Otherwise known as part two of the Curiously Disappointing in a Particular Batting Position Test XI

Andy Zaltzman13-May-2014A reminder of the top five in this historic XI that will unquestionably lead to a deeper understanding of the human condition and, from this, world peace:1. Geoff Boycott – averaged 43.9 at number 1; 55.2 at No. 2
2. Mark Taylor – averaged 36.1 at number 2; 52.0 at No. 1
3. Norman O’Neill – averaged 32.0 at number 3; 57.4 at No. 4
4. David Gower – averaged 38.3 at number 4; 49.4 at Nos. 3 or 5
5. The Nawab of Pataudi jnr (captain) – averaged 26.2 at No. 5; 46.0 elsewhereNumber 6. Ian Botham (94 innings at 6, average 29.2; 54 innings at 5 or 7, average 44.8)
No. 6 was, unquestionably, Botham’s position. He owned it for as long as he was fit. Or, in the latter stages of his career, even partially fit, when injuries had taken such a toll that his aura had far better averages than his body. Botham is one of the first names on most all-time England XIs, a match-shaping force of nature, who, in his early years in Tests, was the most complete allrounder that cricket has produced. Botham at 6, plus ten others. In fact, if we are talking about a Botham in his magnificent, statistic-melting, and disappointingly short-lived pomp, you could pick Botham at 6, plus seven or eight others, just to give him a challenge.How do we explain then, that, of the 39 batsmen who have played 30 or more Test innings at No. 6, England’s greatest allrounder has the 38th best average, with only Dwayne Bravo (26.6) beneath him? Batting at 5 (average 53) and 7 (average 40), Botham compares well with the best the Test game has seen, albeit from relatively few innings. He clearly responded well when batting with the extra pressure of the number 5 position. And to the reduced pressure of coming in at 7.Number 7 & wicketkeeper: MS Dhoni (India; 97 innings at 7, average 30.8; 28 innings at 6 and 8, average 67.5)
Counting only innings at 6 and 8, out of the 411 batsmen who have played in those positions a minimum of ten times, Dhoni has the best average in Test history. He averages mid-to-high 60s in both positions. As a No. 7, however, where he has played more than three-quarters of his Test innings, he nestles in the statistical foothills, amongst the likes of less-garlanded and lower-earning wicketkeepers Ridley Jacobs, Prasanna Jayawardene and Rashid Latif, and only slightly ahead of his Indian predecessor Parthiv Patel. A statistical quirk of the highest order.It seems clear from these stats that Dhoni’s mind is focused by not batting in his listed position – it worked for him in the 2011 World Cup final, after all. He should be India’s official No. 11. Then, wherever he bats, he will be like a cross between Gilchrist and Bradman.Number 8. Graeme Swann (England; 13 innings at 8, average 12.5; 61 innings at 9 or 10, average 23.7).
I have bent the qualification criteria to include Swann, because his average as a No. 8 batsman, although garnered from only 13 innings, was what initially sowed the seeds for this blog. Statistically, Swann is Test cricket’s best ever No. 10, and second only to Broad as an England No. 9 (15 innings minimum in both cases). He was a magnificent striker of the ball, and played a number of important innings under pressure. Technically, you would assume there is no practical difference between batting at 8 and batting at 9 or 10. But Swann, in his innings at 8, has a highest score of 32, and had the fifth worst average of the 43 players who have batted at least ten times at No. 8 for England, behind Andy Caddick (who, conversely, averaged 14 at Nos. 8, 10 at number 9, and a pitiful 6.9 at No. 10).Was Swann a talented lower-order batsman who was most comfortable batting in positions that he was too good for? Was he good under certain types of match-play pressure, but not under the added expectation of batting as high as 8? Was Caddick a genuine tailender who, when asked to bat higher up the order due to England’s selectors opting for a tail-end that almost defied cricketing science in its ineptitude, reacted with determination and fortitude, spurred to play above himself by the responsibility thrust upon him? Or are they just the kind of numerical coincidences that cricket pukes out on a daily basis? Send your answers to the International Institute For Cricketing Psychology, c/o La Paz University, Bolivia.Oddly, Swann’s tweaking predecessor for England, Hedley Verity, one of his rivals to the claim of being England’s best ever tailender, suffered a similar failure to replicate low-order effectiveness in the loftier realms of the batting order. The Yorkshire war hero averaged 26.9 at 9 and 10, but only 14.5 at No. 8.Number 9. Ray Lindwall (Australia; 37 innings at 9, average 15.5; 33 innings at 7 or 8, average 29.2)
Lindwall’s bowling was so brilliant that his excellence with the bat is sometimes overlooked. The Eddie Hemmings of his day. The post-war paceman scored a 90-ball century in his fourth innings for Australia, batting at 9 at the MCG against England. For the rest of his career, however, he averaged under 13 when batting there, despite it being his regular position in the order. As a 7/8, however, he was statistically more effective than either Benaud or Davidson, both of whom are more highly regarded as allrounders.Number 10. Phillip DeFreitas (England; 13 innings at 10, average 4.6; 26 innings at 9, average 14.2; 21 innings at 8, average 21.1)
A decent No. 8; an acceptable No. 9; a truly abysmal No. 10. DeFreitas seemed to bat according to the expectations of his batting position. If England had grabbed hold of the promising 20-year-old DeFreitas who toured Australia in 1986-87, and told him to bat at 3 for his entire career, he would have been the new Wally Hammond.Number 11. Lance Gibbs (West Indies; 71 innings at 11, average 4.9; 31 innings at 9 or 10, average 10.3)
Despite a healthy proportion of not-outs, Gibbs was next to useless when going in last. He seemed to thrive on the added excitement and self-esteem of having someone even worse than him in the batting order.This XI will play a five-Test series against the forthcoming Confectionery Stall Brilliant In One Position Only XI, at some point in the next two months. Subject to (a) logistics; (b) TV money; (c) reversibility of retirement/old age/death; and (d) me writing the Brilliant In One Position Only XI.

