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Daniel Vettori has ruled himself out of the Champions League T20 due to family health reasons

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Aug-2014Left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori has ruled himself out of the Champions League T20 to be played in India in September and October due to family health issues. Vettori was named in the Northern Knights squad that is in the qualifying group with Lahore Lions, Mumbai Indians and Southern Express.In a statement, Vettori said: “I really love playing for ND and to do so on a world stage would have been a real highlight.”*Mitchell Santner, the 22-year old left-arm spinner, will take his place.The Champions League would be his first taste of competitive T20 cricket. Santner collected nine wickets at an economy rate of 3.75 in nine Ford Trophy matches since making his debut this season. A maiden first-class century in January is also among his credentials and he comes in highly rated, according to head coach James Pamment”Mitch was very close to selection for our original 15, missing out purely because we had a luxurious abundance of experienced spin bowlers in Daniel, Anton Devcich, Ish Sodhi and Jono Boult,” Pamment said.Northerns Knights are already without allrounder Corey Anderson, who chose to represent his IPL franchise Mumbai Indians in the tournament. The two teams are scheduled to play each other during the qualifying stage, which will be held between September 13 and 16, before the main leg between September 17 and October 4.Vettori recently represented Jamaica Tallawahs in the recent Caribbean Premier League, his first T20 assignment since the Big Bash League last season. He coached Royal Challengers Bangalore during IPL 2014 but has not played a T20I for New Zealand since September 2012.*This story has been updated with the news of Mitchell Santner taking Daniel Vettori’s place

Former West Indies captain Viv Richards has said the ICC’s crackdown on bowlers with suspect actions has not come at the correct time

Sa'adi Thawfeeq08-Oct-2014Former West Indies captain Viv Richards has said the ICC’s crackdown on bowlers with suspect actions has not come at the correct time and it should have been done a while ago.”In my opinion such action should have been taken some time ago and on a wider basis because these guys have been there for quite some time,” Richards said in Colombo, where he is with the West Indies A team as technical director.”I am not sure because West Indies are touring India, there is going to be a World Cup next year, whether all this has something to do with it, I just believe the timing has to be good. With the next World Cup around the corner this is not the correct time to take such measures.”West Indies spinner Sunil Narine was reported twice for a suspect action during the recent Champions League T20 and was barred from bowling in the final and other tournaments organised by the BCCI. The West Indies Cricket Board took a precautionary measure of withdrawing him from the India tour “to have his action assessed.””Sunil Narine is a mystery man like Murali [Muttiah Muralitharan], it’s going to hurt West Indies cricket more than any other team,” Richards said.Apart from Narine, Sri Lanka offspinner Sachithra Senanayake, Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal and a number of other spinners were reported for suspect actions and banned from bowling in the last year.Speaking of West Indies’ chances in the 2015 World Cup, Richards said, “West Indies have a magnificent team and I think if they can gel well they can accomplish victory. They are a multi-talented team when you look at the Bravos, the Andre Russells, the Pollards. We can beat anyone on any given day and if we do that we will be pretty much in the picture.”With the West Indies team touring India, Richards said there was a possibility of some of the players from the A team joining the seniors for the Test series.”We hope that when we [West Indies A] leave here [Sri Lanka] we have some exciting players who would do justice to West Indies cricket in the future. The challenge for the future is for the present individuals to try and emulate how well West Indies did in the past. It’s a huge task but you should never ever say ‘never’ because all things are possible.”West Indies A play three four-day matches and three one-dayers against Sri Lanka A, with the first match starting on October 11 in Hambantota.

Middle-order batsman Craig Ervine and offspinner Greg Lamb have returned to the Zimbabwe set up and made themselves available for the upcoming trip to Bangladesh

