In Case You Missed It: Fixing, finishers, scouts, and that pesky Kohli
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ESPNcricinfo staff
03-Sep-2018
MS Dhoni: he's got finesse, but is he a finisher? • Getty Images
The England-India Test series has been decided with one match to go. In this week's recap, we bring you news and views from the gripping Southampton Test, the Afghanistan-Ireland ODIs, the Kia Super League, the Asia Cup squads, and more.
How England clung on to topple the No. 1 Test team
Melinda Farrell picks one moment from each of the four days of the Southampton Test when England wrested back control of the game from India. England might have a fragile top order, an unreliable slip cordon, and almost no idea what their optimum batting line-up should be, but they have allrounders to rescue them from all sorts of dire situations, writes George Dobell. What were the positives India could take from this Test? That their pace unit is developing into a fearsome one, and that Cheteshwar Pujara finally got a hundred in England. Watch: Do England really deserve the series win?
Melinda Farrell picks one moment from each of the four days of the Southampton Test when England wrested back control of the game from India. England might have a fragile top order, an unreliable slip cordon, and almost no idea what their optimum batting line-up should be, but they have allrounders to rescue them from all sorts of dire situations, writes George Dobell. What were the positives India could take from this Test? That their pace unit is developing into a fearsome one, and that Cheteshwar Pujara finally got a hundred in England. Watch: Do England really deserve the series win?
Fresh corruption allegations against Australian players set to be aired
Fresh allegations of spot-fixing against "current and former Australian players" are set to be aired by the television news network Al Jazeera in a follow-up to the investigative documentary aired earlier this year. Cricket Australia has confirmed the allegations relate to "historical matches from 2011", a year in which the national team concluded an Ashes series, then took part in the World Cup, bilateral tours of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and South Africa, then home matches against New Zealand and India.
Fresh allegations of spot-fixing against "current and former Australian players" are set to be aired by the television news network Al Jazeera in a follow-up to the investigative documentary aired earlier this year. Cricket Australia has confirmed the allegations relate to "historical matches from 2011", a year in which the national team concluded an Ashes series, then took part in the World Cup, bilateral tours of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and South Africa, then home matches against New Zealand and India.
Why there's no such thing as a finisher in ODI cricket
Next time you're about to call MS Dhoni a great ODI finisher, you might want to pause and look at these numbers from Kartikeya Date: "Michael Bevan and MS Dhoni, two of the greatest finishers in limited-overs cricket, score slower in chases than their team-mates do. What's more, in a large number of chases, they are not required at all. Dhoni, for instance, has played in 166 chases, of which India have won 104 and lost 62. He has batted in only 131 of these chases, of which India have won 69 and lost 62. Dhoni averages 50 in these games and scores at 81 runs per 100 balls. At the other end, India's batsmen average 31 and score at 89 runs per 100 balls."
Next time you're about to call MS Dhoni a great ODI finisher, you might want to pause and look at these numbers from Kartikeya Date: "Michael Bevan and MS Dhoni, two of the greatest finishers in limited-overs cricket, score slower in chases than their team-mates do. What's more, in a large number of chases, they are not required at all. Dhoni, for instance, has played in 166 chases, of which India have won 104 and lost 62. He has batted in only 131 of these chases, of which India have won 69 and lost 62. Dhoni averages 50 in these games and scores at 81 runs per 100 balls. At the other end, India's batsmen average 31 and score at 89 runs per 100 balls."
Watch: Masterclass: Reporter turns batsman
Cricket journalists spend a better part of their careers writing and talking about what players are doing wrong. But what if the tables were turned and it was your batting technique that was being dissected? Nagraj Gollapudi, a brave soul (and a decent amateur batsman) gets his batting tested by the Proatar mentoring app, Peter Moores, and Michael Holding. (It's not pretty, but it's pretty funny.)
Cricket journalists spend a better part of their careers writing and talking about what players are doing wrong. But what if the tables were turned and it was your batting technique that was being dissected? Nagraj Gollapudi, a brave soul (and a decent amateur batsman) gets his batting tested by the Proatar mentoring app, Peter Moores, and Michael Holding. (It's not pretty, but it's pretty funny.)
