Tag Futebol

Middlesex stalwart determined to keep the enjoyment alive in return to top flight

Valkerie Baynes01-Apr-2023Alongside “entertainment” another buzz theme has underpinned English cricket in recent times – “enjoyment”. It’s been key to a career spanning more than two decades for Tim Murtagh but now, as an end draws near in the playing sense at least, enjoyment of each game has assumed a little more prominence.Murtagh, Middlesex’s ever-reliable swing bowler, jokes that for about half his career he’s been saying “just one more year” but, due to turn 42 in August and having already started to firm up post-playing plans, after the player-coach role he assumed last year was made official in another season-long deal for 2023, he gives arguably his strongest hint yet that this could be it.”Probably yes,” Murtagh tells ESPNcricinfo. “I’m in a bit of a different role this year with taking on the coaching as well… so I’ll say, as I have said for the last 10 years, ‘one more year’, but we’ll play it by ear. I’m not sure the body can keep going for too much longer. I still want to play as much as I can this year and be available as much as the coach and captain want me to play. We’ll see what happens.”I really enjoyed last season and it was great to help bring the boys up into Division One. Hopefully I can add a bit of experience having played in this division before – some of our guys won’t have done. I know there’s not much time left but I’m going to enjoy every game that I am playing.”Related

• Middlesex handed suspended points deduction, special measures for financial breaches

• Murtagh named as Middlesex club captain after contract extension

• Roland-Jones named as Middlesex red-ball captain

• Middlesex admit to financial concerns as ECB monitor club's status

• Maharaj ruled out of Middlesex stint

That’s not to say that it’s all about the fun. Murtagh’s skill, nagging accuracy and all that experience made him the second-highest wicket-taker of Middlesex’s promotion campaign in 2022, which sees them return to the top flight after a five-year absence. His 30 wickets from 10 matches was behind only Toby Roland-Jones for the club, the latter topping Division Two overall with 67 from 13 games.And there are still boxes to be ticked. Murtagh needs 15 more wickets to reach 1000 across all formats for Middlesex while 30 more would allow him to overtake Phil Tufnell on the list of first-class wickets for the club. But it’s also the work to be done with the younger players in the squad that is helping to motivate Murtagh now.”Professional sport can be so serious sometimes, it can be so intense,” he said. “I’ve almost treated it like a game and that’s maybe easy for me to say, someone who’s had a long career and not worried about contracts every year. I’ve seen guys really suffer physically and mentally and it can weigh you down. If you don’t take yourself too seriously and always look for the positives and always look to compete and enjoy the game then I think you’ll have more good days than bad days.”That said, he knows being back in Division One won’t be easy.”I’m expecting it to be a challenge because we haven’t played in this division for a long time,” Murtagh added. “The consistency of the Division One teams is of a lot higher standard than in Division Two, but I think I said at the start of last season this didn’t feel to me like a Division Two squad. I felt like there’s enough quality within our four walls to be in the first division and to be really competitive.”I’m not going to suddenly say we’re going to walk into Division One and win it this year. That would be great, and it has happened before and I’d love that if it did happen but we just want to be as competitive as possible and we know it’s going be tough, but I think we’re ready.”Middlesex’s marquee overseas signing, South Africa spinner Keshav Maharaj, had to pull out of his planned stint with the club after rupturing his Achilles tendon celebrating a dismissal during the second Test against West Indies in Johannesburg in early March. He had been due to play eight Championship matches from April and the Vitality Blast.A replacement is yet to be announced but otherwise, the only addition to their squad has been Ryan Higgins, who returns from Gloucestershire having initially played for Middlesex from 2014-17 and come through their academy system. They have also retained another overseas player, Pieter Malan, who joined last June as a replacement after Peter Handscomb left mid-season.It was Handscomb’s departure that allowed Murtagh to take on a greater leadership role. He assumed the captaincy as well as an informal coaching role for the Royal London Cup. Roland-Jones will skipper the Championship side for 2023 while Stephen Eskinazi will captain both white-ball sides, with Murtagh joining first team coach Richard Johnson, club coach Rory Coutts and director of cricket Alan Coleman alongside consultants Ian Salisbury and Mark Ramprakash in the coaching department.”It’s sort of natural,” Murtagh said of the move. “Being captain last year, I had a bit more responsibility, you could think about other people apart from yourself, which is great, and I just see it as a bit of an extension of me being a senior bowler for the last few years, trying to help some of these guys and guide them.”I’ve said to them, I’m not going to be the most technically knowledgeable coach to start with but in terms of real time, day-to-day bowling, I’ve been through it all in the last 20-odd years. So I’m there for whenever they need me. It’s a bit of a trial-and-error year, see if I enjoy it, if I’m any good at it, and then we’ll see what happens from next season onwards.”Murtagh and Mark Stoneman look on during Middlesex’s pre-season photocall•Getty Images