Firdose Moonda07-Oct-2014The most common move in Zimbabwe cricket is one players make out of the system, but shortly before their first three-Test tour in more than a decade, two players have come back. Middle-order batsman Craig Ervine and offspinner Greg Lamb have returned to the set up and made themselves available for the upcoming trip to Bangladesh.They have been away since April 2013 when Ervine, who was not nationally contracted at the time, refused a smaller deal to seek financial security, and Lamb retired to work in the family business. Both have now u-turned on their decisions as they regard Zimbabwe cricket as being in a better monetary position than before.”They have recommitted themselves to Zimbabwe. They are currently in the training squad,” Zimbabwe coach Stephen Mangongo told ESPNcricinfo. Mangongo did not say whether the pair would form part of the touring party, which will likely be selected after a practice match that starts on October 11, but indications are at least Ervine has a strong chance.His return will bolster an inexperienced middle order that struggled in the recent one-off Test against South Africa – Regis Chakabva, Sean Williams and Richmond Mutumbami managed just 106 runs collectively in both innings. Despite being out of international cricket for 18 months, Ervine could put pressure on one of those three because of his ability against spin.Ervine has had recent match practice, but on the club circuit. Since opting out of a winter contract with Zimbabwe – an agreement that paid select players who were not centrally contracted for seven months of the year – Ervine played club cricket in Ireland and Australia. It was also rumoured that he had been trying to qualify for Ireland. He was Zimbabwe’s top run-scorer across formats when he last played, in the West Indies in 2013, and he told he was keen to play as much as he could.”I am glad to be back, I have been away for a long time and it was tough with lots of traveling,” Ervine said. “I want to play for my nation again. It gives me an opportunity to play all three formats of the game and international cricket is more competitive. I had left because at that time I couldn’t make a living playing locally and I think things are better off now.”Lamb has not played recently but could still find himself in contention while Prosper Utseya’s action is investigated. Utseya was reported for a suspected illegal action in August and has undergone testing in Cardiff. That leaves Zimbabwe with John Nyumbu, who took five wickets on debut against South Africa, as their primary spin option in Bangladesh, but they will also have the likes of Sean Williams and at least one legspinner to choose from.Neither Ervine nor Lamb are contracted by Zimbabwe Cricket but both were heartened by recent developments – contracts agreed on and remuneration received by players. Zimbabwe’s players signed contracts before hosting South Africa in August and there has been no sign of trouble since.The tour is Zimbabwe’s first since they visited West Indies in February-March 2013 and only their second since their Test comeback in August 2011. It is also their first three-Test series since 2001, when they hosted by Sri Lanka.

Jubair Hossain has become the first specialist legspinner to be selected in a Bangladesh Test squad by being named in the 14-man squad for the first Test against Zimbabwe

Mohammad Isam19-Oct-2014Bangladesh squad for Zimbabwe Tests

Mushfiqur Rahim (captain), Tamim Iqbal (vice-captain), Shakib Al Hasan, Shamsur Rahman, Mominul Haque, Rubel Hossain, Shuvagata Hom, Mahmudullah, Shafiul Islam, Jubair Hossain, Shahadat Hossain, Marshall Ayub, Al-Amin Hossain, Taijul Islam
In: Shakib Al Hasan, Jubair Hossain, Shahadat Hossain, Marshall Ayub
Out: Anamul Haque, Nasir Hossain, Imrul Kayes, Robiul Islam, Elias Sunny

