Rest of the World

I figure a thread for cricket stuff from around the world that doesn't warrant a series-thread is useful

NZ announces its contracted player list for 2017/18.
Jeetan Patel & Luke Ronchi retire from international cricket, Doug Bracewell & Mark Craig dropped.

Jeet Raval, Colin de Grandhomme & Neil Broom (FFS) added

http://www.espncricinfo.com/newzealand/content/story/1105396.html?CMP=chrome

Anil Kumble quits as India coach as Kohli doesn't like working with him http://www.espncricinfo.com/west-indies-v-india-2017/content/story/1105352.html

Possible progress in the Aus cricket pay dispute - odds are the wrangling will go on a while yet though

http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/story/1105398.html

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:Possible progress in the Aus cricket pay dispute - odds are the wrangling will go on a while yet though

http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/story/1105398.html

Surprised by the lack of coverage of this - it's escalating every day it seems

Australia A's SA tour scrapped http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/40516434

Channel 9's Ashes advertising launch the other day had to pull in a bunch of non-cricketing sports stars/celebs to talk about the Ashes as they couldn't use the Aus players due to CA no longer owning their image rights

Suprised their hasn't been more posted about this crisis on the site..

I'd imagine it'll get sorted out soon enough

hmm remeber the packer affair? Heading down that route...

wisden wrote:hmm remeber the packer affair? Heading down that route...

Seeing as I was born in 1995, I don't

This is looking murky https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/94633767/mystery-backers-pour-millions-into-australian-cricketers-hardship-fund

I read an article yesterday where the Barmy Army speculated that an Ashes' cancellation could bankrupt their travel company

Angelo Mathews quits as SL captain in all formats after they lost a home ODI series to Zimbabwe 2-3

http://www.espncricinfo.com/srilanka/content/story/1110544.html?CMP=chrome

A big and very good series win that for Zimbabwe - have followed the highlights on the SL youtube channel, and Zimbabwe have some serious batting power in that line up.

There are a lot, lot of issues in Sri Lankan cricket authorities at the moment. How Chandimal wasn't in their XI i dont know

Chandimal is the new test captain, with Tharanga getting the limited overs job http://www.espncricinfo.com/srilanka/content/story/1110586.html?CMP=chrome

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:This is looking murky https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/94633767/mystery-backers-pour-millions-into-australian-cricketers-hardship-fund

I read an article yesterday where the Barmy Army speculated that an Ashes' cancellation could bankrupt their travel company

Probably a bunch of loaded ex-players

Meanwhile in Sri Lanaka groundstaff have to give their trousers back and go home in their pants.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/sri-lanka-v-zimbabwe-2017/content/story/1110579.html

West Indies board offer amnesty to players and the Darren Bravo dispute has been resolved. A big step to make cricket Australia the most dysfunctional board in cricket

Excellent news. Some of the players are past their best (eg. Gayle - though he should still play white ball stuff) or never that good in international cricket (eg. Russell), but players like Simmonds, Narine and, especially, Darren Bravo will be great for West Indies to have back.

The plus side of this whole situation is that they've had a chance to try out some new players whilst the old ones were gone. Shai Hope may not have had a Test chance without Bravo and Samuels being banned, but he should now keep his place ahead of Samuels. Ditto for Jason Mohammad in ODIs.

Still short on openers in all formats. The Test middle order would be pretty solid—Bravo, Hope, Chase, Blackwood, Dowrich—if they had some solid openers to protect them from always being in against the new ball. I wonder whether Simmons will be tried out as a Test opener again.

Zimbabwe get through to 344/8 after winning the toss and batting in Colombo, Cragi Ervine unbeaten on 151.

Some ordinary SL bowling (Herath excepted), but some loose shots by several Zims to get out

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:Zimbabwe get through to 344/8 after winning the toss and batting in Colombo, Cragi Ervine unbeaten on 151.

Some ordinary SL bowling (Herath excepted), but some loose shots by several Zims to get out

Zimbabwe managed a 10 run 1st innings lead, with Graeme Cremer taking his maiden five fer in tests.

After slumping to 23-4 (an awful, awful shot from Musakanda in there), Zimbabwe have recovered to 252-6 at the end of day 3, Raza on 97* and Waller 57*, with a lead 262. 262 is already a record chase at this ground in the 4th innings, and with the pitch offering turn for the spinners, you'd think Zimbabwe are well positioned here. Ideally they'll want to add another 100 or so in the morning and take the game deeper, to allow the pitch to deteriorate more, but whatever happens they have a real shot at winning the test and subsequently the one match series here

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:Zimbabwe get through to 344/8 after winning the toss and batting in Colombo, Cragi Ervine unbeaten on 151.

Some ordinary SL bowling (Herath excepted), but some loose shots by several Zims to get out

Zimbabwe managed a 10 run 1st innings lead, with Graeme Cremer taking his maiden five fer in tests.