The club has something to work with too. Tom Helm brings height and pace to their attack and enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2022 with 29 Championship wickets at 21.96 plus an impressive Hundred campaign with Birmingham Phoenix. Luke Hollman is emerging as an influential legspinning allrounder and Blake Cullen, a tall seamer who can swing the ball both ways, is hopeful of reprising an impressive 2021 after returning from a back injury which severely curtailed his involvement last year.With the bat, it will likely fall to the older, more experienced hands like Sam Robson, Mark Stoneman, John Simpson and Malan to lead the way along with Max Holden and Robbie White.Coleman said he had “no expectations as such” with the club seeking just its third trophy in 30 years, having won the Championship in 2016 and the T20 Cup in 2008.”We want to compete, we want to go out there, show what we can do, show the talent we have in our squad, be as consistent as we possibly can and you never know where you’re going to end up,” Coleman said. “We’ve got a really talented group of players here, many deserving of that opportunity to step up into Division One, and anything is possible.”Just ask Murtagh, who was part of both those title triumphs after joining from Surrey for 2007, and will have special reason to reminisce when Ireland play England in a one-off Test at Lord’s at the start of June. Playing the last of his three Tests for Ireland – and the only one at Lord’s – in the corresponding fixture in 2019, Murtagh earned a place on the honours board at his home ground with his 5 for 13 in the first innings. He retired from international cricket that year with 58 ODIs and 14 T20Is also to his name.Reflecting not just on the longevity of his career but on his lasting enjoyment of the game, Murtagh’s view is simple: “Passion. Whether it’s sport, business, whatever it is, passion is such an important thing and I’ve always had that. I’ve always seen it as more of a game than a job, not putting too much pressure on myself, and just try to enjoy it while it lasts because sports players don’t tend to last for that long.”After 23 years, it’s all relative.

Seam bowler to stay at club at least until end of 2025

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Jan-2023Sam Cook, Essex’s prolific seam bowler, has signed a two-year contract extension that will keep him at the club until the 2025 season.Cook, 25, claimed 51 wickets at an average of just 16.23 in last year’s County Championship, and now boasts an overall first-class record of 213 wickets at 19.37, making him the first player to reach the 200-wickets milestone while averaging less than 20 since Derbyshire’s Alan Ward in 1971.He has been named in both the red- and white-ball squads for the forthcoming England Lions tour of Sri Lanka.Cook said: “It’s been an exciting year for me personally and I’m already looking forward to seeing what the next three years have in store for me and my career at the club I’ve supported all of my life.”I’m happy with the progress I’ve made this season with the help of Anthony McGrath and Mick Lewis, and I feel my white-ball game in particular is going from strength to strength. I’ve had the opportunity to test my skills in the Vitality Blast and The Hundred this year, which was especially rewarding.”I am always seeking ways to improve and look forward to heading overseas with England Lions before the season gets underway in April.”Head Coach, Anthony McGrath, added: “Sam has developed into one of the best bowlers in the county game and his great attitude and willingness to learn means that he will only keep on improving.”He’s enjoyed another fantastic year and I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before he will get an opportunity to showcase his skills at international level.