Jubair Hossain has become the first specialist legspinner to be selected in a Bangladesh Test squad by being named in the 14-man squad for the first Test against Zimbabwe. His selection goes against the recent trend of picking domestic experienced players, as Jubair has played only two first-class matches.Shahadat Hossain and Marshall Ayub have been recalled in place of Anamul Haque, Nasir Hossain, Imrul Kayes and Robiul Islam from the last Test squad which played against West Indies. Shakib Al Hasan, whose six-month ban was reduced in August, has also been picked in the squad.Chief selector Faruque Ahmed said that Jubair is being deemed as a bright future prospect, and is being groomed for a Test spot in favourable conditions. Jubair’s inclusion was thought of after Sohag Gazi was reported for a suspect action, and subsequently suspended by the ICC for failing the test in Cardiff last month.Jubair took 11 wickets in the two-match unofficial Test series against Zimbabwe A last month. He first sprung to prominence when the Faruque Ahmed-led selection committee picked him in the preliminary squad for the West Indies tour a few months ago. When Gazi was pulled out of the tour by the BCB, Jubair was one of the front-runners to replace him but Elias Sunny was picked ahead of him.”With Sohag Gazi not available due to suspension we felt we needed a bit of variation in our bowling and that is why Jubair is in the squad,” Faruque said. “He is a bright young prospect and if he is to play then it is always good to start at home. He has the talent in a difficult art and gives the side an interesting option despite his inexperience. The spin-bowling department is always important on our pitches and apart from the legspinner we have two specialist left-arm spinners and the off-breaks of Shuvagata [Hom] and Mahmudullah.”Jubair was delighted about his selection but said that tough work lies ahead of him. “I am excited at being selected,” he told ESPNcricinfo. “But there is a long way to go. I am in the 14-man squad but I hope to play against Zimbabwe. I have played against their A side recently and I know some of the Bangladesh players from that series.”Before Jubair, Mohammad Ashraful, Alok Kapali and Raqibul Hasan bowled legspin for Bangladesh. Kapali has Bangladesh’s only Test hat-trick out of his six wickets in the format while Ashraful later switched to offspin. Raqibul has one Test wicket. In ODIs, the only legspinner to play for Bangladesh was Wahidul Gani who played only one match, in 1988.Faruque is also hoping to bank on Shahadat’s experience of 35 Tests, as well as Nasir’s comeback. Shahadat’s last Test was in March last year, and he has taken 26 wickets in 10 first-class matches at an average of 25.07 since then. During the same period, pace bowler Subashis Roy took 28 wickets but Shahadat won the spot, Faruque said, through experience.Marshall played his last Test against Sri Lanka earlier this year and missed the Test series against West Indies. He has scored one first-class century, 173 for Dhaka Metropolis, since his last Test and averages 34.22. He was made the Bangladesh A captain in the recent one-day series against Zimbabwe A at home.”Shahadat adds valuable experience and we have been impressed by the work he has put in on his fitness and bowling during the last few months,” Faruque said. “He looks motivated and hungry. Nasir Hossain has missed out due to a combination of lack of form and consistency. I am sure he will be back but we still have depth in batting.”

If the scoreline had read 3-0 to Sri Lanka after Hambantota, the series would have started to lose its edge. Instead, at 2-1 there is now much to play for as the teams return to the capital

Preview by Andrew McGlashan06-Dec-20142:36

Gardner: Bell could replace Cook ahead of Taylor

Match factsSunday December 7, 2014
Start time 10.00am local (4.30am GMT)Big PictureIf the scoreline had read 3-0 to Sri Lanka after Hambantota, the series would have started to lose its edge. Instead, at 2-1, and with a trio of England’s young guns central to the victory, there is much to play for as the teams return to the capital for a day game.However, England will be without their captain Alastair Cook after his suspension for a second slow over-rate offence. Cook’s critics, of which there are many, will see it as a chance to pile further pressure on him if the rejigged top-order – Alex Hales is likely to open with Moeen Ali in what could be a dynamic pairing – has a successful outing. England’s selectors are not swayed by one-off performances, but that does not mean there is not the potential for some awkward conversations depending on the outcome of this match.Also, the man taking the captaincy, Eoin Morgan, is in need of runs himself having not scored an ODI half-century since the tour of Australia in January.Ajantha Mendis was expensive during England’s chase in Hambantota•AFPSri Lanka will welcome back Mahela Jayawardene after his one-match absence, but their main problem in Hambantota was the fielding which gifted England at least two extra boundaries. The groundwork of the Sri Lankans stood out in the first two games – led by the ageless Tillakaratne Dilshan – after Angelo Mathews’ pre-series call for a focus on that department, and his head-shaking during England’s chase showed his displeasure at the mistakes.Form guide (last five matches, most recent first)Sri Lanka LWWLL
England WLLWLIn the spotlightIf England do not recall James Taylor in Cook’s absence, it will border on cruel and unusual punishment. They have to find out about him before naming their World Cup squad – unless, of course, they already have done and he’s purely making up the numbers. Two ODI caps for a man with a List A average of 53.16, allied to England’s one-day struggles, is a dereliction.Dhammika Prasad is a feisty bowler, but in this series he has also been an expensive one. His four wickets, including Jos Buttler twice, are balanced against an economy rate of 7.73 and his no-ball in Hambantota, which reprieved Joe Root at a crucial moment, will not have gone down well with Mathews.Teams newsJayawardene should be a straight swap for Thilina Kandamby and there could be a reassessment of the attack. Ajantha Mendis was taken apart in Hambantota and it will be interesting to see if they throw in the relatively unknown chinaman bowler Lakshan SandakanSri Lanka (probable): 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 2 Kusal Perera, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Angelo Mathews (capt), 6 Lahiru Thirimanne, 7 Jeevan Mendis, 8 Thisara Perera, 9 Dhammika Prasad, 10 Rangana Herath, 11 Ajantha MendisIf England don’t pick Taylor now, they never will. Where he bats is up for debate, but the simplest option would be to slot him in at No. 3 and allow him the chance to build an innings. Back on a ground which helps the spinners more, James Tredwell will come into the mix with the struggling Ben Stokes most vulnerable.England (probable): 1 Moeen Ali, 2 Alex Hales, 3 James Taylor, 4 Joe Root, 5 Ravi Bopara, 6 Eoin Morgan (capt), 7 Jos Buttler (wk), 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Chris Jordan, 10 James Tredwell, 11 Steven FinnPitch and conditionsThe pitch at the Premadasa changed considerably from the first to the second matches at the start of this series. A new surface for this encounter is likely to have more resemblance to the opening contest which was a high-scorer although Mathews indicated it looked quite dry. As ever, it is also a case of keeping fingers crossed that the rain stays away, although the series has been remarkably fortunate so far.Stats and trivia England’s win in Hambantota was their first in a live ODI since beating Sri Lanka at Old Trafford The 84-run stand between Buttler and Root which secured victory had the highest run-rate of any partnership worth more than 22 for that wicket in a successful England chase.Rangana Herath’s economy rate after three matches is 5.79. He has only once conceded a higher figure when he has played more than a single game in a series.Quotes”I’m a gambler – and I’d say I’m due. I’ve got to stay true to myself. I have to play an aggressive type of game. It’s the way I play, the way I have done since I was a kid – and it works for me.”
“We have a problem in the death overs, and the bowler who does the best at the death was Ajantha Mendis. In the last match he was unsuccessful, but in the first two matches he took five wickets. Having someone like Mendis at the death and the batting Powerplay, alongside Rangana, is a strength.”