After slumping to 23-4 (an awful, awful shot from Musakanda in there), Zimbabwe have recovered to 252-6 at the end of day 3, Raza on 97* and Waller 57*, with a lead 262. 262 is already a record chase at this ground in the 4th innings, and with the pitch offering turn for the spinners, you'd think Zimbabwe are well positioned here. Ideally they'll want to add another 100 or so in the morning and take the game deeper, to allow the pitch to deteriorate more, but whatever happens they have a real shot at winning the test and subsequently the one match series here

And Zimbabwe do add another 100, they are currently 363-9 in their 3rd innings, a lead of 373 and now Sri Lanka will have to score the highest innings of the match in the 4th innings to win. Very very rarely does that happen.

Zimbabwe in with a really good shot of winning this one

Superb chase by SL to win in the end http://www.espncricinfo.com/sri-lanka-v-zimbabwe-2017/content/story/1111717.html?CMP=chrome

-5th highest successful chase in tests
-Highest ever chase by SL
-Highest ever chase in SL

Sigh. http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/20120101/ca-aca-mou-compromise-falls-over

Changing tack,

Here's a good piece of analysis on the psychology of the "nervous 90's" with some backing stats http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/20120293/tim-wigmore-assesses-batsmen-strike-rates-90s-their-tendency-get-soon-100

Interesting story - Martin Guptill's golf swing compares power-wise with the top PGA pros. One suspects he can't putt for toffee mind.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/95067806/black-caps-blaster-martin-guptill-shows-more-golf-power-than-jordan-spieth

On a completely unrelated note, here's hipster Doug Marillier, scooping before it was cool

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ks8UtjMMS8

Shikar Dhawan came into the Indian team due to M Vijay's injury & KL Rahul's illness, and made hay. His 190 off 168 balls which along with an unbeaten 144 from Pujara drove India to 399/3 on day 1 vs SL.

SL really are poor currently - and batsman Asela Gunaratne broke his thumb dropping Dhawan on 31 at 2nd slip & will likely take no further part in the match.

Jessie "Easy" Ryder is in the NZ Indoor Cricket 12-man squad for the World Cup in Dubai ahead of his upcoming CPL stint

Deal signed between the Aussie board and players

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/95429813/cricket-australia-and-players-sign-peace-deal-to-end-pay-war

Finally, good to see! Now get on with playing the game!

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:Interesting story - Martin Guptill's golf swing compares power-wise with the top PGA pros. One suspects he can't putt for toffee mind.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/95067806/black-caps-blaster-martin-guptill-shows-more-golf-power-than-jordan-spieth

Nothing new - Ian Botham was something like the third person to drive the 10th green at the Belfry (Greg Norman and Seve having done it previously). Beefy of course then three putted

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:Deal signed between the Aussie board and players

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/95429813/cricket-australia-and-players-sign-peace-deal-to-end-pay-war

I'm weirdly excited for their tour of Bangladesh at the end of this month - really enjoyed England's tour there last winter and hope they prepare similar pitches for the Aussies

Mitch Mclenaghan gives up NZ contract to become a t20 pro... no real loss there

Rest of the World XI take on Pakistan in the first of a T20 series which marks the return of international cricket to Lahore. Always thought it was a lovely ground Lahore, would be great for cricket to return to Pakistan on a full time basis

Suprised hasn't been mentioned but Shakib is having a 6 month break from tests

Sharjeel Khan unsuccessful with appeal, and is handed a 5 year ban for spot fixing

Test series between Pakistan/Sri Lanka and South Africa/Bangladesh start today

Intrigued to see how Bangladesh do - shame they have no Shakib, if he'd played I would have fancied them to push SA hard

Elgar on 99 has just run out debutant Markram for 97 in the SA/Ban test.

SA 54-2, effectively 230-2 work to do for Bangladesh

Two test series between Zimbabwe and West Indies confirmed in Bulawayo for the end of the month

Is the hong kong sixes still running? Used to be shown on sky, but haven't seen it for a few years..

South Africa wrap up a comfortable victory over Bangladesh who crumble to 90 all out

Sri Lanka won a thriller in Abu Dhabi (well the 5th day was thrilling!) by 21 runs after bowling Pakistan out for 114 - Herath with 6-43 in the final innings and 11 in the match.

What an embarrassing defeat for Pakistan. Sri Lanka coming off a 0-9 drubbing against India at home across all formats. Rangana Hearth is a little legend

Day fives in the Emirates are wild yall

South Africa filling their boots against a woefully poor Bangladesh attack in the second Test. Elgar and Markram both helped themselves to hundreds. Currently Amla and du Plessis making merry. South Africa could get close to 450 on the opening day

428-3 at the close for South Africa. Amla on 89* and du Plessis on 62*. Probably wouldn’t need to bat after lunch on day 2...total mismatch

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Test series between Pakistan/Sri Lanka and South Africa/Bangladesh start today

Intrigued to see how Bangladesh do - shame they have no Shakib, if he'd played I would have fancied them to push SA hard

Think I misjudged how good Bangladesh are away from home

The modifications applied to the DRS system encourage more reviews.

That means the system is moving further away from its original purpose: of eradicating the howler.

The start of Pakistan's second innings in this Test has been a review-fest!

Pakistan nine down....Sri Lanka about to defeat them in UAE - first ever series loss !

SA racked up 353 agaunst Bangladesh... AB is back, smashed 176!