The hosts could be without their first-choice opening pair of Lendl Simmons and Evin Lewis

Umar Farooq02-Aug-2021

Big picture

The series was of significant importance for both teams in their preparations ahead of the T20 World Cup but so far rain has ruled the headlines, ditching all the promises for the series. With two of three games washed out and one game slashed before the series began, Pakistan come into the final match against West Indies 1-0 ahead.Pakistan’s run-scoring has revolved around Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam. They have rejigged their line-up to break the two up, playing Sharjeel Khan as an opener, but the washouts mean they haven’t gathered enough evidence to vindicate the tweak. The middle-order conundrum is deeper than ever with Mohammad Hafeez’s silent bat, misfiring Sohaib Maqsood and inexperienced Azam Khan out with an injury.For a while now, Hafeez has been in the side mainly because of his batting with his bowling being used on an as-and-when-needed basis. However, his four-over spell – at an economy of 1.50 – in the only completed game, earned him the Player-of-the-Match award and has been a big positive for Pakistan. More of that in the final T20I will give Pakistan wider options for the World Cup to be played in the UAE, where pitches are more conducive to spin.

Watch cricket on ESPN+

The West Indies vs Pakistan series is available in the US on ESPN+. Subscribe to ESPN+ and tune in to the match.

West Indies, under Kieron Pollard, were hoping to know most of their first-choice picks by the end of this series but have not learnt much either. Despite restricting Pakistan to 157 in the second T20I, their dangerous batting order failed to display the firepower they are synonymous with. Only Nicholas Pooran made any impression, scoring an unbeaten 62 runs off 33 balls.On Tuesday, Pakistan will be eyeing an away series win, and while winning remains paramount, what they would seek is batters apart from Rizwan and Azam to raise their hands. Before the series, Azam had promised to check the bench strength. In that sense, this game gives both sides yet another opportunity to finetune their respective team combinations.

Form guide

West Indies LWLWW (last five completed T20I, most recent first)
Australia WLLWW

In the spotlight

Chris Gayle scored a match-winning 67 against Australia but against Pakistan, has scored 7, 16 and 1*. In the last 12 months, he is averaging 16.53 with a strike rate of 114.97 with just one half-century in 15 T20Is. His T20 numbers aren’t great either; this year he has played 25 innings and averaged 22.72 at a strike rate of 130.20. The last calendar year where he averaged less than 25 in T20s was in 2010. West Indies will have to see whether he’s strengthening the batting unit or weakening it.Gayle showed he still has the hands for international cricket against Australia, can he repeat it against Pakistan?•AFP

Pakistan’s middle and lower order will be under scrutiny. In the last completed game, they were well set to go past 180 but finished with a middling 157, including just 23 runs in the last four overs despite a fairly long batting line-up. Maqsood’s success has largely been built batting in the top order, but being sent in at No. 7 is reducing his effectiveness. Fakhar Zaman and Hafeez’s numbers keep fluctuating, and the pinch-hitting stocks of Shadab Khan and Hasan Ali dip when transitioning from T20s to T20Is. Can they come together to the best of their potential this time around?

Team news

With their two-first choice openers nursing injuries – Lendl Simmons was injured in the first match and Evin Lewis retired hurt in the second – Gayle could open alongside Andre Fletcher.West Indies (probable): 1 Andre Fletcher, 2 Chris Gayle, 3 Shimron Hetmyer 4 Nicholas Pooran (wk) 5 Kieron Pollard (capt), 6 Andre Russell, 7 Jason Holder, 8 Romario Shepherd, 9 Dwayne Bravo, 10 Hayden Walsh, 11 Akeal HoseinIt’s likely that Haris Rauf remains in the XI after he replaced Shaheen Shah Afridi for the washed-out third match. Azam Khan, however, could make it to the XI if he is cleared by the medical team.Pakistan (probable): 1 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 2 Sharjeel Khan, 3 Babar Azam, (capt) 4 Fakhar Zaman, 5 Mohammad Hafeez, 6 Sohaib Maqsood/Azam Khan, 7 Shadab Khan, 8 Hasan Ali, 9 Mohammad Wasim, 10 Usman Qadir, 11 Haris Rauf

Pitch and conditions

With rain predicted for the week as a whole, there is a chance that the contest may be a shortened one. However, there is a clear window in the day but conditions are expected to be overcast. Win toss, bowl first may be the best bet.

Stats and trivia

• During the second T20I, Rizwan became the most-prolific run-getter in a single calendar year in the format.

