silly enough to think the next coach has to be English. We need the best man – or two men – for the job.”

The deal covers the broadcast of 14 international events across men’s, women’s and Under-19 World Cups

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Mar-2023The ICC has signed a four-year deal with Willow TV and Digital in the USA and Canada, giving Willow digital and broadcast rights for all men’s and women’s major events till the end of 2027.The first direct live TV contractual relationship between the ICC and Willow will cover the broadcast of 14 international events across men’s, women’s and Under-19 World Cup and T20 World Cup competitions. All the senior men’s and women’s ICC events will receive TV coverage, beginning with the men’s T20 World Cup in 2024, scheduled to be held in the USA and the West Indies.Related

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“USA is an important strategic market for the ICC and the direct partnership with Willow will provide us with a number of exciting opportunities to strengthen engagement with fans in the region,” Geoff Allardice, the ICC CEO, said.The ICC had invited bids for media rights to global cricketing events over the next four (or eight) years for the Australian, US, Caribbean and Canadian markets last September.This is the first time the ICC has unbundled its media rights, choosing to sell them territory by territory. In August last year, the ICC sealed a deal in the Indian market for an undisclosed sum. That winning bid, thought to be in the region of just over US$ 3 billion, came from Disney Star* and covers both television and digital rights to men’s and women’s global tournaments between 2024 and 2027. Days after the winning bid was announced, Disney Star announced it would in turn be licensing part of the rights to Zee Entertainment Enterprises in another landmark deal.In January this year, the ICC struck an eight-year deal with Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland, giving them access to broadcast all World Cups between 2024 and 2031.

Commanding day’s batting as Foxes build on confidence from first-round victory

ECB Reporters Network13-Apr-2023Leicestershire 243 for 2 (Ackermann 79*, Hill 75*, Budinger 72) vs Derbyshire Half-centuries from Sol Budinger, Lewis Hill and Colin Ackermann saw Leicestershire lay the foundations for a big first innings score after being put in on a shortened first day of their LV Insurance county championship fixture against Derbyshire.Bowling first was an understandable decision on the part of Derbyshire skipper Leus du Plooy after play could not start until early afternoon due to a wet outfield at Grace Road.But although Leicestershire lost Rishi Patel for just 8, caught at second slip by Wayne Madsen after edging a Ben Aitchison delivery that may have bounced slightly more than the batter expected, Budinger had already shown there were no demons in the pitch.The former Notts batter hit three fours in the first over he faced and continued to go for his shots, thumping eleven fours and a six in going to a first-class best 72 before top-edging an attempted pull to mid-on.Hill, playing rather more circumspectly, was then joined by Ackermann in putting together an unbroken partnership of 141 for the third wicket, offering no chances as the visitors toiled in a bitterly cold wind.Both sides could be said to have come into this match with something to prove. Leicestershire that their remarkable win against Yorkshire last week – the county’s first first-class victory at Headingley since 1910 – was a genuine indication of progress, as opposed to the flash in the pan cynics suggested: Derbyshire that their unexpected defeat at Worcestershire was a consequence of over-confidence as much as under-performance, and therefore correctable.A wet – in some places close to muddy – outfield meant that although the morning was dry and sunny, no play was possible throughout the morning session. Umpires Tom Lungley and Neil Pratt eventually decided play could commence at 2.15, and though rain clouds skirted the ground throughout the rest of the day, 63 overs proved possible.Budinger, playing only his ninth first-class innings, hit the ball wonderfully cleanly from the off, and with Hill playing an anchor role at three, Ackermann also unfurled a series of fine drives and cuts, passing 50 for the third time in as many innings this season.With Peter Handscomb, Wiaan Mulder and Rehan Ahmed – who before play received his full Leicestershire cap, the first Foxes player do so after being capped for England – among those to come, the home side will already be hoping to build a big enough score to bat only once in the match.

Wayne Madsen has played many more fluent and attractive innings in his long and illustrious career, but the South African cannot have made a more hard-fought than that which he scored on the first day against Leicestershire

ECB/PA07-Aug-2015
ScorecardWayne Madsen made half Derbyshire’s total on the opening day•Getty Images

Wayne Madsen has played many more fluent and attractive innings in his long and illustrious career, but the South African cannot have made a more hard-fought or more valuable century than that which he scored for Derbyshire on the first day of their Championship match against Leicestershire at Grace Road.Madsen finished unbeaten on 164 as Derbyshire closed on 320 for 8, a score which looked well beyond them after they lost their first three wickets for just 38. In bowler-friendly conditions and on a green-tinged pitch Leicestershire captain Mark Cosgrove put the visitors in after winning the toss, and his seamers found movement through the air and off the pitch.Ben Raine made the early breakthrough for Leicestershire, swinging the ball in to left-hander Billy Godleman to win a leg before decision, and Ben Slater followed soon afterwards, leaving Charlie Shreck’s first delivery and losing his off-stump.It was Shreck’s 50th wicket in the Championship this season, and he should have had a 51st in the same over, when Madsen, on 11 at the time, edged high to third slip, only for Rob Sayer to put down the chance.The 37-year-old Shreck did pick up a second wicket when Tillikeratne Dillshan edged another out-swinger to Angus Robson at first slip. Madsen and Alex Hughes fought their way through to lunch, but after the break Derbyshire lost Alex Hughes, caught behind fending at Clint McKay, and Wes Durston, who edged an attempted drive at Shreck, to leave Derbyshire teetering on 118 for 5.Madsen enjoyed a huge stroke of fortune when on 54 he cut a delivery from Cosgrove to gully, where Ned Eckersley took the catch above his head – only for umpire Paul Baldwin to signal no-ball after seeing Cosgrove had knocked off a bail in his delivery stride.Madsen and Shiv Thakor then compiled a partnership of 71 for the sixth wicket before Thakor – a former Leicestershire player – attempted to turn offspinner Rob Sayer down the leg side, and was given out leg before to give Sayer, making his Championship debut for Leicestershire, his first first-class wicket.Harvey Hosein leant his captain valuable support as Madsen went to his 100, off 203 balls, and though Hosein was then brilliantly caught by Andrea Agathangelou diving to his right at second slip, Tony Palladino and then Mark Footitt hung around as Madsen went through to his 150, and took Derbyshire through to a third batting bonus point.