A round-up of the Ranji Trophy Group A matches played on December 30, 2014

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Dec-2014
ScorecardFile photo: Arindam Das struck a rapid, unbeaten 80 after Bengal were asked to follow-on•FotocorpBengal were asked to follow-on after being dismissed for 210 in reply to Mumbai’s 414 at Eden Gardens. But the home side hope to rectify that in the second innings with the openers putting on an unbeaten 129-run partnership. Rohan Banerjee made 44 off 139 balls and Arindam Das, 80 off 125, before bad light curtailed play.Bengal had resumed their first innings at 130 for 6, and were in need of some lower-order resistance. Abhimanyu Easwaran struck 85 off 192, including 10 fours, and dragged the total above 200. He had Suvojit Banerjee for company during a 60-run seventh-wicket stand and Veer Pratap Singh swung three fours in a 22-ball 14 as well. But Bengal could not save themselves from following-on.A more accomplished display in the second innings has placed them only 75 runs behind, but with an entire day’s play left Mumbai will back themselves for a second win of the season.
ScorecardMadhya Pradesh lost 13 wickets across two innings on the fourth day as they were forced to follow-on.They had been 103 for 3 in the first innings at the start of the day, but Baroda seamer Gagandeep Singh’s fifth first-class five-for ensured they were all out for 178. He was the wrecker-in-chief during the second innings as well, taking 3 for 54, to leave his side with 83 runs in the bank and four wickets left to claim victory.Madhya Pradesh were five down when Naman Ojha and Devendra Bundela, the two overnight batsmen, were dismissed with the score on 146. The next three three wickets fell with the score on 164 and were they dismissed well under the follow-on target of 208.Madhya Pradesh’s second innings promised better with Jalaj Saxena making 34 off 40, but his loss led to another collapse as Baroda claimed five wickets for 40 runs.Railways 133 for 6 (Awasthi 41, Rangarajan 3-54) trail Tamil Nadu 213 (Indrajith 51, Sathish 41, Ashish 6-68) by 80 runs
ScorecardTwelve wickets fell on the third day to compensate for the second being washed out in Chennai. The greater shock though was Railways batsman Rohan Bhosale being hospitalised after being struck on the back of the neck while fielding at short leg.Left-arm spinner Ashish Yadav took a career-best 6 for 68 to run through the Tamil Nadu lower order and dismiss them for 213. Tamil Nadu had began at 144 for 4 and B Indrajith continued sedately to his second successive first-class fifty. R Sathish, from No. 7, contributed a brisk 41 off 53 balls, but Ashish ensured there was very little resistance after that. Tamil Nadu’s final four wickets fell for three runs.However, that high was diminished when Railways struggled to handle the home side’s spinners, ending the day on 133 for 6. Aushik Srinivas struck twice in the second over and Malolan Rangarajan consumed three middle-order batsmen after which Ashish and Arnab Nandi held firm until stumps.
ScorecardPoor light meant there was no play possible on the third day in Kanpur. Uttar Pradesh will resume at 267 for 5 in their first innings with Arish Alam on 38 and Eklavya Dwivedi on 23.

