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The Sri Lanka batsman expressed surprise over the rank turner in Mirpur based on how his team had “very experienced bowlers” capable of exploiting it

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Feb-2018

If one was looking to take a bit of pleasure in the Mirpur Test, it was either in seeing a parade of spinners turning the ball a mile or watching how Roshen Silva tackled those vicious deliveries. The 29-year old may only be playing his third Test match, but he didn’t seem too perturbed by the conditions. Playing the ball as late as he could, he has scored two high-quality half-centuries to put Sri Lanka 312 runs ahead.Roshen now has four successive scores of 50 or more in his first five innings at the Test level. Only three other players have managed such a sequence: Herbie Collins (1921), Sunil Gavaskar (1971) and Mohammad Azharuddin (1985). Roshen’s only blemish was a duck on Test debut last December. A veteran of 110 first-class matches, he struck his maiden Test century in Chittagong, but that effort came on a featherbed and as such might pale in comparison to his knocks in Dhaka.Roshen took a refreshingly realistic view of proceedings on the second day at the Shere Bangla National Stadium. He didn’t sugarcoat anything, saying it wasn’t easy out there but that a batsman has to be mentally prepared that there would be far more deliveries spitting off the edge of the bat than those hitting the middle.”Before going to bat, praying is the best thing,” Roshen said. “I am just joking. But if you get a good ball on this wicket, you can’t help it. You can lose one or two wickets suddenly. You must get runs from the loose balls. We play in similar kind of wickets back home. We just wanted to play as normally as possible. I am not going to say it is a good wicket, but mentally we knew it was going to turn.”Roshen said that he was lucky to survive the initial skirmishes. “Thank God I didn’t get out in the first few balls to Mustafizur Rahman. You must have seen it was really bad. I didn’t think that this would happen.”But once he got a hang of the pitch, like in the first innings, his ability to play the ball close to his body, and with soft hands, thwarted the Bangladesh spinners. He cut them away forcefully whenever they dropped it short and when they went too full – like Mehidy Hasan did – he struck fours thorough midwicket.Roshen was surprised to see Bangladesh lay out a rank turner against a side that has experienced spinners. Keeping in mind how the hosts batted in the first innings, he said Sri Lanka’s 312-run lead is enough to get them a win. “I thought it would be a good batting wicket. In the subcontinent, when Aussies or other teams come, we give this wicket but Sri Lanka has a good spin attack. I don’t know why they gave a wicket like this.”I think this [lead] is enough. All the batsmen from the Bangladesh team also know this wicket is not going to be easy. We have a much more experienced spin attack. They also have really good bowlers but Rangana Herath and Dilruwan Perera are very experienced bowlers. Rangana has 400-plus Test wickets; Dilruwan 700 first-class wickets. Suranga and Akila Dananjaya bowled well too. We are in a good position to win this match.”

Aside from Celtic losing treble-winning coach, Ange Postecoglou, arguably the biggest setback of the summer so far for the Parkhead outfit was the departure of wing wizard, Jota, with the Portuguese gem having sealed a £25m move to Saudi Arabian side, Al Ittihad.

Despite being able to rake in a handsome profit on the 24-year-old – having signed him on a permanent deal for roughly £6.4m the year prior – that exit has left the Hoops without a player that was crucial to their domestic dominance under Postecolgou over the last two seasons.

Having initially snapped up the Lisbon native from Benfica on a season-long loan deal in the summer of 2021, the fleet-footed ace went on to score 13 goals and provide 14 assists in all competitions during his debut season in Glasgow, before adding a further 27 goal involvements last season.

With an overall tally of 54 goals and assists in just 83 games for the Old Firm giants in total, it is fair to say that Jota certainly made his mark at the club, hence the need to find a suitable replacement for the forthcoming campaign.

Who could replace Jota at Celtic?

Rodgers and co have, of course, already strengthened their attack with the signings of Marco Tilio and Hyunjun Yang, although further forward additions could be in store, amid prior reports that the Bhoys have also shown an interest in another South Korean sensation – Ji-sung Eom.

As per the Daily Record, Celtic are said to have been scouting the 21-year-old Gwangju starlet of late, albeit with his current side seemingly adamant that they will not sell the emerging sensation before the end of the K League 1 season later this year.

