Shane Warne and the former Australia bowling coach Craig McDermott have offered their help to Darren Lehmann after the newly appointed head coach welcomed “legends” into the dressing room

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jun-2013Shane Warne and the former Australia bowling coach Craig McDermott have offered their help to Darren Lehmann after the newly appointed head coach welcomed “legends” into the dressing room to share their experience and guidance with the current side.Lehmann had said he welcomed former players into the dressing room, stating they “are an important part of what we’re trying to create.” Responding in his column for , Warne said, “I am always there to help any Australian cricketer and always have been. If I need to be around at practice to have a chat with boys about tactical stuff or bowling then I will do that. It’s good to be part of the set-up but most of time my role will be informal, catching up on the phone or chatting over a drink or meal. I do not need a fancy job title to help out.”McDermott was similarly enthusiastic about having closer links to the national team after his departure from the fulltime role for personal reasons in 2012. Since then he has returned to be employed by Cricket Australia at the Centre of Excellence in Brisbane, helping the Ashes tourists on their preparatory camp, but now expressed interest in travelling with the team once more.”If they ask, I’d certainly consider it,” McDermott told the . ”I absolutely love working with Siddle, Pattinson and Starcy and Hilf, and all those guys. It was rewarding getting those guys to perform so well and beat India 4-0 in Australia a couple of years ago, and we bowled well in the West Indies after that. It’s a good environment to work in, with athletes like that.”I respect [Lehmann] very highly. I didn’t play with him for Australia, he played for Australia after I retired. But he’s certainly got a fantastic first-class record and for Australia and his coaching record now speaks for itself after the last couple of years with Queensland. His no-nonsense type approach will be well respected and well received from the Australian team.”Lehmann took over as Australia’s coach after Mickey Arthur was sacked earlier in the week. Warne, who had earlier in the year suggested that Stephen Fleming take over from Arthur as coach, highlighted what he thought would be the differences between Arthur and Lehmann in terms of coaching.”Boof [Lehmann] is not really a coach,” Warne said. “Yes, sure he can tell you about technique but he will be speaking to players about how they approach the game and prepare. He is a mentor. He has been there, done it and endured all the ups and downs over a lifetime in cricket. He has a great rapport with players, a good understanding of how to balance the old school and new.”Warne, a critic of Australia’s rotation policy, said Lehmann’s practical approach to cricket would show in team selection, where he could be expected to play the best XI. He stated that preparations for Test matches would be old-school and “based on skills”, a sign that that sports science would not dictate team selection.”Boof will help Michael big time during breaks on match day. There is lots of good information and advice around these days in terms of sports science, recovery and fitness. But those things should not be the priority and dictate selection. With Boof cricket will come first. The other stuff will be supplementary,” Warne said, while citing the instance of Peter Siddle’s exclusion from the final Test against South Africa in November, 2012, with the series drawn at 0-0. Siddle was rested for the Test after suffering from exhaustion in the previous match.McDermott, meanwhile, expressed strong confidence that Australia’s bowlers would leave their mark on the Ashes. “I worked with the Australian boys for 2½ weeks before they left for England. I’m very happy with our bowling attack, it’s as good as you’ll get anywhere in the world, particular if they’re all fit and bowling well,” he said. “I’ve got every faith in them – we’ve just got to make sure we bowl the right line and length. It’s the old adage – you bowl too short in England, you’re easy pickings.”

The legspinner Fawad Ahmed’s application for Australian citizenship has officially been approved, clearing the way for a possible call-up to the Test squad for the Ashes.

