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Friday 30 September 2011
Wednesday 28 September 2011
Injured de Villiers out of Champions League
Champions League Twenty20 2011
Injured de Villiers out of Champions League
ESPNcricinfo staff
September 28, 2011
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Players/Officials: AB de Villiers
Series/Tournaments: Australia tour of South Africa | Nokia Champions League T20
Teams: Royal Challengers Bangalore | South Africa
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AB de Villiers has been ruled out of the remainder of the Champions League Twenty20 after fracturing a finger on his left hand during a Royal Challengers Bangalore training session at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. The injury could force de Villiers to miss the start of Australia's tour of South Africa, which begins with a Twenty20 international on October 13.
"He [de Villiers] will probably be coming back to South Africa tonight," South Africa's team manager Mohammad Moosajee told ESPNcricinfo. "He will see our panel of hand specialists after that, and we will decide what the plan of action is.
"I understand from the Bangalore physio that he broke the third finger on his left hand during a fielding drill. It is quite serious, that's why he is coming back."
The home series against Australia will be de Villiers' first after taking over as South Africa's limited-overs captain from Graeme Smith in June. South Africa play the first of two Twenty20s against Australia on October 13, followed by three one-dayers that begin on October 19.
In de Villiers' absence, either Tillakaratne Dilshan or Arun Karthik will keep wicket for the Royal Challengers. "Not having AB is a big loss," Virat Kohli, the Royal Challengers batsman, said. "But we have quality players in our squad who can cope with it."
The Royal Challengers play Kolkata Knight Riders in Bangalore on September 29, with games against Somerset and South Australia to come. They lost their first game of the CLT20 and another loss would make a semi-final berth unlikely. However, three wins would make their qualification almost a certainty - two other sides in Group B would need to be tied on three wins for net run-rate to come into contention.
Wednesday 14 September 2011
ENGLAND vs WEST INDIES
England news
Swann 'delighted' to lead England
September 14, 2011
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Graeme Swann has said he is "delighted" at the prospect of captaining England in the two-match Twenty20 series against West Indies later this month, in the absence of Stuart Broad and Eoin Morgan.
Broad, the regular Twenty20 captain who began his reign earlier this season against Sri Lanka, was ruled out of the remainder of England's home season, as well as the five-match ODI series in India next month, after sustaining a muscle tear to his right shoulder in the fourth ODI against India at Lord's. Morgan, Broad's vice-captain, was earlier ruled out until January with his own shoulder problem.
With Kevin Pietersen continuing his rest period, Swann was one of the few viable options within the current Twenty20 set-up. The other route would have been to give the job to Alastair Cook, the ODI captain, but that would have disrupted the top order which Andy Flower is trying to form ahead of England's defence of their World Twenty20 title in Sri Lanka next September.
"I'm obviously delighted," Swann said. "I'd looked at the [likely] squad and thought: 'I might have a chance.' It's a case of being fairly mature in the changing room, because we've got a few young guys who've not played before and need to have at least a semi-sensible role model to look up to."
Two uncapped players - Yorkshire's Jonathan Bairstow and Hampshire's Danny Briggs - have been included in the 14-man squad. There is also a Twenty20 recall for James Anderson who hasn't played the shortest format for England since November 2009.
"Graeme Swann is a highly respected member of the England side and his experience and leadership qualities will be invaluable when he leads a young England team next week - a role he is very much looking forward to," Geoff Miller, the national selector, said.
Such high praise from the ECB hierarchy would have seemed a world away at the start of Swann's international career, when his care-free attitude led to him being mistrusted by his first England coach, Duncan Fletcher, and banished from the set-up for seven long years.
Since his recall, however, his quick-witted outlook on life has become an integral factor in England's squad mentality. Though he promised that captaincy would not cramp his exuberant style completely, he admitted that the jokes would "stop to a certain extent".
"I've captained every game I've played, in my head, throughout my entire career," he added. "So I'll just do that a bit more vocally when I'm on the field."
Of the squad in general, Miller said: "We have once again selected a blend of experienced international performers along with exciting young players with a great deal of talent. We have had a successful summer to date and will be looking to continue our form during the Twenty20 series against West Indies and finish the summer with two strong performances.