As the piece also notes, however, the Hoops could strike a deal that would see Eom spend the next six months on loan back at his current club, before eventually making the move to Scotland in the New Year.

Either way, if Rodgers can strike a deal for the 5 foot 10 dynamo in the near future, it could allow Celtic to forget all about that man Jota, such is the Korean's undoubted potential.

Who is Ji-sung Eom?

As stated above, trying to fill the void left behind by Jota will be no small feat, although, in Eom, the Scottish champions could potentially find a worthy candidate, following the wide man's impact in his homeland in recent times.

Such is the young forward's quality, he has even been dubbed "one of the most exciting young talents in Korean football" by journalist Jason Lee, having scored 15 goals and provided four assists in 80 games in all competitions for Gwangju.

While not quite at the same level as Jota's return for Celtic, Eom has been in fine form in the current campaign with two goals and two assists in just 15 league outings, having made a smooth transition to life in the top tier – after bagging nine goals in 28 K League 2 games last year.

A player who typically operates on the left wing, like Jota, the South Korean U22 international also mirrors the Al Ittihad ace with regard to his defensive output, having averaged 1.7 tackles and interceptions per game last season, while Jota averaged 1.6 in that regard in 2022/23.

Also described as a truly "underrated" talent – in the words of scout Ali Can Kutlu – Eom has the potential to explode over the coming years, with the hope being that his development can continue under the watchful eye of Rodgers.

Losing Jota is undoubtedly a source of real frustration, although the former Celtic Park hero could be quickly forgotten about if a new figure steps up to take his place on the flanks.

Pakistan reasserted their dominance in the UAE with a crushing win in Dubai over a Sri Lanka side that has seen ODI wins excruciatingly hard to come by in 2017

The Report by Danyal Rasool13-Oct-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details AFPPakistan reasserted their dominance in the UAE with a crushing win in Dubai over a Sri Lanka side that has seen ODI wins excruciatingly hard to come by in 2017. A century from Babar Azam – back playing his most favoured format – and a blistering 81 from Shoaib Malik saw Pakistan set Sri Lanka a stiff target of 293. They were never really in the chase, losing half the side for 67, with Rumman Raees and Hasan Ali leading the 83-run rout and handing them their eighth consecutive loss in the format.Upul Tharanga won the toss and opted to bowl when most – Sarfraz included – considered fielding under the scorching Dubai an unappealing prospect. But Sri Lanka’s opening bowlers Suranga Lakmal and Lahiru Gamage backed up their captain with a stellar opening spell, characterised by subtle swing and consistent line and lengths that deprived Pakistan of scoring opportunities. Ahmed Shehzad fell in what is becoming increasingly predictable fashion, getting bogged down by 11 dot balls, before coming down the wicket to Gamage and gifting midwicket a simple catch.It wasn’t until Babar, who had managed to hang in despite struggling for rhythm, and the street-smart Malik came together, that the momentum took a clear shift in Pakistan’s favour. The running between the wickets was excellent, and Malik was destructive when he decided to take the aerial route, with even the tricky Dhananjaya rendered ineffective towards the close of the innings.The bowling looked particularly toothless as Babar and Malik set themselves up for the finish, even if they were unable to come up with the sort of power-hitting the innings required at that stage. For their part, Sri Lanka were superb in the field, in stark contrast to the series against India, with fielders in the infield throwing themselves around and saving several runs. It wasn’t until the last six overs that the big runs really began to leak, but along with it came regular wickets that stymied Pakistan’s charge in the slog overs. Where once 300 looked a formality, Pakistan ended up scrambling to reach 292.Even so, the target was a formidable one, and Sri Lanka began with a clear, positive intent. Upul Tharanga and Niroshan Dickwella sought to take advantage of the Powerplay in a way Pakistan had not, hitting five fours in the first 19 balls. But from the moment the first wicket fell, Dickwella poking at a ball from Raees that nipped away from him, the rot set in. The run rate began to drop sharply; just five runs were scored off the next 24 deliveries. Raees was the most menacing and accounted for Dinesh Chandimal’s wicket too, the ball swinging back into the right-hander and trapping him plumb in front.Tharanga looked thoroughly unconvincing once Mohammad Hafeez came on, surviving numerous lbw appeals in a phase when the middle of his bat completely disappeared from the game. After being worked over for a couple of overs, the Sri Lanka captain was put out of his misery by Hafeez with a ball that skidded on and thudded into his off stump. Two overs later, Hasan Ali dismissed Kusal Mendis and Milinda Siriwardana off successive deliveries, effectively putting the game to bed.The lower order hung around long enough to seriously frustrate Pakistan, without really having a hope of winning. Thisara Perera provided brief entertainment before top-edging Shadab Khan and holing out, substitute fielder Faheem Ashraf taking an excellent catch. Raees came back into the attack and ended the resistance of the last recognised batsman Lahiru Thirimanne, who top-scored with 53.Where Pakistan might have expected to skittle the tail out cheaply, Dananjaya and Jeffrey Vandersay, the Nos. 8 and 9, viewed the situation as an opportunity to get batting practice. While they never showed any intent of even trying to reach the target, they grittily hung around for a 68-run partnership, ensuring Sri Lanka batted out their full fifty overs.Dananjaya ended up with an unbeaten fifty as the game meandered along for a full two hours. Pakistan seemed content to bowl out the overs than look to finish with a flourish. Even so, by the time Pakistan inevitably took a 1-0 lead, all Dananjaya and Vandersay had done was sprinkle some respectability onto another abject white-ball performance from Sri Lanka.