Western Australia wicketkeeper Sam Whiteman chats about his rise in the domestic ranks, his slowest team-mate, and dinner with Jennifer Aniston

Interview by Will Macpherson05-Jul-2014You’ve just come back from a well-earned end-of-season break. Did you go away? If so, where did you go and with whom?
I’ve just got back from three weeks in America with Mitch Marsh and Matt Dixon, two of my Warriors’ team-mates. We had an awesome time and went to Mexico, LA, Vegas, and then over to New York City.Do you have a nickname?
Whitechops.What’s the best and worst thing about being a keeper?
The best thing is that you’re in the middle of the action, standing and chatting rubbish to your mates in the slip cordon and you’re never alone. Being in the middle of the action is also the worst thing, as it’s actually hard work, unlike some fielding positions! The legs were feeling pretty heavy by the end of the season.Who’s the slowest on his feet in the Western Australia dressing room?
Michael Beer, without a doubt. He’d be pretty slow out the blocks and wouldn’t get any quicker. He’s got the body of a 50-year-old. That said, he’d probably tell you he’d win the race!Worst taste in music?
Marcus Harris has pretty awful tunes. He’s into a lot of gangsta rap.You’re talked about as the next long-term keeper for Australia and are playing for the A team for the first time this winter. How does that make you feel?
I guess firstly it’s a massive honour to be spoken about that way and is very exciting. It’s always nice to have people say things like that about you, but I guess the most important thing is to not let it go to your head. I’m looking forward to linking up with the boys in Queensland this winter and we’ll go from there. Hopefully I’ll get a chance and can have a decent tour. It’s an exciting time.WA had a pretty special year with the Scorchers winning the BBL and the Shield side making the final. What was the most important thing you learned?
I learnt different things from the two finals. It was awesome playing in front of big crowds at the WACA and around the country in the BBL and seeing people so into the game. The BBL final and Shield final, there’s only really one step up from that and that’s international cricket, so it was great to experience both of them. We’ll learn plenty from the disappointment of the Shield and hopefully come back stronger next year.On the flip side, WA cricket took a bit of a blow when it was announced that the WACA has missed out on a Test match this year.
It’s really disappointing. I loved going to the Test match at the WACA as a kid. It’s a ground with a strong history and a lot of character, and the deck is always a cracker that produces a result. It’s a real shame and hopefully there will be Test cricket back at the WACA very soon.Much is made of the fact that you were born in Yorkshire and that your dad is English. Do you reckon you’ve retained an English sense of humour?
Nah, my sense of humour is pretty Aussie – I’ve been here since I was three and it’s all I’ve ever really known.All right then, what’s your favourite joke? Is it printable?
() Most of my jokes are printable but they are pretty cringe-worthy. Why did the golfer take two pairs of socks? In case he got a hole in one!Was there a part of you that thought about going and plying your trade in England?
I went over and played a season of club cricket in Surrey and turned out in a couple of 2nd XI games over there but staying was never something I thought much about. I loved it and had a great time, but I’d grown up in Australia and always dreamt about playing for Australia and Western Australia, so it would have been a bit weird if I’d gone elsewhere.What was your favourite thing about club cricket in England?
I loved the atmosphere around the club and the social side of cricket. That was a great laugh.Do you ever turn your arm over in the nets? And if so, what do you bowl?
I bowl a few offies but they don’t tend to turn much. I usually get kicked out of the nets pretty quickly when I try to have a bowl but I like to blame it on the WACA nets. They’re not really spinners’ wickets, you see.If I said footy, what sport would I be talking about?
Australian Rules.Did you play it when you were growing up?
Yeah, I loved playing footy but I was no use whatsoever! I just wasn’t tough enough. I used to play footy, basketball, pretty much anything with a ball actually, but I was only any good at cricket.Any hidden talents?
() Definitely nothing of any use! I can juggle but that’s about it.Who would be on your dream dinner-party guest list and what would be on the menu?
I’d cook steak. It’s simple and you can’t go wrong. The guest list would be more tricky. It’s got to be a woman, hasn’t it? I’ll say Jennifer Aniston.