"We have selected ten of the players who were involved in last month's Twenty20 victory over India while the injuries to Stuart Broad and Eoin Morgan and the continued period of rest for Kevin Pietersen means we bring four players into the squad; James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Scott Borthwick and Danny Briggs."
Borthwick made his international debut against Ireland, in Dublin, last month while Bairstow was in that squad but didn't make the final XI. There are four spinners in the party which is a clear indication that the selectors are using the two matches against West Indies as a chance to look ahead at their options for the World Twenty20.
Squad Graeme Swann (capt), James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Ravi Bopara, Scott Borthwick, Tim Bresnan, Danny Briggs, Jos Buttler, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Craig Kieswetter (wk), Samit Patel, Ben Stokes.
via Cricinfo
Tuesday 13 September 2011
ICC Awards 2011
ICC Awards 2011
Jonathan Trott is ICC Cricketer of the Year
September 12, 2011
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Related Links
News : Alastair Cook is Test Cricketer of the Year
News : Bishoo named Emerging Player of the Year News : Dar named best umpire for the third consecutive year News : Dhoni leads ODI team of the year News : Dhoni wins Spirit of Cricket award News : Sangakkara named ODI Cricketer of the Year News : Southee wins award for best Twenty20 performance News : Stafanie Taylor wins Women's Cricketer award News : ten Doeschate wins Associate award again News : England dominate ICC Test team of the year
Players/Officials: Jonathan Trott
Teams: England
Sites: Cricinfo ICC Site
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Jonathan Trott, the England batsman, has been named the Cricketer of the Year for 2011, the ICC's top accolade. He received the Sir Garfield Sobers trophy at the annual ceremony in London, after his team-mate Alastair Cook had won the Test Cricketer of the Year award.
"It's fantastic to be part of a successful team and I never envisaged winning this award. It's a brilliant feeling to be recognised," Trott said.
In 12 Tests during the period under consideration, Trott scored 1042 runs at an average of 65.12, including four centuries and three half-centuries. He also played 24 ODIs, scoring 1064 runs at an average of 48.36 with two centuries and nine 50s. Trott was chosen for the award ahead of Cook, last-year's winner Sachin Tendulkar and South Africa batsman Hashim Amla.
Previous winners of the Cricketer of the Year award include Rahul Dravid (2004), Andrew Flintoff and Jacques Kallis (joint winners in 2005), Ricky Ponting (2006 and 2007), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (2008), Mitchell Johnson (2009) and Sachin Tendulkar (2010).
Cook, however, won the Test Cricketer award after having a prolific year in the format. Cook played 12 Tests, and in 18 innings he scored 1302 runs at an average of 76.58, including six centuries and four half-centuries. His 235 not out against Australia in Brisbane kick-started England's first Ashes victory away from home since 1986-87.
Kumar Sangakkara, the former Sri Lanka captain, was the only player to win two awards on the night. He was named the ODI Cricketer of the Year and also picked up the People's Choice Award. Sangakkara scored 1049 runs at an average of 55.21 in 25 ODIs. He also had 26 catches and 10 stumpings as wicketkeeper and led Sri Lanka to the final of the 2011 World Cup.
Though India spent most of the period under consideration at No. 1 in the Test rankings, and won the 2011 World Cup, their only award winner was the captain MS Dhoni, who was given the Spirit of Cricket accolade. Dhoni was not present at the ceremony despite being in England.
The ICC chose West Indies legspinner Devendra Bishoo, ahead of other nominees Darren Bravo, Wahab Riaz and Azhar Ali, for the Emerging Player Award. Bishoo, 25, played five Tests in the voting period and took 21 wickets at an average of 35.42. He also picked up 19 wickets at 21.57 each in 11 ODIs.
Ryan ten Doeschate, the Netherlands allrounder, was named the ICC Associate and Affiliate Player of the Year for the third time in four years, and for the second year running. ten Doeschate was chosen ahead of Afghanistan allrounder Hamid Hassan, and the Irish duo of Paul Stirling and Kevin O'Brien, both centurions in the 2011 World Cup.
New Zealand seamer Tim Southee won the award for Twenty20 International Performance of the Year, for his spell of 5 for 18 against Pakistan in Auckland.
Pakistan umpire Aleem Dar has won the David Shepherd trophy for the Umpire of the Year for the third consecutive time. He beat competition from Steve Davis, Ian Gould and five-time winner Simon Taufel.