Afghanistan beat Ireland 2-1 in Belfast
Rashid Khan took 3 for 18 as Afghanistan dismissed Ireland for 124 and won the third ODI by eight wickets. They won the first ODI - in which Gulbadin Naib and Hashmatullah Shahidi made half-centuries - by 29 runs.
Rashid Khan took 3 for 18 as Afghanistan dismissed Ireland for 124 and won the third ODI by eight wickets. They won the first ODI - in which Gulbadin Naib and Hashmatullah Shahidi made half-centuries - by 29 runs.
How Pakistan became a world-class fielding side
Since February 2017, their catching rate on the field has been 85.9% - better than even Australia and South Africa's. What (and who) brought on the transformation from klutzy to classy? Danyal Rasool finds out.
Since February 2017, their catching rate on the field has been 85.9% - better than even Australia and South Africa's. What (and who) brought on the transformation from klutzy to classy? Danyal Rasool finds out.
Lasith Malinga recalled for Asia Cup
The 35-year-old fast bowler, who last played an international in September, has been picked in Sri Lanka's squad for the Asia Cup, to be played in the UAE between September 15 and 28. Meanwhile, batsman Sabbir Rahman was left out of Bangladesh's squad for the tournament for an alleged run-in with two fans on social media, and he is likely to face a six-month ban for it. India chose to rest Virat Kohli and let Rohit Sharma lead the side in his stead.
The 35-year-old fast bowler, who last played an international in September, has been picked in Sri Lanka's squad for the Asia Cup, to be played in the UAE between September 15 and 28. Meanwhile, batsman Sabbir Rahman was left out of Bangladesh's squad for the tournament for an alleged run-in with two fans on social media, and he is likely to face a six-month ban for it. India chose to rest Virat Kohli and let Rohit Sharma lead the side in his stead.
Lizelle Lee's commanding century powers Surrey to Super League title
Opener Lizelle Lee made a 58-ball 104 and her fellow South Africans Marizanne Kapp and Dane van Niekerk shared five wickets in Surrey Stars' big win over Loughborough Lightning in the Kia Super League final, in Brighton. It was Stars' first title win.
Opener Lizelle Lee made a 58-ball 104 and her fellow South Africans Marizanne Kapp and Dane van Niekerk shared five wickets in Surrey Stars' big win over Loughborough Lightning in the Kia Super League final, in Brighton. It was Stars' first title win.
What we remember: 1993-2018
We dial back to one of the most thrilling Tests of all time, India v Australia, Kolkata, 2001, with a couple of the protagonists, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman.
We dial back to one of the most thrilling Tests of all time, India v Australia, Kolkata, 2001, with a couple of the protagonists, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman.
Meet the scout who picks T20 players round the world
AR Srikkanth works in the IPL, CPL, PSL, BPL and smaller leagues, picking young talent and building teams. He talks about picking Shadab Khan, Colin de Grandhomme, Evin Lewis, Jofra Archer, and losing out on getting Rashid Khan into his team.
AR Srikkanth works in the IPL, CPL, PSL, BPL and smaller leagues, picking young talent and building teams. He talks about picking Shadab Khan, Colin de Grandhomme, Evin Lewis, Jofra Archer, and losing out on getting Rashid Khan into his team.
Former India batsman S Badrinath retires from all forms of cricket
The 38-year-old former Tamil Nadu batsman, who got to 10,000 first-class runs two seasons, ago announced his retirement from all forms of cricket with immediate effect, ending a domestic career that started in 2000.
The 38-year-old former Tamil Nadu batsman, who got to 10,000 first-class runs two seasons, ago announced his retirement from all forms of cricket with immediate effect, ending a domestic career that started in 2000.
The Briefing: Can The Hundred save English cricket? Not if Virat Kohli can help it
In his recap of August in cricket, Andrew Fidel Fernando finds Virat Kohli popping up in the most unexpected places.
In his recap of August in cricket, Andrew Fidel Fernando finds Virat Kohli popping up in the most unexpected places.