The 20-year-old Zimbabwe-born batsman signs a winter deal with Rising Stars; move raises interest in whether he will make himself available for the national side

Firdose Moonda20-Oct-2017

Eddie Byrom, a 20-year-old opening batsman who recently broke into the Somerset first team, has signed a winter deal with Zimbabwe’s new domestic side, Rising Stars. Byrom, who was born in Harare and attended St John’s College, one of the top schools in the area, is on a two-year deal with Somerset but is yet to decide his national allegiance.”I spoke with Somerset about some options during the English winter to further develop my game. Overall I’m just really looking forward to experiencing first-class cricket in Zimbabwe and the different challenges it will pose compared to England,” Byrom said.With big names Brendan Taylor and Kyle Jarvis back in Zimbabwe, attention has turned to some of the country’s other expats scattered across the county scene, and it was Tatenda Taibu who contacted Byrom about the possibility of playing in his homeland.Not only is Taibu Zimbabwe’s convener of selectors but he also plays a role in development, having spent a significant part of the English winter touring with an academy side of young Zimbabwean players. The players from the academy became Zimbabwe’s fifth domestic team, Rising Stars, and it is this side that Byrom will represent, in the hope that he will bolster their batting.”Eddie has been in England, opening the batting with Marcus Trescothick in a strong Somerset side. It’s this experience that could be very useful for our squad and will definitely help to bring some stability,” Stuart Matsikenyeri, the Rising Stars coach, said.Rising Stars have lost both their Logan Cup matches so far but have earned the praise of former national captain Taylor, who played against them for Mid-West Rhinos in the season-opening round two weeks ago. Taylor scored a century but said he had to “work my butt off” for those runs and believed that the Rising Stars bowling “warranted them receiving first-class status”. He also said he thought their batting needed propping up, so it stands to reason that Byrom has been included.He has already arrived in Zimbabwe and is expected to play in the Rising Stars’ next match, against the Matabeleland Tuskers, starting on Sunday. “I’ve already had my first training session with the squad and I’ve been impressed with their hard work and commitment. Obviously we have lost the first couple of games so hopefully we can bounce back from that and I can play a part. I can’t wait to get started,” Byrom said.Byrom’s return will undoubtedly raise interest in whether he will avail himself for the national side but the administration is not looking to push him into choosing just yet. “Right now we simply don’t know [if he will play for Zimbabwe],” Matsikenyeri said. “He has his contract with Somerset and we respect that. If he can contribute with the bat and help the Rising Stars to start climbing the ladder, then we’ll be happy with that.”

Nottingham Forest should pursue a move for Leicester City forward Patson Daka over his teammate Kelechi Iheanacho this summer, according to Daily Express reporter Ryan Taylor.

How well has Patson Daka fared at Leicester City?

Despite the excitement when Daka was brought to Leicester City from RB Salzburg back in 2021 for £23 million, the Zambia international has failed to set the heather alight in his time at the King Power Stadium.

In total, the £75k-a-week earner has registered 15 goals and eight assists in 74 appearances across all competitions for Leicester City and couldn't prevent his side from dropping into the Sky Bet Championship last term, as per Transfermarkt.