Visitors, 1-0 up in the two-Test series, are 154 runs in front with seven second-innings wickets left

Sreshth Shah13-Feb-2021Stumps Liton Das and Mehidy Hasan starred with the bat for Bangladesh, while Rahkeem Cornwall earned his second Test five-wicket haul as the third day of the Dhaka Test see-sawed right until the close of play. At stumps, West Indies were 41 for 3 in their second innings, leading by 154 runs. While they do hold the advantage, Bangladesh have enjoyed the greater success in the last two sessions of the day.Starting the day on 105 for 4 in their first innings, well behind West Indies’ 409, Bangladesh’s overnight batsmen Mohammad Mithun and Mushfiqur Rahim had to survive a barrage of short balls from Shannon Gabriel first up. But when Gabriel – who overstepped thrice in his first three overs – went fuller, he was put away by the two for fours through the covers. Jomel Warrican, the left-arm spinner, had his opening spell cut short as he drifted too often to the leg, allowing easy runs on the on side.Cornwall then replaced Warrican and created the first chance of the morning when Mithun mistimed a whip off his toes that went just beyond midwicket. But, in his next over, Cornwall got Mithun’s wicket with an unorthodox field placement. Trying to flick off his boots, Mithun – on 15 – was through his shot too early and the ball went in the air. Kraigg Brathwaite – lurking at short midwicket, where he had placed himself for that very shot – dived to his right to take the catch at full length.Related

• Rahkeem Cornwall: 'I fed off the extra bounce in Dhaka'

• Phil Simmons: 'Have to make sure we don't go backwards again'

• Joshua Da Silva, the glue that has kept West Indies together

• Mehidy Hasan Miraz becomes fastest Bangladesh bowler to 100 Test wickets

Mushfiqur Rahim, meanwhile, reached his 22nd half-century in Cornwall’s first over. He tried not to let the offspinner settle in from the first ball he faced, but was almost caught at short leg soon after his half-century. He then survived a close lbw call off Cornwall after missing a sweep, but soon paid the price of being overly aggressive – on 54, he tried a reverse sweep, only to toe-end a simple catch to cover.At 155 for 6, and still over fifty short of avoiding the follow-on, Das and Mehidy got together for 12 overs before lunch. After the session break – and against the older ball – they displayed exemplary concentration to block, leave and duck. The balls that were wide on either side of the stumps were punished for the occasional boundary.While Cornwall’s turn from the rough outside off kept both batsmen in two minds, Warrican failed to build pressure like his partner. Mehidy often rocked back against Warrican to cut – with the turn – while Das eyed the midwicket boundary. That period of play took the stand past fifty and ensured Bangladesh had avoided following-on, which had seemed like a distinct possibility at the start of the session.When Alzarri Joseph came into the attack, he preferred the shorter lengths. Both Das and Mehidy were happy to duck through that challenge and when Joseph bowled full, they punished him down the V. With Joseph and Gabriel failing to get any purchase with the older ball, Brathwaite went to part-time spin to count the overs down so that the pacers could return fresh with the new ball. But that’s when Das and Mehidy pounced. Nkrumah Bonner’s legspin was struck by Das for consecutive fours to reach his seventh Test fifty. Brathwaite’s offbreak, too, allowed easy singles. And when the new ball was taken, both Das and Mehidy looked to go on the offensive.The first over with the new ball, from Gabriel, was wayward, conceding six including four byes, and brought up the hundred stand. They went for their shots, often successfully, which made Gabriel impatient. The fast bowler showed it too, by saying a few words to the batsmen on his follow through, which forced the umpires to have a chat with him. Mehidy then got his own fifty, to back up the century in Chattogram.
Having lost no wickets in the session, the period after lunch belonged completely to Bangladesh. It was the first session – since the first one on the first day – that they could call theirs, as they added 91 for no loss.Liton Das and Mehidy Hasan kept Bangladesh in the game with a century stand•AFP via Getty Images