Brydon Coverdale02-Jul-2013The legspinner Fawad Ahmed’s application for Australian citizenship has officially been approved, clearing the way for a possible call-up to the Test squad for the Ashes. Ahmed described the confirmation from former federal immigration minister Brendan O’Connor as a “dream moment”, and said he was now looking forward to giving something back to the country that had welcomed him after he fled from Pakistan in 2010.In one of his final acts as immigration minister before losing the position in a cabinet reshuffle, O’Connor approved the application last week and an official citizenship ceremony is all that remains before Ahmed can obtain his passport. The announcement was made at the MCG on Tuesday and O’Connor said he had listened to a number of submissions, including those from Cricket Australia, on the character and virtues possessed by Ahmed.”I was able to tell Fawad Ahmed today that his application for citizenship has been approved,” O’Connor said. “It was approved late last week … and it was approved because we were able to look at the application in a different light because of the changes to the Australian citizenship act that went through the parliament not long ago.”Those changes meant that some individuals could have their citizenship fast-tracked if it was considered they could be of benefit to Australia in a range of fields, including sport, science, medicine and the performing arts.However, Ahmed’s lack of wickets in two matches for Australia A in Belfast and Bristol last month mean that an Ashes call-up is no certainty, and he is instead concentrating on the upcoming Australia A tour of Zimbabwe and South Africa. Ahmed said he was grateful for the support he had received in his application for citizenship and he was pleased to be able to focus solely on cricket for the first time in many years.”It’s a long journey and it was a long struggle,” Ahmed said on Tuesday. “The whole community of Australia – the people really supported me throughout this journey. It’s a victory for our sport … and for this country. I just can’t wait to be a citizen. Especially in the field of cricket, I just want to give back something to this country.”I have a great opportunity with Australia A in Zimbabwe and South Africa. I will try my best to perform well on those two tours and it depends on the selections. It will be an honour to represent Australia in the Ashes or maybe other tournaments. It’s more relaxed now, I can feel there are no issues. Now I’m a citizen and can concentrate on my cricket and look forward to my bright future in cricket.”Whether that bright future includes this year’s Ashes tour remains to be seen. The left-arm spinner Ashton Agar is likely to travel with the Ashes group in a development capacity, not as an official squad member, but his encouraging performances for Australia A could make him a more likely candidate for a call-up than Ahmed if the selectors decide they need a second spinner alongside Nathan Lyon.Agar picked up six wickets at 16.50 on the Australia A tour of the British Isles and will play for the Australians in their tour match against Worcestershire starting on Tuesday. By comparison, Ahmed had a tougher time for Australia A and managed only two wickets at 82.50.”The conditions were tough,” Ahmed said. “It was freezing cold, it was nine degrees and the wind was pretty fast. I was bowling against the wind. But I should have bowled a bit better than that. I bowled a few really good balls as well and beat the bat, and I was unlucky a few times with dropped catches but that’s a part of cricket.”

After South Africa asserted some control over their fate in Sri Lanka, on what was perhaps the driest pitch of the tour to date, it has now fallen to the hosts to arrest the momentum their opponents have gleaned from a big victory

The Preview by Andrew Fidel Fernando in Pallekele27-Jul-2013

Match facts

Sunday, July 28, 2013
Start time 1430 local (0900 GMT)Thisara Perera proved his value to the ODI team with a blistering attack that almost swung the third game in Sri Lanka’s favour•Associated Press

Big picture

After South Africa asserted some control over their fate in Sri Lanka, on what was perhaps the driest pitch of the tour to date, it has now fallen to the hosts to arrest the momentum their opponents have gleaned from a big victory. South Africa’s batsmen appeared to have finally cracked the answer to the slow surfaces that sunk them in the first two matches, as they sought to graft securely before embracing aggression very late in the innings.Lonwabo Tsotsobe then provided the experience that had been missing from South Africa’s attack, as he bowled in fearsome tandem with Morne Morkel, to scupper Sri Lanka in the early overs. The pitch being prepared for Sunday looks almost identical to the surface that Friday’s match was played on, and South Africa are unlikely to change their game plan or personnel, save for men drifting in and out of the team due to injury. The visitors are also finally fielding at a standard close to their lively best as well, despite the odd missed opportunity.Sri Lanka’s middle order, meanwhile, continues to face criticism at home, having failed once more to spur a meaningful surge on a day when the top order failed. Dinesh Chandimal had some luck during his 65-ball 29, before departing softly, gloving to Quinton de Kock, and he never really had the measure of the surface. Angelo Mathews appeared more at ease while batting, but surrendered his wicket with an irresponsible pull, soon after debutant Angelo Perera had perished in a similar fashion. Given the middle order’s track record in the last two months, even a South Africa attack missing Dale Steyn will feel confident that there are only three men among Sri Lanka’s batsmen who are capable of playing match-winning innings.Mathews must also now reassert himself at the helm, after Chandimal’s brush with success. In all three matches Chandimal has captained so far (including a Twenty20 against Bangladesh), he has been an eager but astute leader, though his place in the ODI XI is far less secure than Mathews’. There is no real threat to Mathews’ captaincy from within the side, but if he cannot complete his first series victory after being handed a 2-0 lead, pressure may begin to build.