Interestingly, the attacker even said himself prior to his move to Leicester that he can "be like" fellow African star Mohamed Salah.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport via The Express, Jose Mourinho's Roma were believed to be keen on raiding Leicester City in a double swoop to try and entice both Daka and Iheanacho to the Stadio Olimpico this window.

Nevertheless, the Portuguese manager will likely need to divert his attention away from Iheanacho, who has opened talks with Nottingham Forest over a potential move to the City Ground, according to Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna.

Iheanacho has produced a decent goal return for Leicester City since moving to the Foxes from Manchester City in 2017 for £25 million, netting 55 times and laying on 33 assists, as shown on Transfermarkt.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Daily Express reporter Taylor thinks that Daka would actually be a better fit for Nottingham Forest than Iheanacho.

Taylor stated: "I'd be going for Patson Daka if I was Forest, I think he's the better one. I think he's young. I don't think he was quite the right fit for Leicester, but I still think he's a great striker.

"But it's probably depending on the system Steve Cooper wants to play. I think he does need someone to build around and Daka's not really that player as we've seen at Leicester."

Who else could Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper add this summer?

Steve Cooper will be keen to add some quality additions this summer as he targets keeping Nottingham Forest in the Premier League for a second successive season.

According to 90min, Nottingham Forest are 'monitoring' Manchester United forgotten man Donny van de Beek and could offer him a new environment to get his career back on track.

Manchester City youngster Carlos Borges has also been linked with a move to the Reds and features on a list of potential arrivals; however, there are currently no negotiations taking place between either party, according to The Athletic.

L'Equipe report that Nottingham Forest are frontrunners to bring in free agent defender Alexander Djiku, who is available for no cost after recently leaving Ligue 1 outfit Strasbourg.

Nottingham Forest have made an approach to Atletico Madrid to try and re-sign defender Renan Lodi, who spent the 2022/23 campaign on loan at the club, helping to secure their survival in the English top-flight, as per FootballTransfers.

Lodi is keen to return to his former club on a permanent basis, though it is unclear at present whether they will firm up their approach with a formal bid to sign the Brazil international.

The Argentina forward's jaw-dropping goal against Everton demonstrated that he has the ability to make it to the very top

"Don't compare, I don't think it is right," pleaded Erik ten Hag when asked whether Alejandro Garnacho, having mimicked Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo with his wonder strike against Everton, could one day be considered in the same category as those two Manchester United greats.

As the manager of a teenager who has never had a problem with self confidence, to put it mildly, perhaps Ten Hag sees it as his job to temper expectations around a player who before Sunday had failed to score in the Premier League or Champions League this season. But after a moment like the one Garnacho produced against Everton, which Sean Dyche hailed as "an absolute worldie", why not jump aboard the hype train?

The Argentina international has been ripping it up ever since he was with Atletico Madrid's youth team and has embraced the big stage with United, first leading their Under-18s side to the FA Youth Cup and then making waves with a series of stunning moments last season in Ten Hag's side.

His goal at Goodison may have been extraordinary, but it also confirmed what anyone who has followed Garnacho's progress in the last two years already knew: he is an outstanding talent who can go right to the top…

GettyYounger than Ronaldo & Rooney

Garnacho's jaw-dropping goal was instantly compared to Rooney's bicycle kick against Manchester City and Ronaldo's acrobatic strike for Real Madrid against Juventus. There were also shades of Gareth Bale's scissor kick in the 2018 Champions League final against Liverpool. It is not bad company to keep and there is a strong argument to make that Garnacho's was the best of the lot.

He was furthest from goal of those mentioned, and had to deal with Diogo Dalot's cross heading in the opposite direction. He also sent the ball right into the top corner, beating Jordan Pickford even though the England No.1 had managed to dive across his goal.

Then there is the fact that Garnnacho is only in his second season in the United side and his first full campaign since signing a first-team contract. He only turned 19 in July and has been in and out of the team.

Rooney was 25 and United's highest-paid player when he scored his legendary goal against City. Ronaldo was 33 and a five-time Ballon d'Or winner when he struck against Juventus, prompting the home fans to give him a standing ovation. Three months later, he signed for the Serie A giants.