What to look out for in the various teams, in the National Cricket League 2014-15

Mohammad Isam24-Jan-2015Dhaka DivisionWhere they finished last seasonChampionsBig PictureThe defending champions will continue to be one of the favourites to claim the title in this season’s National Cricket League. They had bounced back in 2013-14 from the horror 2011-12 season when they had finished bottom of the points table. They banked on their strong top order, spin bowling and an all-round performance from their captain Mohammad Sharif.Rony Talukdar, Abdul Majid and Nazmul Islam were the stars of last season and Sharif took 20 wickets. Their opening day game against Barisal Division will also be Sharif’s 100th first-class game. Dhaka Division will also have the services of Bangladesh legspinner Jubair Hossain, who will play his first first-class season despite making his Test debut against Zimbabwe late last year.Key playersRony Talukdar was the highest scorer in this season’s Dhaka Premier Division League, finishing with 714 runs at an average of 51.Team changesThe big miss will be Nurul Hasan who has moved to Khulna Division. He made 489 runs at 81.50 for Dhaka Division last season, and is deemed as Bangladesh’s next best wicketkeeper after Mushfiqur Rahim.Below the radarTaibur Rahman was impressive for Dhaka Premier Division League champions Prime Bank Cricket Club, with 363 runs. He was also effective for Dhaka Division last season, though he is yet to take off as middle-order batsman.What they say”I am very happy to be playing my 100th first-class match. I hope to play a 100 more (laughs). But more importantly, I would like to start the season with a win.” – Mohammad SharifRajshahi DivisionWhere they finished last seasonSecond placeBig PictureFive-time champions Rajshahi Division flattered to deceive last year but they remain the most consistent and successful first-class team in the country. Their confidence in the longer-format comes from a process set across Rajshahi from where they have scouted methodically for the past decade.Rajshahi would want the likes of Junaid Siddique, Farhad Hossain and Mizanur Rahman to return among the runs after an ordinary 2013-14 season. Rajshahi started poorly last season and only ended up second after finishing well and threatening Dhaka Division to the title.The division continues to be the blueprint for first-class teams in Bangladesh, and their consistency is much sought after. A group of senior players has been developed over the years, which is paying rich dividends although they haven’t produced enough players off-late for the national team.Key playersFarhad Reza was their highest scorer last year though he didn’t bowl as well. He, however, had a good Dhaka Premier League campaign for Prime Bank, which would be one of the reasons why Rajshahi can be a bigger threat.Team changesThe absence of Sabbir Rahman could hit Rajshahi hard. He is in Bangladesh’s World Cup squad, and over the last few seasons Sabbir had been a consistent performer and a vital cog for Rajshahi’s well-oiled machine.Below the radarTawhid Tariq Khan has been picked in the Rajshahi squad, after he was the highest run-scorer in the Dhaka First Division Cricket league, the city’s second-tier one-day competition.What they say”Of course we want to target the championship this season. We have a lot of the familiar faces in our squad this year as well.” – Farhad HossainRangpur DivisionWhere they finished last seasonThird placeBig PictureIt was a surprise that they ended up third last season. But the likes of Tanvir Haider, Naeem Islam and Saymon Ahmed scored at crucial times and enforced their three wins over Dhaka Metropolis, Sylhet Division and Barisal Division.As one of the smaller divisions in the country, Rangpur hardly get the attention they deserve. There are decent cricket grounds in these northern regions and they have produced several Bangladesh players.It will be yet another challenging season for the Rangpur players, who usually miss out in the Bangladesh Cricket League’s North Zone side because of Rajshahi’s dominance in the region.Key playersNaeem Islam was the second-highest scorer for Rangpur, and remains the batting stronghold for the division. He also had a fruitful time in the Dhaka Premier League, helping the lacklustre Mohammedan Sporting Club to a Super League finish. He was the league’s third-highest scorer.Team changesRangpur will be without allrounder Alauddin Babu who has been moved to Chittagong Division. Though Alauddin played only one match last season, he did get 12 wickets in the Dhaka Premier League this season and is handy with the bat.Below the radarAriful Haque proved his worth as a batsman with a hundred in this season’s last Abahani-Mohammedan derby, though his team Mohammedan ended up losing that game. But he is a talented allrounder, and his ability to bowl seam would prove necessary for Rangpur.Khulna DivisionWhere they finished last seasonFourth placeBig PictureThat Khulna finished a lowly fourth doesn’t sit well with their players. They have set a higher standard for themselves as the second most successful first-class team in the country with three NCL titles.Last season only the veteran Tushar Imran made important runs and ended up as the team’s highest scorer with 545 runs at an average of 54.50. One of the difficulties was the coming and going of national players like Abdur Razzak, Mashrafe Mortaza and Anamul Haque. This season the left-arm spinner Razzak is likely to be available for the entire tournament, which will be a major boost for Khulna’s bowling attack.They will be title contenders like Dhaka Division and Rajshahi Division, and if their national players turn up for the latter stages, it would make them slightly stronger than the other teams.Key playersMohammad Mithun’s elevation to the Bangladesh team, as well as a decent season for Mohammedan Sporting Club would be a boost for Khulna who didn’t get much out of him last season. In the preceding three seasons, Mithun made more than 600 runs consecutively.Team changesRobiul Islam is unlikely to be fit for the first two matches so Khulna’s pace attack will be thin of experience with Mashrafe and Al-Amin Hossain also away.  Nurul HasanBelow the radarMustafizur Rahman is a left-arm pace bowler from Bangladesh’s previous Under-19 group, and he has also earned a Bangladesh A call-up to West Indies last year as well as a contract with Abahani in the Dhaka Premier League. He made his first-class debut for Khulna last season, but this year he may have to lead the pace attack.