Form guide

(most recent first, five completed matches)
Sri Lanka: LWWLL
South Africa: WLLLT

Players to watch

Thisara Perera had been dropped for the tri-series in the West Indies prior to this tour, but has returned emphatically and is now the leading wicket-taker in the series, as well as the third-highest run-getter. His six-ball blitz against Robin Peterson showcased his power and, on a pitch that may produce another low-scorer, he may again be called upon to blast Sri Lanka to a challenging total. The major weakness in his game appears to be death bowling, which he will need to improve if Sri Lanka continue to play only one specialist pace bowler in future.David Miller proved he was more than just a big hitter on Friday, when he constructed an innings with care, before finally launching the kind of assault his cricket has become famous for. He worked the spinners cleverly alongside de Villers, playing cautiously against Ajantha Mendis, whom he had only seen briefly at the IPL. His unbeaten 85 is South Africa’s only half-century in the series, and Sri Lanka will now look at his game more closely, as they seek to discover weaknesses.

Pitch and conditions

Kandy had its sunniest day in a week on the eve of the match, but the weather is likely to return to its pattern of intermittent showers on Sunday, according to the forecast. The pitch appears to be another slow turner.

Team news

Lahiru Thirimanne is fully fit and will probably play, pushing Angelo Perera out of the XI*. Other than that, though, Sri Lanka are likely to remain unchanged.Sri Lanka (probable): 1. Upul Tharanga, 2. Tillakaratne Dilshan, 3. Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 4. Mahela Jayawardene, 5. Dinesh Chandimal, 6. Angelo Mathews (c), 7. Lahiru Thirimanne, 8. Thisara Perera, 9. Rangana Herath, 10. Lasith Malinga, 11. Ajantha MendisSouth Africa are optimistic Hashim Amla will play on Sunday, after he passed a mini fitness test and batted productively in the nets on the eve of the match. He will be thoroughly assessed before the start of play on Sunday, as will Ryan McLaren, who is nursing a strained hamstring he picked up while fielding in the third ODI.AB de Villiers also said that he enjoyed leading the side without the gloves on and Alviro Petersen may make way for Amla’s return, leaving keeper Quinton de Kock in the XI.South Africa (probable): 1. Hashim Amla/ Alviro Petersen, 2. Quinton de Kock (wk), 3. JP Duminy, 4. AB de Villiers (c), 5. Faf du Plessis, 6. David Miller, 7. Robin Peterson, 8. Farhaan Berhardien, 9. Ryan Mclaren/Chris Morris, 10. Morne Morkel, 11. Lonwabo Tsotsobe

Stats and trivia

• The team batting first has won all three matches so far in the series.
• The highest successful chase in 11 matches at Pallekele has been Sri Lanka’s 200 for 3 against New Zealand, who had set them 198 in a rain-reduced match.

Quotes

“He has turned out to be a brilliant allrounder for us – with bat and ball. It looked like he was batting on a different strip.”
“I’m not carrying an injury at all. Quinton’s used to keeping and is a good young keeper. We thought I’d have more to add as a fielder than him. Not that I rate myself more than him – but the guys tend to do. From a captaincy point of view, I have more time with my decision-making and time to communicate with the bowlers.”
*15.30GMT, July 27: The preview was updated after news of Lahiru Thirimanne being fit came in

Jamaica Tallawahs qualified for the semi-finals of the Caribbean Premier League, beating Barbados Tridents by six wickets at Sabina Park

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Aug-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMuttiah Muralitharan’s Man-of-the-Match effort took Jamaica Tallawahs to the semi-final of the CPL•Getty Images