Bale and other bicycle kick merchants like Luis Suarez, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho and Zlatan Ibrahimovic were all household names when they conjured their respective moments of magic. That Garnacho has already scored a career-defining goal so early in his career shows the level of his talent, raising the ceiling of what he could go on to achieve even higher.

AdvertisementGettyGive him more opportunities

The teenager's moment of brilliance showed a different side to his game, which typically involved the forward coming off the bench and running in behind defences when games were already stretched and space had opened up for him to exploit.

Garnacho had not made the most of his two previous starts in the Premier League against Fulham and Luton, while in his first two appearances against Wolves and Tottenham in August, his lack of defensive awareness left United badly exposed. He may have not even started at Goodison had Antony not picked up a knock.

But the fact he scored less than three minutes into a game amid a scorching atmosphere, with Everton fans screaming about injustice following their 10-point deduction from the Premier League, strengthened his case for getting more starts.

With United facing another daunting away game on Wednesday at Galatasaray, they could sure do with another early moment of magic from their teenage star to suck the venom out of the home crowd. Garnacho is clearly a player capable of unbelievable feats, so why not give him as much time as possible on the pitch to see what he can do?

Getty ImagesCaution after Januzaj & Morrison cases

When a player of Garnacho's talent comes along, the biggest fear is that his potential will not be realised. United have had their fair share of academy players with the world at their feet and watched them squander their potential.

United insiders say that Ravel Morrison was one of the best players to come through at Carrington, but he did not match his talent with hard work. The midfielder, who is seeing out a disappointing career with D.C. United, hung out with local gangsters and would often not turn up for training. He played just three times for United, never starting.

Adnan Januzaj emerged as a decisive player for David Moyes at the age of 18 but was regarded as being too arrogant to the point he was rude to club staff. He couldn't build on his early momentum and, 10 years after scoring twice for United at Sunderland, is on the fringes of the Sevilla squad at the age of 28, having played just 42 minutes this season in La Liga.

And there was al lot of concern that Garnacho was getting too big for his boots even before he had established himself in the first team.

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Getty ImagesFernandes' warning

Garnacho got on the wrong side of Ten Hag by turning up late during the pre-season tour of 2022 and did not make his first Premier League start until November.

"At the beginning of the season, he was not at his best. On the tour, he did not have the best attitude that he should have," Bruno Fernandes revealed after Garnacho scored his first senior goal at Real Sociedad last year. "That’s why he hasn’t got his chances until now. He's getting his chances now because he's training better, he's got a different attitude and he's deserving his chances."

There was also a fear that Garnacho was too keen to impress. When journalists covering United's training camp in Spain last year showed up to watch a training session, he immediately started showboating. Some thought there was a danger of him choosing style over substance.

Manchester United co-chairman Joel Glazer will maintain an influence over decisions on football matters once Sir Jim Ratcliffe purchases a stake.

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Ratcliffe to buy stake in Man UtdWill control football decisionsGlazer to be included on committeeWHAT HAPPENED?

Ratcliffe and his INEOS group are set to buy a 25 percent stake in United and take charge of the sporting side of the business. However, Glazer will remain involved as he will be named on a three-man committee alongside Ratcliffe and INEOS's director of sport Sir Dave Brailsford, reports.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Ratcliffe will pay £1.3 billion to take a minority stake in United and while that deal was supposed to be pushed through on Thursday, it could take several weeks before the deal is sent to the Premier League for approval. It could then take a further eight weeks for the deal to be completed and announced.

DID YOU KNOW?

The process, which has been going on for almost a year, is said to be progressing smoothly. It will include plans to put funds aside for redevelopment of Old Trafford. The British billionaire is reportedly eager to expand the stadium's capacity from 77,000 to around 90,000.

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GettyWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

The purchase will be ratified in the near future before being presented to the Premier League for approval.

Newcastle United may be aided in their ambitious pursuit of Nicolo Barella due to Inter Milan's financial situation, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest transfer news involving Nicolo Barella?

According to Telegraph Sport, Newcastle United are 'pushing hard' in their attempts to bring Barella to Tyneside this summer from Italian giants Inter Milan.

The report states that the proposed deal could be worth around £50 million and Leicester City playmaker James Maddison is said to be their other key target this window.

Football Insider contradict these claims and state that it may take as much as £70 million to entice Barella away from San Siro ahead of next term.