Plays of the day from the first ODI between India and West Indies in Kochi

Devashish Fuloria08-Oct-2014Kohli’s extended summer break
Virat Kohli’s reputation took a hit during the English summer. Every other day, experts deconstructed how his angled bat was the reason for his failures. Umpteen replays showed how match after match, he kept edging. James Anderson’s celebrations diminished in intensity as the series progressed; Kohli’s wicket was a given. The home series against West Indies was supposed to bring joy, and Kohli’s push through wide mid-on was a signal in the first ODI. However, as Jerome Taylor found away movement, Kohli found his edge.Kohli’s fielding has been a nightmare too. Today, he took one catch at long-off. In the last over of the innings, another chance came his way. Kohli moved to his left at long-off and got into position to take the overhead chance, but the ball bounced out of his hands to land over the boundary. The ghosts of the summer were still around.Six and out
The West Indian batsmen love their sixes. Dwayne Smith had hit one early in his innings off Ravindra Jadeja. As the bowler came to bowl his third over, Smith greeted him with a straight hit that went all the way, but in trying to repeat the shot next ball, Smith missed and was bowled. Little did Darren Bravo, watching from the other end, know he was going to meet the same fate. He drove a flighted delivery from Amit Mishra over long-off for his first six, and was caught at the boundary the very next ball as he tried to repeat the shot.The tandem effort that wasn’t
Mohit Sharma, from long-on, covered good ground towards the sight-screen to cut off a Smith straight drive in the 15th over. He swooped low, picked up the ball cleanly, and as he was losing balance he lobbed the ball towards Ajinkya Rahane, who had run all the way from mid-off. However, Mohit’s lob wasn’t controlled or accurate, which meant Rahane had to run back towards mid-off to gather the ball, resulting in an extra run.The field-placement reversal
Two short balls from Taylor in his second over were emphatically pulled for boundaries by Rahane, prompting Dwayne Bravo to push square leg back and bring the fine leg in the circle in Taylor’s next over. Taylor, however, served up a ball he shouldn’t have – a half-volley on the pads. Rahane flicked it fine, to the right of the short fine-leg fielder. Three balls later, another fuller delivery was glanced through the left of that fielder. Dwayne Bravo quickly went back to his original field of having the fine leg out and square leg in.Bravo! The opening
Dwayne Bravo had opened the batting in ODIs before, twice to be exact. The ploy hadn’t been successful though, highlighting why it had not been tried in the last six years. But with Lendl Simmons injured, Bravo, the captain, took the responsibility and strode out to partner Smith. He played like an opener too, crunching two length deliveries from his Chennai Super Kings team-mate Mohit through covers off the back foot, all along the ground. However, it wasn’t too long before his natural instincts took over. He tried to play a lofted drive against an away-swinging Mohammed Shami delivery, but edged it to slip.