Muttiah Muralitharan rolled back the years with a bowling display that helped the Jamaica Tallawahs book a semi-final berth with a six-wicket win over Barbados Tridents at Sabina Park. Barbados had already qualified, but with the first and second places up for grabs, there was still plenty to play for.Muralitharan, the Man of the Match, conceded only 12 runs in his four overs and took the crucial wickets of Shoaib Malik, Kieron Pollard and Ashley Nurse, as Jamaica restricted Barbados to just 113 in their 20 overs.Barbados, put in to bat first, got off to an unhurried start, as Dwayne Smith and Raymon Reifer put up 33 off 38 for the first wicket. Left-arm spinner Nikita Miller got the breakthrough for the hosts, bowling Reifer for 22 in the seventh over. Smith added another 29 with Shoaib Malik, but Muralitharan turned the match around with two wickets in the 14th over.He spun the ball sharply to uproot Malik’s stumps, and four deliveries later, he tossed one up to Pollard, only for the batsman to edge straight to Chris Gayle at first slip. Nurse tried to turn the momentum with two fours off Vernon Philander in the 16th over but he was also bowled by Muralitharan two overs later, as he came down the track and failed to connect. His wicket left Barbados struggling at 89 for 4. However, Smith remained unbeaten, and struck four fours and one six during his 53-ball 52, to take Barbados to 113 for 4.Jamaica lost Chris Gayle early in the chase, even as his partner Ahmed Shehzad gave the side a strong start. Shehzad scored a 25-ball 28 that included four fours and a six, but fell to Shakib Al Hasan in the sixth over when he made room to go over the infield and missed.Two run-outs in quick succession seemed to give Barbados a small chance, but Jermaine Blackwood and Andre Russell put up 49 for the fifth wicket in six overs and struck four fours and two sixes between them, to ensure the victory for Jamaica with 11 balls to spare.Jamaica are now third on the table but can take the top position with a big win against Trinidad & Tobago Red Steels on Sunday.

India’s Supreme Court is to hear on Wednesday afternoon a petition by Lalit Modi against the BCCI’s special general meeting convened to discuss the disciplinary report on the former IPL chairman

Nagraj Gollapudi24-Sep-2013India’s Supreme Court is to hear on Wednesday afternoon a petition by Lalit Modi against the BCCI’s special general meeting convened to discuss the disciplinary report on the former IPL chairman. The court is expected to hear the appeal at around the same time as the SGM is scheduled to convene.*The Delhi High Court had, on Tuesday, dismissed Modi’s appeal to issue a restraining order that would prevent the BCCI from holding the special general meeting (SGM) on September 25, when the board is expected to decide on a ban for Modi. A single-judge bench of VK Shali, after a two-day hearing, overruled the stay order imposed by the Patila House Court, where Modi had filed the application.It is understood the BCCI will go ahead with the SGM, which will be chaired by the president N Srinivasan, in Chennai.According to the BCCI’s lawyer, CA Sundaram, the High Court concluded that the board’s notice to Modi was issued correctly and the trial court should never have passed the stay order. “The judge said Mr Srinivsasn continues to be the president. He is vested with the powers of the president even if Mr Dalmiya may be doing the day-to-day activities. The notice was correctly issued and the trial court could not have given an ex parte injunction against a special general meeting. Such an order ought not have been passed at all by the trial court.”Earlier this month, the BCCI Disciplinary Committee had found Modi guilty on eight charges of “indiscipline and misconduct,” and said that the final sanction would be decided during the SGM. On September 21, Modi approached the trial court where his legal counsels Swadeep Hora and Abhishek Singh argued before district judge Ruby Alka Gupta that the SGM notice, circulated by BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel on September 2, was illegal since Patel’s appointment was not in accordance with the BCCI constitution. Since only the president of the BCCI can fill up a mid-term vacancy of a principal office-bearer, Patel’s appointment by a working committee meeting with the president having stepped aside was illegal, they contended. The trial court then stayed the SGM. The BCCI had challenged the trial court’s order by approaching the High Court on Monday.SGMs, which strictly discuss a pre-fixed agenda, require a three-quarter mandate for a decision to be ratified. This effectively means that 24 votes would be enough to get Modi banned in a house of 31 votes, including 27 full members, National Cricket Club in Kolkata, Cricket Club of India in Mumbai, All-India Universities and the president’s vote.*0534 GMT, September 25. This news piece was updated with information about Lalit Modi’s appeal to India’s Supreme Court