This would mean that the Magpies would have to smash through their transfer record to capture Barella, overtaking Alexander Isak as the most expensive signing in club history following the Sweden international's move from Real Sociedad last year for £63 million.

Capology understand that Barella earns around €178,077 (£152,922) per week at the Italian giants on a contract that runs until June 2026.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jacobs thinks that although Inter Milan will be reluctant to sell star players such as Barella and Alessandro Bastoni, who has been linked with Tottenham Hotspur, something may have to give due to their financial reality.

Jacobs told FFC: "Barella is another one that Inter are adamant they're going to keep on to; Bastoni, Tottenham have looked at in the past as another player that Inter swear until they're black and blue in the face if you like because that's their club colours, that they're adamant he won't go anywhere, but something's got to give because their financial situation."

Would Nicolo Barella be a good signing for Newcastle United?

Barella would be a very bold statement signing from Newcastle United as they prepare to host Champions League football at St James' Park next term.

In 2022/23, the Italy international made 52 appearances in all competitions for Inter Milan, registering nine goals and ten assists, as per Transfermarkt.

As per WhoScored, the 26-year-old was an inventive presence during the campaign and managed an average of 1.6 key passes per match in Serie A.

Barella was also a driving force in Inter Milan's midfield and successfully performed 146 shot-creating actions in total across the season, as per FBRef.

Newcastle United are in an exciting moment as a club and bringing in someone like Barella would be a major coup for the Magpies as they look forward to 2023/24.

David Boon, Matthew Hayden and Betty Wilson will be inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame at the Allan Border Medal ceremony in Sydney on Monday

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Jan-2017Two of Australia’s finest modern top-order batsmen, Matthew Hayden and David Boon, and legendary women’s allrounder Betty Wilson will be inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame on Monday.Boon played 107 Tests from 1984 to 1996 and scored 7422 runs at 43.65, mostly as an opener and No.3 of tremendous fight, and he also featured in 181 one-day internationals. Since retirement, he served as an administrator with Cricket Tasmania and as a national selector, and in 2011 took up a position as an ICC match referee.”David Boon was a key figure in the rise of the Australia side under Allan Border that went from easy-beats to winners of the ICC Cricket World Cup in India and Pakistan in 1987 and then the best Test side in the world,” Peter King, the Hall of Fame chairman, said.”He was player of the match in the 1987 World Cup final against England and was a reassuring presence either as opener or number three with more than 13,000 international runs across more than a decade at the highest level.”He played a crucial role in putting Tasmania cricket on the map and did much the same for English county side Durham, where he ended his career in 1999 with a tally of more than 23,000 first-class runs, plus more than 10,000 runs in List A cricket. He epitomises the tough-as-teak Australian cricketer and his induction into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame is thoroughly merited.”Hayden played 103 Tests from 1994 to 2009 and, with 8625 runs at 50.73, sits fifth on Australia’s list of all-time Test run scorers. An opener who combined patience with an ability to bully the bowlers, Hayden plundered 380 against Zimbabwe at the WACA in 2003, which was the highest Test score by any player until surpassed by Brian Lara’s 400 the following year.”Matthew Hayden featured prominently in the Australia squads that went unbeaten to win successive ICC Cricket World Cups in 2003 and 2007,” King said, “and his role as an intimidating opening batsman and outstanding slip fielder mark him out as one of the greatest players this country has ever produced.”Wilson, who was sometimes known as the “female Bradman”, will be the second women’s cricketer in the Hall of Fame, after 2014 inductee Belinda Clark. Wilson, who died in 2010 at the age of 88, averaged 57.46 in Test cricket during the 1940s and 1950s, and took 68 wickets at the remarkable average of 11.80.She was the first player of either gender to score a century and take 10 wickets in a Test, doing so against England in Melbourne in 1958; two years later Alan Davidson became the first man to match the feat. In that same Test, Wilson also became the first woman to take a Test hat-trick.”Betty Wilson was a woman ahead of her time, thanks to her brilliant all-round skills as a batter and off-spinner,” King said. “It was cricket’s misfortune that she only played 11 Tests – due in part to World War II, but also because her career spanned a period when far fewer women’s cricket matches were played than in the modern era.”It is fantastic that Betty can take her rightful place in the pantheon of great cricketers produced by this country through her induction to the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame and it is an honour that is wholly justified.”Boon, Hayden and Wilson will officially be inducted at the Allan Border Medal ceremony in Sydney on Monday evening, where the Betty Wilson Young Player of the Year Award will for the first time form part of the ceremony. This year’s group takes the number of Hall of Fame inductees to 46 since its inception in 1996.Hall of Fame inductees Warwick Armstrong, Richie Benaud, John Blackham, David Boon, Allan Border, Sir Donald Bradman, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Belinda Clark, Alan Davidson, George Giffen, Adam Gilchrist, Clarrie Grimmett, Wally Grout, Neil Harvey, Lindsay Hassett, Matthew Hayden, Ian Healy, Clem Hill, Bill Lawry, Dennis Lillee, Ray Lindwall, Charles Macartney, Rod Marsh, Stan McCabe, Glenn McGrath, Graham McKenzie, Keith Miller, Arthur Morris, Monty Noble, Bill O’Reilly, Bill Ponsford, Jack Ryder, Bob Simpson, Fred Spofforth, Mark Taylor, Jeff Thomson, Hugh Trumble, Victor Trumper, Charlie Turner, Doug Walters, Shane Warne, Mark Waugh, Steve Waugh, Betty Wilson, Bill Woodfull.