Stafanie Taylor, the West Indies women's allrounder, was named the ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year.
via Cricinfo
Monday 12 September 2011
Raina, Bopara star in dramatic tie
England v India, 4th ODI, Lord's
Raina, Bopara star in dramatic tie
September 11, 2011
India 280 for 5 (Raina 84, Dhoni 78*) tied with England 270 for 8 in 48.5 overs (Bopara 96, Bell 54) (D/L method)
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In a frantic finish at Lord's, the fourth one-day international was tied under the Duckworth/Lewis method to give England the series as rain swept across the ground moments after Ravi Bopara had been caught at deep midwicket for a career-best 96. Before James Anderson could join Steven Finn at the crease, the players went off and although the rain did stop there was no time to resume the game. India were left searching for their first win against England on this tour and, once again, cursing the weather, which has done them no favours throughout the series.
England were on course for victory as Bopara, with one of his best international innings, and Swann added 50 for the seventh wicket in 6.3 overs. Swann, who batted at No. 8 because of an injury to Stuart Broad, was brilliantly run out by Munaf Patel during his follow through. Bopara then tried to clear the midwicket boundary next ball but only found Ravindra Jadeja, bringing England level with the D/L par score, when they had just been ahead of it.
As it transpired, with no further deliveries available, if Bopara had blocked that ball England would have won by one run. It was a difficult situation for Bopara and should not detract from an excellent innings that could prove a significant moment in a stop-start career.
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There had been two brief rain stoppages previously. The first when India were marginally ahead of the D/L par score. The second an over later, after England had moved in front of the par score during the 45th over, as Swann guided a boundary to third man. On both occasions the side behind was, unsurprisingly, reluctant to leave the field and India's players remained on the outfield at one point, waiting for the rain to stop. The final decision that the game was tied was tough on the visitors because, with Finn and Anderson to face RP Singh, the odds were probably in India's favour despite a wet ball.
That England were chasing 281 was down to a partnership of 169 between Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni as 140 runs came off the last 14 overs. England's chase was always a nip-and-tuck affair after they slipped to 61 for 3 and was rebuilt by a 98-run stand between Bopara and Ian Bell, two batsmen with plenty to prove in the one-day team. Their partnership wasn't adventurous but it kept the asking-rate within range. Bell eventually chipped a catch to long-off for 54.
Ben Stokes continued to struggle against spin and chipped back to R Ashwin, the dismissal leaving the bowling allrounders to accompany Bopara, who had moved to 50 off 62 balls. Both Tim Bresnan and Swann had shown composure at The Oval two days ago and produced vital innings again. Bresnan made a brisk 27 in a stand of 47 with Bopara to take the requirement down to 60 off eight overs with a batting Powerplay to come. RP Singh, however, produced his best display of the tour and knocked back off stump to make India favourites again.
Swann played calmly between all the interruptions and calculations. He and Bopara found boundaries when they were needed, although England were in the tricky position of having one eye on the D/L target but also not letting the overall figure be forgotten in case the game went the distance.
For India, the finish summed up their series. Rain impacted each match and on three occasions at least it hasn't favoured the visitors. There will be a growing feeling that they are not meant to earn a victory on this tour, especially after they had produced one of their performances to turn the innings around from a sticky 110 for 4.
Broad had struck twice in his first two overs to remove the openers and then Swann claimed a brace in five balls, when Virat Kohli was caught behind and Rahul Dravid got a leading edge back to the bowler. For a period between the 22nd and 36th over India added only 55, but Dhoni and Raina were setting themselves for a strong assault in the closing overs. Raina, who has scored at comfortably more than a run-a-ball in the series, broke the shackles and Dhoni followed soon. Raina would have been run out on 26 if Anderson's back-hand flick from mid-off had hit the stumps.
In the second over of the batting Powerplay, Raina cut loose. Anderson was hit into the stands on the leg side after Dhoni had already taken consecutive boundaries. Broad received similar punishment, when Raina targeted the midwicket stands, and Alastair Cook was given another tough job trying to stem an onslaught. India scored 58 during the batting Powerplay and there was plenty of room for improvement in England's bowling and their captain's tactics.
In the end it still wasn't enough for India. They can take consolation that the margins of defeat are shrinking but at Cardiff there is only pride to play for.
via Cricinfo