A round-up of the Ranji Trophy Group A matches on January 21, 2015

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Jan-2015
ScorecardA seven-wicket haul from the left-arm spinner Rahil Shah helped Tamil Nadu bundle Mumbai out for 141 in Chennai, but two late strikes from Akhil Herwadkar reduced the hosts’ advantage. Mumbai, opting to bat, failed to gather any momentum in their innings, as they lost wickets right from the off. Shreyas Iyer stroked a bright 50, with five fours and two sixes, but no other batsman was able to contribute more than 21. Rahil fetched returns of 7 for 34 from 20 overs – his second five-for in as many matches – as Mumbai folded inside 49 overs.Tamil Nadu were dealt an early blow in their reply as Abhinav Mukund, the team’s centurion from the previous game, fell for 7. M Vijay, who was back after an impressive series in Australia, stroked three fours to make his way to 27, but had to depart after lofting Akshay Girap straight to Herwadkar in the deep. However, the team rode on a 76-run stand between V Shankar (47*) and Dinesh Karthik (43) to once again wrest the initiative. The pair’s partnership took Tamil Nadu to within 11 runs of Mumbai’s total, but Herwadkar removed both Karthik and Aushik Srinivas in the space of four deliveries, as the hosts ended the day at 136 for 4.
ScorecardSudip Chatterjee muscled a half-century, and anchored two crucial 50-plus partnerships, as Bengal made 141 for 4 on day one against Uttar Pradesh in Ghaziabad. Bengal, after being put in, lost their opener Abhimanyu Easwaran early, but Chatterjee and Arindam Das steadied the innings with a second-wicket stand which yielded 60 runs. Uttar Pradesh fought back with two quick wickets, but Bengal once again counterattacked, with Chatterjee and Wriddhiman Saha (45) adding 52 runs for the fourth wicket. Chatterjee scored 60 off 128 balls, but was run out towards the end of the day.
ScorecardOnly 23 overs were possible on the first day of the Group A match between Railways and Jammu & Kashmir, in Delhi. After being put in, Railways lost their first wicket to a run-out in the third over, but were comfortably placed at 50 for 1 when play was called off.