The post-tea session started with both batsmen looking to attack the tired West Indian bowling attack that had not gone wicketless for over 40 overs. But Cornwall put the brakes on soon after, when he removed Das for 71 for his fourth scalp after the batsman got an edge off a paddle sweep.Trying to play fine, Das went across the stumps to sweep, but Jermaine Blackwood – at first slip – anticipated the shot and ran around behind the wicketkeeper. The ball took an inside edge, hit the back leg and popped in the air for Blackwood to take a simple catch. A few balls later, Cornwall removed No. 9 Nayeem Hasan after the batsman edged a defensive shot to Blackwood at slip, earning him the five-wicket haul.From the other end, Gabriel had the last laugh over Mehidy. The allrounder fell for 57 when his attempt to drive through the off side went straight to cover for a catch. Gabriel earned another wicket to end the Bangladesh innings on 296 when he rapped No. 11 Abu Jayed on the glove, for a simple catch to gully. Bangladesh lost their last four wickets for only 15 runs in under six overs.With 21 overs to go in the day, Bangladesh started with spin and struck thrice before stumps. Brathwaite was first to go, when he tried to flick Nayeem, only for it to go to wicketkeeper Das off the gloves. Mehidy then entered the record books when he became the fastest (and youngest) Bangladesh bowler to 100 Test wickets with Shayne Moseley edging to second slip. Mehidy reached the mark in 24 Tests, beating the previous record of 25, set by Taijul Islam.Islam then removed the other opener, John Campbell, late in the day in an unusual manner. As Campbell played defensively, the ball appeared to spin back after dropping on the pitch and turned back to hit the stumps.The final few minutes saw Bonner and nightwatchman Warrican trying to survive with soft hands. Bangladesh surrounded the batsmen with as many players as they could, but there was no further damage.

In Chattogram, South Zone and North Zone played out a draw

Mohammad Isam03-Feb-2020Tamim Iqbal’s record-breaking triple century handed East Zone an innings win over Central Zone at the Shere Bangla National Stadium.On his way to an unbeaten 334, Tamim recorded the highest individual score in first-class cricket by a Bangladeshi.East Zone declared on 555 for 2 in reply to Central’s 213 in the first innings, as Tamim put on partnerships worth 62 with Pinak Ghosh for the first wicket, 296 for the second wicket with Mominul Haque and 197 for the unbroken third wicket with Yasir Ali. Tamim struck 42 fours and three sixes in an innings that spanned nearly ten hours, while Mominul made 111 as East Zone put on a mammoth 555-2 in their first innings.Nayeem Hasan took six wickets to bowl Central Zone out for 333 runs in their second innings, with Mohammad Mithun top-scoring with 83.At the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, South Zone and North Zone played out a draw. South Zone took a 55-run first-innings lead after being bowled out for 262.Fazle Mahmud had made 125 for South Zone in the first innings, while Shafiul Islam impressed with the ball. He took six wickets, four of which came in an incredible first over in North Zone’s innings when he removed Liton Das, Junaid Siddique, Mizanur Rahman and Naeem Islam.South Zone then racked up 398 for 3 dec, with Shahriar Nafees (111), Shasmur Rahman (109) and Mahmudullah (100*) hitting centuries and setting a 454-run target. Liton hit an unbeaten 103 for the North Zone as the teams settled for a draw.

The ECB has expanded its group of Cricket Liaison Officers (CLOs) for 2017, with a plan to have one present at every match

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Feb-2017The ECB has expanded its group of Cricket Liaison Officers (CLOs) for 2017, with a plan to have one present at every match. Andy Smith, the former Surrey allrounder, has been appointed to the new role of Cricket Operations Manager to oversee the CLOs.Five new CLOs, all with extensive experience of the county game, have been recruited: Tim Boon, Dean Cosker, Richard Ellison, Wayne Noon and Lloyd Tennant. They join the four appointed in 2015 – Graham Cowdrey, Stuart Cummings, Tony Pigott and Phil Whitticase – plus former international umpire Steve Davis, who joined the panel last year.”I’m delighted to be back in cricket at the ECB, in an interesting and challenging new role,” Smith said. “The Cricket Liaison Officers were introduced to county cricket in 2015 with the twin aims of supporting groundsmen and umpires, with the capacity to attend all four days of a Championship match, unlike Pitch Liaison Officers in the past.”After encouraging feedback following the introduction of this role two years ago, the CLO will now have more decision-making responsibility in the areas of discipline and the rating of pitches. It’s a positive step forward to support the county game and will enable us to provide coverage across all matches for the first time.”The ECB has also added former Derbyshire and Sussex batsman Mark Newell and James Middlebrook, who played for Yorkshire, Essex and Northamptonshire, to its reserve list of first-class umpires for 2017.