Chris Rogers, the former Australia opener who announced his retirement last week, has suggested a similar change to the toss regulations introduced in England for the 2016 Championship season could also benefit Australian cricket

Alan Gardner28-Sep-2016Chris Rogers, the former Australia opener who announced his retirement last week, has suggested a similar change to the toss regulations introduced in England for the 2016 Championship season could also benefit Australian cricket.Away teams were given the choice of bowling first or asking for a toss (if they wished to bat), a move designed to discourage teams from preparing green, seaming pitches and give spinners more of an opportunity as games wore on. Rogers led Somerset to second place in Division One – missing out on a first title by four points to Middlesex on the final day – after overseeing the club’s switch to playing on turning surfaces during the latter half of the season.Although Rogers, a regular performer in county cricket for more than a decade, said he felt his game was better suited to playing on traditional English surfaces that aided swing and seam, he was encouraged by his own development against spin, in his final season as a professional, and suggested the experiment could be taken to Australia and the Sheffield Shield.”I think Australia would benefit from it as well,” Rogers said. “The one thing that seems to be happening in Australian cricket, all the wickets there are becoming quite uniform in the way they play. The drop-in wickets, at Melbourne and Adelaide, and then Sydney doesn’t play the way it used to.”So in the end I worry if we’re producing players who only really know how to play in a certain type of condition. If it meant that sides were trying to get different types of wickets that might help Australian cricket as well. So I’d like to think that they’d consider it.”Australia’s Test side has struggled on overseas commitments in recent years, winning in South Africa, the West Indies and New Zealand but suffering chastening defeats in England, India, the UAE and, most recently, Sri Lanka. The coach, Darren Lehmann, expressed similar concerns about the state of home pitches during the 3-0 loss in Sri Lanka, with questions being asked of Australia’s batting and the ability of players to adapt to different conditions.Discussion of the surfaces produced in Shield cricket has gone back and forth in recent years, with a trend for increasingly bowler-friendly pitches being reversed by Cricket Australia directive.An experiment with using Dukes balls in the Shield has already been flagged for 2016-17, after Ricky Ponting’s call in the wake of Australia repeatedly coming unstuck against the lateral movement achieved by England’s pace attack during the 2015 Ashes.Rogers did express a concern that a shift away from seaming pitches in England might diminish what has historically been a strength – both in terms of bowlers coming through and top-order batsman able to combat the moving ball. But, after signing off his first-class career with a century in each innings at Taunton, he felt that the change to the toss had helped rebalance the domestic game and also provided him fresh learning opportunities as a batsman and captain.”How to captain spin, that’s quite a skill in itself,” he said. “I felt my captaincy got better the more we played on those wickets. Everybody’s learning, which is great.”I’ve never been a great player of spin, I found it really hard, but to get two hundreds in the last game, on a wicket that was turning – I think I was getting better and better, even at this late stage of my career, and that’s a good thing as well. It’s going to help the younger guys when they go to some of the Asian countries and play there, it’s going to be so hard but at least they’ll have a little bit of experience.”