Ranchi will host IPL’s second qualifier on May 22 for logistical reasons

Amol Karhadkar29-Apr-2015Ranchi will host IPL’s second qualifier on May 22 for logistical reasons. Once it was finalised as a Playoff venue, Ranchi’s proximity to Kolkata, where the final will be played on May 24, went in its favour.It is a minor change from the original schedule proposed for the final week of the tournament. Wankhede stadium in Mumbai had been allotted the second qualifier. “We have [now] been informed that we will now host the first qualifier on May 19,” Dr PV Shetty, Mumbai Cricket Association joint secretary, said.Pune will host the eliminator on May 20.

Chesney Hughes and Billy Godleman finally brought sanity to proceedings at Canterbury with the partnership that barring further batting lapses should ensure a Derbyshire victory on the third day

Tim Wigmore at Canterbury08-Jun-2015
ScorecardWayne White showed the form that earned him a move to Lancashire, seen playing for them here last season•PA Photos

At three minutes past three on the second day, so began the fourth innings of this bizarre, engrossing game of cricket. Thirty wickets had fallen for a total of 403 runs. The upshot was that Derbyshire needed 232 to win in a of 242 overs, which rather summed up the absurdity of it all.In the circumstances it did not feel fanciful to suggest that Derbyshire’s reply might not even last the day. Fifty overs – 18 more than they mustered in their first innings – certainly seemed rather a lot when Matt Coles snared Ben Slater lbw with the fifth ball of the innings.Yet, for all the bedlam, this was a pitch containing nothing untoward. The ball has swung consistently, and often late, but this is not a wicket with cracks opening up like the Grand Canyon. Belatedly – finally – Billy Godleman and Chesney Hughes proved as much.The 163 they added restored a little sanity to the game. Both ran with intent; booming cries of “Push, push” as they sought to turn ones into twos were a feature of their stand. Solid without ever threatening the dourness of his 244-ball half-century in the Championship two years ago, Godleman was the perfect foil for Hughes’ more arresting strokeplay.Powerfully built and with a huge backlift, Hughes has not always been known for the judicious use of his considerable talent: after a glorious 270 against Yorkshire in May 2013, he had to wait two full years to record his next first-class century.But here he was like a canny boxer absorbing his opponent’s blows before counter-attacking whenever they lowered their guard. So it seemed, anyway, during an engrossing late evening duel with Matt Coles. Sensing that his spell represented Kent’s last, best chance, and willed on by a boisterous crowd, Coles bowled with venom and increasingly short. Hughes ducked and weaved when he could, and offered his bat in defence when he had to.Then he sensed his moment. After three ferocious deliveries, Coles erred just a little, allowing Hughes to swivel-pull awesomely for four. As Coles over-compensated, so Hughes was reunited with the cut shot he had wielded so effectively already, and flayed the next delivery through point for four. Coles’ anguished squeals, including some distinctly un-Parliamentary language, spoke of Kent’s disbelief over how they had squandered a position of overwhelming dominance only a few hours earlier.As Hughes hammered a fulltoss from Adam Riley over midwicket for a huge six, taking him to within 18 of a hundred and his side to within 62 of victory by the close, it felt incongruous to reflect on the game ten minutes before lunch. After Ivan Thomas had needed just three overs to terminate Derbyshire’s first innings on 86 all out, Kent had cruised to 63 for 1 – a lead of 182 – on another fine day, albeit one that possessed a chill that had been absent on Monday. Valiant new ball bursts from Mark Footitt and Tony Palladino had yielded only the scalp of Joe Denly.So perhaps it was with a feeling of quiet desperation that Godleman handed Wayne White the ball. White’s first first-class game of 2015 had not been going well: 1 for 56 from 10 expensive overs in the first innings followed by a rather excruciating 35-minute duck.It took just his fourth ball, which castled Rob Key with extra pace, to suggest that the second innings would prove much kinder. Here White bowled with the pace, bounce and swing that, to Leicestershire’s chagrin, had led him to move to Lancashire in 2013. It was not a switch that proved productive, so White returned to Derbyshire, where he had begun his career, on loan last year and then joined permanently in the off-season.The vim and hostility with which White bowled here, moving the ball both ways, suggested he could be the latest bowler to be reinvigorated by Graeme Welch. Glorious was the inswinger to Ryan Davies, eluding his immaculate forward defensive and crashing into his middle stump instead. While Davies recorded a pair on his first-class debut at 18, White’s jubilantly ran to short fine leg. He had further reason to celebrate when Sam Northeast, who had just crashed a six over point, was spectacularly caught by Tillakaratne Dilshan attempting a repeat. Somehow Kent had contrived to lose their last nine wickets for 49 runs, leaving White to toast a career best of 6 for 25.How rueful Daniel Bell-Drummond, who had batted with assurance and panache for 45, must have felt about his hare-brained piece of running on the stroke of lunch. Derbyshire are now most unlikely to have to wait until lunch on the third day to wrap up victory. But such has been the harum-scarum feel to the game that White and company will still fear being called upon to bat again.