New Zealand fast bowler Andy McKay, who played one Test, 19 ODIs and two T20Is, has retired from all forms of cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Jun-2015Former New Zealand fast bowler Andy McKay has retired from all forms of cricket. McKay played one Test for New Zealand, against India in 2010, as well as two T20Is and 19 ODIs, taking a total of of 30 wickets.McKay, 35, hinted that he had taken the decision to spend more time with his family, and according to , he will be moving on to become the clinical lead manager of a physiotherapy practice in Wellington.”You sort of live in a bubble (during festive seasons) and it feels like you’re in a separate world almost,” McKay said.”You can see all these people are on their Christmas holidays but you’re there at work. You sort of get a taste of what it’s like, but it’s a sort of bubble experience.”Mckay spent the majority of his 57-match first-class career with Wellington, who he joined in 2009. Overall, he picked up 186 wickets from 57 first-class matches at an average of 31.88, and also snared 84 scalps from 52 List-A matches.”Coming to Wellington, and I’ve told the guys that this was the best move I ever made in my career. I was 29 and just a run-of-the-mill first-class cricketer,” he said.Though he was not part of the initial squad for the World Cup in 2011, McKay was called up for the semi-final against Sri Lanka after Kyle Mills got injured. New Zealand eventually succumbed to a five-wicket defeat, but the match nonetheless remains a career highlight for McKay.”It was pretty special to play that game,” he said. “I got there two days before the game and Dan (Vettori) said ‘Andy, just be prepared to play’. I thought I was just going as cover and to have the best seat in the house to watch it.”It was down to me and Woody (Wellington team-mate Luke Woodcock) as to who was going to play. Woody had played the quarter-final and we knew they were either going to pick a seamer or a spinner and we finally found out about an hour before the toss.”

Justin Ontong, the Cape Cobras captain, has been found not guilty of ball tampering after an incident in the Cobras’ match against Lions in January

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Feb-2013Justin Ontong, the Cape Cobras captain, has been found not guilty of ball tampering after an incident in the Cobras’ match against Lions in January. Ontong was called to face a disciplinary hearing in relation to a charge of “changing the condition of the ball” but he has now been cleared.The ball had been sent to Australia for examination by manufacturer Kookaburra. Despite a superficial appearance of the seam being interfered with, Kookaburra director Rob Elliot said the damage “could be a manufacturing anomaly in so far as the stitch has pulled through the leather” and was unable to prove ball tampering with any certainty.Cricket South Africa disciplinary commissioner Professsor Rian Cloete said: “In view of this report and the lack of any other evidence, I find that there is no conclusive evidence substantiating the allegation of ball tampering as stated in the Match Report.”The accusation arose during a heated episode in the Sunfoil Series match, which Lions won to close the gap at the top of the table. Umpires Brian Jerling and Shaun George decided to change the ball after concluding that its condition had been altered and offered Lions batsman Quinton de Kock the choice of a replacement. Cobras were reportedly unhappy with the substitute ball, as it was significantly older.De Kock was subsequently involved in an on-field scuffle with Cobras’ Alistair Gray and was suspended for one match after pleading guilty to a Level 2 offence. Cape Cobras had always disputed the charge levelled against Ontong.