Eventually, with the batting failures accumulating and his captaincy not compensating, the reasons for persisting with Alastair Cook are wearing out

George Dobell at Lord's18-Jul-2014Had an undertaker taken measurements of Alastair Cook as he made his way back to the pavilion, the signs could hardly have been more obvious: after another poor display in the field on the opening day and another poor display with the bat on the second, time is running out for England’s captain.Cook’s failure at Lord’s was familiar in every sense. Not just because it extended his run of low scores to the stage where they can no longer be ignored by an England management desperate for him to succeed, but for the manner of his dismissal. Cook, as so often, was caught behind after poking at one just outside off stump without moving his feet. He has now gone 26 innings without a century and averages 13.37 this calendar year. Those are figures that can no longer be ignored or excused.The groan that rose from Lord’s upon Cook’s dismissal spoke volumes. It spoke of a crowd desperately willing Cook to succeed; it spoke of a crowd that understood how hard he is working, how much he is struggling and of their empathy for a decent man descending into his own private hell.He had looked in better touch. He left the ball well. His defensive strokes all hit the middle of the bat and, in general, went straight back to the bowler. There was a sense that this might be his day.And it is true that he has enjoyed little luck. While Gary Ballance benefited from a reprieve in the slips early in his century, Cook had no such fortune. And while the ball that struck his thigh pad at Trent Bridge might usually have glanced away for leg byes, it instead cannoned onto his leg stump.But only fools and losers continually blame luck for their failings. Eventually you have to accept that if a result recurs often, there is an underlying reason.It has not been unreasonable to keep faith with Cook until now. His long-term record remains good – though his average has dropped to a fraction over 45 – and he is, at 29, young enough to come again. But eventually, with the run of low scores growing longer, it appears ever more as if the England management are desperate for him to succeed as much so save their own face as anything else.They staked everything on Cook. They sacked Kevin Pietersen and decided to rebuild upon the rock of Cook’s run scoring. But perhaps due to the pressure that decision added, he has been unable to sustain the form required for a Test opening batsman. The management’s faith and continuity is starting to look desperate rather than loyal and sensible. Just as it is becoming impossible to deny the deterioration in Matt Prior’s keeping, so Cook’s problems have become impossible to ignore.While Cook is batting ever more like Mike Brearley – who, speaking on , questioned whether Cook would survive his current malaise – he is no nearer to captaining like him.After an improved performance at Trent Bridge, he chased the game in the field on Thursday and suggested that all the criticism he has attracted had started to distort his thinking. Just when England needed to patiently persist on an old-fashioned line and length attack, they experimented with three men out on the hook and a round the wicket bouncer barrage. It was, by any standards, poor captaincy.And eventually, with the batting failures accumulating and his captaincy not compensating, the reasons for persisting with Cook are wearing out. If England lose this match, a match in which they won a crucial toss, Cook’s future will be hanging by a thread. We may well be in the end days now.If and when the end comes for Cook, he might well reflect on the lack of support he has gained from his senior players. For various reasons – fitness mainly – Prior has been unable to provide the support he might have done in previous years, while James Anderson and Stuart Broad let him down with their bowling both at Headingley and in the first innings here. Ian Bell’s lack of runs is bringing no respite, either.Cook is now clinging to his position by the flimsiest of reasons: the lack of alternatives. Neither the candidates for replacement opening batsman or the opening position spring out. If they did, Cook would surely have gone by now.The most obvious alternative as captain is Bell. He has captained, albeit on a part-time basis, with some success for Warwickshire. He showed himself to be an imaginative leader whose own game seemed to improve with the responsibility.But not only is his own form a nagging worry – nobody doubts Bell’s class but it is now 18 innings since he registered a Test century and, since the start of the Ashes series in Australia, he is averaging 27.53 – but there is some doubt as to whether he can replicate those leadership characteristics at this level.While at county level Bell is something of a giant, respected by his peers and confident in the environment, most insiders talk of him in very different terms in the England set-up. He is seen more as a follower than a leader and there are doubts whether he could control other senior players as required.Captaincy might well prove the making of him, but it would constitute a risk.Joe Root also has his supporters. But just as his premature elevation to the opening spot threatened to derail his progress, so the burden of captaincy might prove unhelpful for a 23-year-old whose game is still in its development phase. He has little experience in the role – his one game as captain of Yorkshire earlier this season ended in Middlesex chasing 472 to win in the fourth innings for the loss of only three wickets – and to promote him now might risk spoiling one of the more exciting prospects in the English game.Cook has one more chance in the second innings. But if he fails again and England lose the game, his days may be numbered. He will be batting for his future in the fourth innings at Lord’s.