KL Rahul will miss India’s lone Test in Bangladesh due to an ailment

Amol Karhadkar06-Jun-2015KL Rahul will miss India’s lone Test in Bangladesh due to an ailment. BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur confirmed that Rahul has “an illness” and will not join the squad. It is understood that the Karnataka batsman is suffering from dengue.Since the BCCI had asked all the 15 members of the Test squad to report in Kolkata on Saturday for a fitness test, Rahul flew to the city despite the illness. The medical staff ruled him out immediately upon examining his condition.With the Test squad including M Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan, the selectors, after being consulted by Thakur, decided not to replace Rahul with a reserve opener.Rahul’s illness gives his Sunrisers Hyderabad team-mate Dhawan a shot at comeback after being dropped for the Sydney Test. Dhawan was going through a wretched run of form then, but made a good comeback in the World Cup, scoring 412 runs at 51.50, including two centuries.Rahul himself had a wretched debut, scoring 3 and 1 in two nervous innings in the Melbourne Test, but came back strongly with a century in Sydney. The only Test in Bangladesh is India’s first Test since the Sydney game.After returning from Australia, Rahul had racked up 838 runs from five Ranji Trophy matches at an average of 93.11, including a triple-century against Uttar Pradesh and 188 against Tamil Nadu in the final.

England have stuck with the team who drew 1-1 with New Zealand for the first Investec Ashes Test in Cardiff while adding Adil Rashid and Steven Finn to a 13-man squad

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Jul-20155:40

Ashes Key Battles: Will spin play a part?

England have stuck with the team who drew 1-1 with New Zealand for the first Investec Ashes Test in Cardiff while adding Adil Rashid and Steven Finn to a 13-man squad. Rashid was not part of the group taken to Spain for a training camp with the new coach, Trevor Bayliss, but took four wickets in Yorkshire’s Championship win over Durham to continue the good impression he made during the recent ODIs.The Yorkshire legspinner has yet to be capped in Tests but will provide competition for Moeen Ali, although both could yet play. Bayliss, who is due to speak to the media for the first time since being appointed, said that England would consider including two spinners when assessing conditions before the series begins next Wednesday. “There’s been a bit of hot weather around so we want that option,” he told the ECB website.Finn returns to the reckoning ahead of Chris Jordan and Liam Plunkett, who is still recovering from an injury sustained during the one-day series with New Zealand, but there was no place for Derbyshire left-armer Mark Footitt, who was part of the 14 that returned from Spain on Tuesday.There were otherwise no surprises in the make-up of the group to take on Australia and the XI that played both Tests against New Zealand could well continue in Cardiff. Gary Ballance has retained his spot despite recent poor form and his Yorkshire team-mate Adam Lyth will partner Alastair Cook at the top of the order, having made his maiden Test hundred at Headingley last month.Jonny Bairstow, another Yorkshireman, could not force his way into contention despite a prolific run with the bat. Jos Buttler is fit to take the wicketkeeping gloves after a hand injury that led to Bairstow deputising in an ODI and T20 with New Zealand.Adil Rashid has been added to England’s 13-man squad for the first Investec Test•Getty Images