Rob Quiney’s 11th first-class hundred – his second in as many matches – led a strong batting display from Victoria, as the team powered to a commanding 4 for 347 on the first day against South Australia in Adelaide

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Mar-2015
ScorecardFile photo: Rob Quiney’s 125 featured 15 fours•Getty ImagesRob Quiney’s 11th first-class hundred – his second in as many matches – led a strong batting display from Victoria, as the team powered to a commanding 4 for 347 on the first day against South Australia in Adelaide.Victoria, after winning the toss, began brightly as the openers Quiney and Chris Rogers added 92 in 23 overs. Rogers departed after stroking 47, but Quiney and Marcus Stoinis (51) ensured no momentum was lost, joining hands for a 40-over, second-wicket association which yielded 129 runs. Quiney muscled 15 fours to make his way to 125, but three wickets in quick succession opened the door slightly for South Australia. However, David Hussey counterattacked with an unbeaten 75, his 88-ball knock featuring 11 fours and a six, helping his team once again wrest the advantage.

South Africa could be in line for a new convener of selectors next month, with Andrew Hudson likely to be replaced in the top job

Firdose Moonda14-Apr-2015South Africa could be in line for a new convener of selectors next month, with Andrew Hudson likely to be replaced in the top job. The contracts of all four panel members – Hudson, Shafiek Abrahams, Hussein Manack and Linda Zondi – came to an end after the 2015 World Cup and Hudson is unlikely to be retained after five years in the job.Although there is no clear indication of who will replace Hudson, one franchise confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that Ashwell Prince is among the candidates standing for election to the panel and that it will vote for him. Nominations to the panel, which will be elected on the vote of South Africa’s provincial presidents, close on April 30.Prince retired from all cricket in March but may yet return for Lancashire this season and, if appointed, could be the person on the panel with the most international experience. He played 66 Tests for South Africa, 52 ODIs and a T20 between 2002 and 2011. Abrahams, who has been tipped to keep his job, appeared in just a single ODI while Manack and Zondi featured in first-class cricket; all are likely to keep their positions.Hudson is therefore expected to be the only casualty of the current panel, and there are conflicting reasons believed to be behind his departure. “Andrew has been there a long time and he is speaking about the time he needs for his job and his young family. It seems the time is right for change,” one insider said.Another believed that the current convener may be pushed out as part of the ongoing agenda towards aggressive transformation. “They need someone who is a little more active in transformation and he isn’t driving that.”Cricket South Africa recently reaffirmed a commitment to transformation with increased quotas at domestic level. Franchise teams will be required to field at least six players of colour, of which three must be black Africans, but there remains no official quota at international level.However, insiders have confirmed there are targets that are expected to be met – at least four players of colour in every team that takes the field and international sides are sent to CSA’s transformation manager for vetting. It is believed that was what led to the recent controversy around Vernon Philander’s selection for the World Cup semi-final. Allegations in the South African press – denied by CSA – claimed that Philander, who had been carrying a hamstring injury through the tournament, was forced into the starting XI at the behest of the board, who went over the selectors’ and the coach and captain’s heads. Russell Domingo and AB de Villiers are believed to have wanted Kyle Abbott to play.One source said Hudson was partly to blame for the situation reaching that point. “Everybody knows we have to play four players of colour so that should have been done in the first place to avoid all this,” a source said.Hudson was appointed convener in 2010 and presided over two different panels that oversaw major changes to the leadership of the South African team. In his first stint Hudson was required to pick a replacement fifty-over captain when Graeme Smith stepped down after the 2011 World Cup, while in his second, the selectors were tasked with appointing a new Test captain in 2014 following Smith’s retirement from the game.Hudson’s tenure was largely uncontroversial, particularly from a political perspective, bar one incident involving Thami Tsolekile. The wicketkeeper was nationally contracted in 2012 when Mark Boucher had made public his intention to retire and was widely tipped to take over behind the stumps. But when Boucher’s exit was accelerated after a career-ending eye-injury in England that year, AB de Villiers was preferred for the job.Tsolekile claimed Hudson had promised him he would be in the starting XI in the next season, when New Zealand and Pakistan toured, but that never happened. Hudson admitted he “did tell Thami he would get his chance against New Zealand,” but the situation changed when de Villiers expressed interest in keeping permanently.Among Hudson’s big finds was including rookie spinners Dane Piedt and Simon Harmer in Test squads, picking Quinton de Kock across all formats and backing Imran Tahir at limited-overs levels.