How a medical charity convinced the MCC and the Swedes to help spread the message of cricket among kids in Afghanistan

10-Jul-2014Afghanistan’s national players take time out to coach kids•Afghan ConnectionMy love affair with Afghanistan first began as an unseasoned medical student. I worked at a hospital for women and children just near the Afghan border in Pakistan for three months, and later travelled there as a newly qualified doctor during the Soviet-Afghan war, working from a Mujahideen camp for refugee women and children. Thirteen years later, I returned with two ex-army officers to work in a clinic they had built in the Panjshir Valley, Afghanistan, which was now under the Taliban’s administration. Our extraordinary journey, the work I did and all the people I met had such a profound impact on me that I founded Afghan Connection.I love the Afghan people. Their hospitality and resilience is astonishing. Everywhere I’ve travelled in Afghanistan, I have been taken in by total strangers and looked after, however little they have. The value they place on education and their determination to turn their country around themselves is an abiding inspiration to me. I feel privileged to stay in Afghan homes, in remote areas which receive so little support from the outside world, and to be counted as someone they trust. I don’t want to let them down and will continue to support them for as long as I can.HUMBLE BEGINNINGS: Sober Swedes and some trousers from Leicester
In 2008, I’d been working in Afghanistan for six years with Afghan Connection. This was initially founded to provide medical equipment, training and support for vaccination programmes, and developed into a focus on education programmes, specifically in north-eastern Afghanistan.One day, my son Alex, who was 14 at the time, complained to me that it was all very well building schools, but had I noticed that the Afghan cricket team is doing really well? They had recently visited Sandhurst for a game and were just beginning to play around the world, laying the foundations for cricket’s most modern fairytale. They didn’t have much support at the time and he suggested that we might be able to help.People were very generous with kit and we managed to cobble lots of bats and balls together. I somehow condensed all this into my luggage and headed out to Kabul where I met the national side, practising in a dust field. There had actually been a bit of a ball shortage when I got there so the new gear and just a bit of general support seemed to be well-received.They went off to play and started winning tournaments and rising through the ranks. Meanwhile, Alex wrote to all the cricket counties to ask for support for the Afghan national side.The grand sum of these considerable efforts was a pair of trousers from Leicestershire and a telephone number from Kent. It was suggested that we get in touch with Matthew Fleming, ex-England allrounder and MCC representative for Afghanistan. A message was left and Fleming rang Alex back directly. He said, “Look, the MCC are trying to support projects in Afghanistan but we can’t find a way to do it. So why don’t we meet?”We were extremely fortunate to get some sponsorship from the MCC. The next step was to try to persuade the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan, the operating partner who build schools for us, to get involved with the project. Cricket isn’t unduly high on the agenda of most Scandinavian countries and I had to persuade them to start building cricket pitches.Alex and I went to London to meet with the committee director. At first, I must admit, he came across as a rather sober Swede, without much of a sense of humour. But it later transpired that he had a marvellous twinkle and directed the entire interview at Alex, who explained, at length, the cricket idea.When the pitch was over, pun intended, he said “Well, Sweden, cricket… I don’t get you but actually, you’re so enthusiastic, if you find out how we build cricket pitches, we will help you.” So Alex went online and found a guide on “how to build a concrete wicket”. This was forwarded to the Swedes and they promptly set their Afghan engineers to work on it. The engineers were absolutely thrilled because they’re all mad about the game and certainly never expected to see the day when the Swedes would take an interest. To date, convincing them to is probably our biggest success story.THE MCC
Just a few weeks and some efficient Afghan engineering later, a new concrete pitch was up and running. To open it, Matthew Fleming said he would like to come out in person to northern Afghanistan and then join in our first cricket camp, for 150 boys, in Jalalabad. The day after he touched down, I took him straight up to the school, which was in the middle of nowhere. It took us a solid seven hours, off-road up the Salang Pass, one of the highest mountain roads in the world.All 2,000 boys in the school, which was actually twinned with Eton, had turned out to greet us when we arrived. We charged Ali, our driver, who’s crazy about cricket, with handing out some equipment, which had been donated by the MCC. This was a marvellous job for him. All the boys lined up and came to the car. He’d been driving for the Swedish Committee for years but now this was his moment! We have a picture of him on that day wearing the broadest smile I’ve ever seen.Matthew then joined in a game of cricket with all the boys in the school. A couple of them had been in Pakistan and they actually recognised him from a computer game, which made them all terribly excited. That was the first pitch we ever built in Afghanistan.IT NEVER RAINS…
With the wheels set in motion, Matthew and I then flew down to Jalalabad, as the road was considered too dangerous at the time. We travelled on a small aircraft, as the only passengers on board, and landed slap in the middle of a terrific thunderstorm. When we awoke the next day, the whole place was underwater. There’d been more rain than they’d had for 40 years and there were rickshaws floating down the road.