Mark Wood, who has been identified as a key weapon in England’s attack, will be expected to join James Anderson and Stuart Broad in forming the pace attack, supplemented by allrounder Ben Stokes.Although there are plenty of young faces in the squad, there is Ashes experience running through the middle. Ian Bell, the only survivor from England’s 2005 victory, will be playing in his seventh Ashes series, Cook and Anderson their sixth, and Broad his fifth. Cook will lead England for the third time and can call on the inside knowledge of Australian Bayliss as he attempts to regain the urn after the 2013-14 whitewashing.Bayliss has arrived in England to take charge after being named as Peter Moores’ successor last month. He inherits a side that have won six of their last eight Tests – despite drawn series against New Zealand and West Indies – and which has taken further confidence from improved limited-overs form.”Adil Rashid’s inclusion provides Alastair and Trevor with plenty of bowling options and the surface at Cardiff will dictate who makes the final XI,” England’s national selector, James Whitaker, said. “Within the squad there are players who have plenty of experience of Ashes cricket and that knowledge will I’m sure be useful for the players who are yet to experience a home Ashes series.”There has been some very good cricket played so far this summer and we are aware that we will need to build on that over the next seven weeks if we are to win back the Ashes. On behalf of the selectors I’d like to congratulate the 13 players selected for the first Investec Test and wish them as well as Trevor all the very best for what will I’m sure be a very competitive and entertaining series.”England squad for the first Test: Alastair Cook (capt), Adam Lyth, Gary Ballance, Ian Bell, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler (wk), Moeen Ali, Stuart Broad, Mark Wood, James Anderson, Adil Rashid, Steven Finn

Disillusioned by a supposed lack of support while playing for Rajasthan, Robin Bist has moved to Himachal Pradesh

Amol Karhadkar04-Aug-2015Disillusioned by a supposed lack of support while playing for Rajasthan, Robin Bist has moved to Himachal Pradesh for the upcoming domestic season. He has signed a two-year deal with the northern association, which is headed by BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur.With the Rajasthan Cricket Association having been suspended by the BCCI in May last year, the players turning out for the association were in danger of missing out on the 2014-15 season. Following court intervention, they played as Team Rajasthan under the BCCI banner. It left very little time for the team to prepare and two-time Ranji champions barely impressed across formats.”Following the BCCI suspension, it was becoming very difficult to remain focussed on the game. I tried hard to be loyal with Rajasthan, who had given me so many opportunities all through the career, but with time running out and no signs of improvement, I thought it was best to move away,” Bist told ESPNcricinfo.Bist admitted that playing for a suspended team he felt the lack of support when it came to “realising the dream” of playing for India. “You need that push in all aspects, whether you are playing well or not. But when you are playing for a suspended association, nobody tends to push your case. After having played for India A, I hope to make a stronger case with a stronger performance which cannot be ignored.”Bist becomes the third player to snap ties with Rajasthan ever since the association’s suspension for having elected Lalit Modi – who is expelled for life from the BCCI – as president. While fast bowler Rituraj Singh had moved to Jharkhand, offspinner Ramesh Powar had joined Gujarat to ensure better opportunities.Bist, a middle-order batsman, played for India A during their tour to the West Indies in 2012 following a breakaway 2011-12 season.”Even last year, Himachal Pradesh had approached me but I declined,” he said. “But when Thakur sir called this year, I gave it a serious thought decided to accept it. It’s a good team that is doing well. Since players like Paras [Dogra] and Rishi [Dhawan] play in Delhi [in the IPL] along with me, I know many players and am looking forward to justifying the faith Himachal has shown in me.”Himachal Pradesh missed out on being promoted from the lowest rung of the Ranji Trophy last season. They are placed in Group C along with Jharkhand, Saurashtra, Hyderabad, Kerala, Tripura, Services, Goa, Jammu & Kashmir.