England’s Test squad arrived in Dubai at the beginning of a year that will play a big role in determining the legacy that this generation of players leaves behind

Andrew McGlashan03-Jan-2012After their lengthy break from the international circuit, England’s Test squad arrived in Dubai at the beginning of a year that will play a big role in determining the legacy that this generation of players leaves behind. Last year’s Ashes victory in Australia and the rise to No. 1 means this group has already carved their niche in history, but facing them in 2012 are contests that will determine how universally acclaimed they become.Next summer’s home series against West Indies and South Africa are sandwiched between away campaigns in the UAE and the subcontinent that will push the skills of this England team to their limits. Conditions that they are likely to encounter in the Middle East, Sri Lanka and India will require a new set of skills from batsmen and bowlers, and will also push Andrew Strauss as a captain.Victories in such an environment have been rare since Nasser Hussain’s triumphant tours of Pakistan and Sri Lanka in 2000-01. England have twice secured series wins in Bangladesh, but since Hussain’s successes the Johnny Cash-inspired series-levelling victory in Mumbai in 2006 has been the highpoint for them in the subcontinent.”England cricket teams’ record in the sub-continent has been patchy,” Andrew Strauss, the England Test captain, said. “I think it’s a really good time for us to have a lot of subcontinent cricket because we are confident; we’ve done well over the last two years or so and this is a kind of new frontier for us – to win and hopefully win consistently in the sub-continent.”We are aware it’s a stiff challenge and we are also aware you need to have very different types of skills if you want to do well out there. You’ve got to be very fit and it comes at a good time. It’s just what we need as a side but we are not underestimating the size of the challenge.”During England’s climb up the world rankings, which began following their series defeat in the West Indies in early 2009, they have only played one Test series in the subcontinent, when they beat Bangladesh 2-0 in 2010. During Australia’s era-long stay as the No. 1 Test side they achieved series victories in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and, finally, India to confirm their standing. That is the task now facing England.”If you want to be regarded all around the world as the best side in the world, then you’ve got to win in all conditions,” Strauss said. “But the rankings are there for a reason. To get to No. 1 you’ve got to win consistently. It doesn’t mean you’ve got to win every series, but you’ve got to win consistently. I’m very keen to move away from the rankings. I don’t think that’s something we need to focus on hugely at the moment. We are very conscious of concentrating on these short-term goals.”It would be wrong for us not to see these tours to the subcontinent as a way of us pushing ourselves forward as a group. I think that’s a pretty exciting thing to be able to do. Long-term goals are pretty irrelevant unless you can achieve your short-term goals. In some ways these challenges that await us in the next 12 months are more demanding. We are not at home, we are in subcontinent conditions and we need to develop new skills quickly.”Strauss, himself, faces an important year because while England beat all before them in 2011 his own form was patchy. He did not make a Test hundred – his previous three-figure score was 110 at Brisbane in November 2010 – and averaged 28.72 across eight matches. While the team continues to win consistently he won’t be in danger, but Strauss is reaching the stage of his career when he does not want a prolonged lean spell. He went on a pre-Christmas training camp to India but has not played for England since August or competitively since finishing the County Championship season in mid-September.”Last summer I probably didn’t play quite as well as I’d have liked to,” he said. “But form ebbs and flows a bit in Test cricket. I’m very keen to perform well and lead from the front. You can analyse these things to death; the truth is I’ve had a really good break, I’m healthy and I’m motivated. I had a really good training camp in India as well and hopefully that’s a pretty good recipe to play well.”

Jacob Oram has said that participating in the 2011 World Cup is motivating him to continue his injury-ridden career but failure to make the squad for the tournament could prompt him to retire

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Dec-2010Jacob Oram, the New Zealand allrounder, has said that the hope of participating in the 2011 World Cup is motivating him to continue his injury-ridden career but failure to make the squad for the tournament could prompt him to retire. Oram is presently recovering from a knee surgery he had in September.”I remember talking to Shane Bond prior to his retirement, when he had that abdominal strain, and he told me that, for him, that was the one injury too many,” Oram told the . “I think I’m at that point and in that mindset right now.”I’m very highly motivated to go to the World Cup and if it wasn’t on I may have already hung the boots up by now. It’s a very big carrot for me and it may also be the swan song of my career. If that’s to be the case, I’d like to give it everything to try and make it.”Oram’s career has been interrupted by injuries to his knee, back, calf and Achilles tendon. In August, he suffered a recurrence of a patella-tendon injury during the tri-series in Sri Lanka and had surgery for it on September 2. He will not be fully fit in time for New Zealand’s Twenty20 matches against Pakistan before the year ends though he hoped to ease back into action around Christmas for Central Districts during the HRV Cup, New Zealand’s domestic Twenty20 competition.