The girls tell me that the cricket camps are the happiest days of their lives, that it’s unlike anything they’ve ever been allowed to do

The entire Afghan national side were en route to give some coaching sessions for three days and I was in tears. After all that planning, I thought it couldn’t possibly go ahead. But a stoic Matthew Fleming, as the water dripped onto our cereal from the roof, said to me “Sarah, look, what will be, will be. We’ll be fine.” We spent the morning in a colossal hall with the Afghan team. They handed out cricket kit to the boys who all hurriedly changed into their new whites. Many didn’t even have shoes but they had these beautiful, brilliant white clothes.Matthew gave a rousing speech about the MCC, which was translated, about “The Spirit of Cricket”, and everyone was cheering and clapping. We all ventured outside because the sun had dried out all the rain and the boys were coached by the whole of the Afghan team, for three days, ending with a tournament. It was all very moving.A month later, the Swedes went to visit the schools and the boys were still in their whites. After-school cricket clubs had been set up for them and their friends and now one of the boys from that camp is playing for the Afghan under-16s. His parents hadn’t wanted him to play cricket but now they see the value of it.WHO TEACHES THE TEACHERS?
Five years later, with generous funding from the MCC and private donors, we’ve built 37 pitches, staged camps for over 3,000 kids and set up some training for ICC Level 1 coaches. We’ve also started training teachers to teach the children proper cricket skills.There have been two teacher coaching camps this year and 40 teachers from the schools where we’ve built cricket pitches have recently had training. With money we had left over, we staged a grand tournament between all the schools in which we’d built pitches over the last year.This is fantastic for encouraging competition between schools and it boosts the morale of the schoolteachers that want to teach cricket. We’re now concentrating on an area at a time so that we can consolidate our work. Overall, we’ve worked in 22 provinces but we did the east last year and this year, we’re doing the north. We’re basing it in Kunduz, building pitches and doing the camps there, but we’re also going to do another camp and tournament for teachers down in the east to follow up last year’s efforts.It’s enormously exciting. We don’t know what’s going to happen from 2015; we’ve got MCC support until the end of that year and then, after that, we’ll be in discussions about how to move forward, how to find new investors or whether they’ll fund us again. They’re incredibly supportive.COVERT CRICKET
Promoting women’s cricket in Afghanistan can be difficult. When we first started, we only did male cricket but then a post on the MCC website said, “Well that’s great, but what about the girls?” And so we supported a United Nations International Day of Peace, who organised a camp for about 150 girls in Jalalabad. We funded that for the United Nations and then we started funding girls camps in Jalalabad, Mazar e Sharif, and Kabul. I wouldn’t do it anywhere outside of those big cities though. I don’t want to blow all the good we’re doing by moving too fast.When we do a camp for girls we have to do it very sensitively and get parental consent, in schools where they play cricket (these are usually in Hazara communities because they’re more broad-minded about these things). There are also some girls who’ve lived in Pakistan, in the refugee camps, who have already played. We use female coaches and there are some sisters who’ve played for the Afghan national team who help out too. They’re such amazing women. There are various families where fathers have been incredible and let their girls play cricket, building pitches in their back gardens so that the girls can be hidden to play.The girls tell me that the cricket camps are the happiest days of their lives, that it’s unlike anything they’ve ever been allowed to do. Though there’s a little more in Kabul, there’s generally very little sport for most girls in Afghanistan. To support it, we’ve had schools holding cricket days in honour of the kids in Afghanistan and they have worn caps that say “Afghanistan Connection Cricket Project”, got together kit to send out to Afghanistan and written letters to the schoolkids out there, letting them know they’re supporting them.Former cricketer and MCC representative for Afghanistan Matthew Fleming works with schoolkids•Afghan ConnectionMAD MULLAHS
Because of the instability of the country we’ve built all our pitches in schools where the Swedish Committee works, so they know the district education authorities. But the Afghan Ministry of Education is very pro-cricket and cricket has its own minister who reports directly to the president’s office! We can do our camps in any area because it’s the Afghan national side who are doing the training (as Afghans they can travel anywhere unhindered). But the schools we build pitches for are determined by co-ordination with the Swedish Committee and those areas in which they’re working.We’ve only really had positive receptions since we started out. However, I remember when Matthew came out for the first camp, there were some Mullahs on the touchline, causing a bit of a scene, trying to stop the cricket going ahead. And it was because I was there. Because I was female, a foreigner, and Matthew was a foreigner. They didn’t want us there but, fantastically, nobody took a blind bit of notice. We just carried on. I got really worried! And everyone just nonchalantly said, “Oh, we’re not going to listen to them.” I think because cricket’s such a huge success story and the team have done so well, everyone recognises that it’s something to give them a distinct national identity, which is something that’s been missing.DOWN WITH THE KIDS
Looking forward, we need to keep going at grass roots. I don’t really want to do anything other than help schoolkids and teachers because the ICC are supporting Afghanistan now; there are international stadiums, there’s money coming in. It’s whether that all filters down, and we’re very happy to sit at the bottom making sure that it does. The kids are the future.I’d like to be able to put more infrastructure into the schools when we build pitches, and perhaps organise some tournaments between the east and the north, rather than just having schools in the east play other schools in the east. We’ve talked about scholarships for the kids to come over here, to the MCC and others but I’d prefer to concentrate on the individual. There’s so much to be done in Afghanistan but I hope that we’ll be able to keep it going, that we’ll do more for girls and keep the boys going strongly. Ultimately it’ll depend on funding.When I was there in 2001, I’d never, ever been somewhere with absolutely no hope before. It was so depressing, there was nothing even remotely good to raise the spirits. Throughout my time there, maybe one good thing happened: a baby, which we thought was dead, lived. And that was it. But now, seeing girls and boys out there, playing street cricket; it’s been completely transformative. Nobody ever sees that, you just see the grimness of war. But it’s getting that message out to people: that the country’s not just a bunch of Taliban, that it’s full of good people. All those Afghans who’ve seen us turn up at camps, and seen that the Swedes and the Brits are helping them with cricket and building schools for them, it’s a very strong message that changes traditional perceptions of the West. The fact the MCC, that famous establishment, are supporting the Afghans in such a way speaks volumes to me.

Stats highlights from Rohit Sharma’s world record knock of 264

Bishen Jeswant13-Nov-2014264 Rohit Sharma’s score today, a world record for the highest ODI score. This is also the second-highest score in List A cricket, which includes domestic one-dayers as well. Surrey’s Ali Brown holds the record, after his innings of 268 against Glamorgan in 2002.2 Number of double centuries that Rohit has scored in ODI cricket, making him the first batsman to do so. In November 2013, Rohit had scored 209 against Australia. However, Ali Brown has already achieved this feat in List A cricket, with a score of 203 against Hampshire in 1997, apart from the innings against Glamorgan mentioned above.173 Number of balls played by Rohit during his innings, the highest by any batsman in a 50-over ODI. Including 60-over ODIs, this is the sixth most, and the second most by an Indian, after Sunil Gavaskar’s 174-ball 36 during the 1975 World Cup.65 Percentage of team runs scored by Rohit – he scored 264 out of India’s 404 runs (65.3%). This is the third highest percentage of team runs scored by a batsman in a completed ODI innings. Kapil Dev is just ahead of him with 65.8% (scoring 175 out of of 266), while Viv Richards leads the list (69.5%) with 189* off 272.85.2 Percentage of runs contributed by Rohit to the 128-run fifth wicket partnership between himself and Robin Uthappa. Rohit scored 109 of those runs. Since 2007, this is the highest percentage contribution by one batsman in ODI partnership of 100 runs of more. The second highest is 82.6% which James Faulkner contributed in a partnership with Clint McKay last year, which incidentally was the game in which Rohit made his previous ODI double hundred.33 Number of fours that Rohit hit during his innings, a world record. The previous record was 25, by Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag during their respective ODI double hundreds. Rohit Sharma only hit 12 fours during his previous double hundred against Australia.16 Number of sixes that Rohit hit during his earlier double hundred against Australia, still the world record for the most sixes in an ODI innings. During his innings of 264 in this game, he hit only nine sixes, but more than made up with his 33 fours.15 Number of balls in which Rohit went from 200 to 250, the fifth of his five fifties. He scored his first fifty off 72 balls. His second, third and fourth fifties came off 28, 25 and 26 balls respectively.39 Number of dot balls that Rohit played to get his first 50 runs. He only played 19 dot balls in the remainder of his innings, i.e to score 214 runs. After getting to 150, Rohit played only eight for his remaining 114 runs.38.2 Rohit’s current batting average in ODIs. Before this innings, he averaged 35.9. If Rohit had scored two ducks instead of two double hundreds, his average would have been 33.4, about five points lower. His average as an opener has gone up from 43.7 to 49.3 with this one innings.198 Difference between Rohit’s score (264) and that of the next highest scorer, Virat Kohli (66). This is the biggest difference between the top scorer and the next highest scorer in ODIs. Next on the list is Viv Richards. Eldine Baptiste made 26, while Richards made 189 against England in 1984, a difference of 163.4 Rohit’s score when he was first dropped by Sri Lanka – a sitter by Thisara Perera at third man. Sri Lanka dropped easy chances when he was on 201 and 222 as well.252 Average runs per innings for teams in ODIs over the last ten years. Rohit alone scored 264 in this game.251 Runs scored by Sri Lanka during their chase, 13 runs short of Rohit’s 264, and 153 short of India’s 404.

The Cake Tin has something for everyone

Marc Swain-Rogatski04-Nov-2014The venue
The capital city of New Zealand is home to Wellington Regional Stadium or Westpac Stadium, known to most as the Cake Tin, a moniker it lives up to in aerial views. Located in an area central to the city and next to the waterfront on Waterloo Quay, the stadium can seat 34,000 people. The ground holds the popular Rugby Sevens tournament every year and is home to the Hurricanes Super Rugby team and the Wellington Phoenix football club. The venue is multi-purpose and is also used for concerts. The Wellington School of Cricket and the New Zealand Institute of Sport are all included as part of the stadium. The ground originated from a necessity to replace the Athletic Park, which was showing its age after 100 years of action.While Test cricket has been played for many years at Basin Reserve, near the airport, the Westpac Stadium provides better access and a larger capacity. It will provide a great spectacle for punters coming to the capital for the World Cup. The stadium has held ODIs since 2000 and is a great ground for the shorter format. It will host England in two league games, playing New Zealand first, then Sri Lanka, and a pool game between South Africa and UAE. The fourth quarter-final is also scheduled there on March 21.Ground page | FixturesGreat matches
New Zealand v Australia, 2nd ODI, Chappell-Hadlee Trophy, December 2005
A blistering 156 from Andrew Symonds set the tone for this thriller, with the visitors accumulating a huge 322 batting first. This proved two runs too many at the finish for New Zealand, despite great resistance from Chris Cairns and Brendon McCullum.New Zealand v Pakistan, 5th ODI, January 2004
The home team looked to have had this in the bag before a late scare from Abdur Razzaq, whose 89 from 40 balls left the visitors just four runs short. Earlier, 80s by Hamish Marshall and Craig McMillan lifted New Zealand to 307.Top performers in ODIs
Most runs: Nathan Astle 376 at 53.71 | Highest score: Andrew Symonds, 156 v New Zealand | Most wickets: Daniel Vettori, 19 at 29.52 | Best bowling: Shane Bond, 5 for 23 v AustraliaMajor players
James Franklin | Jeetan Patel | Grant Elliott | Mark Gillespie | Gavin Larsen | Andrew Jones | Martin Crowe | Jeremy Coney | Jesse RyderHome team
The Wellington Firebirds represent the capital, with many fine players having played for the windy city. Firebirds have an excellent record, having won the first-class Plunket Shield 20 times in its history.

Stats highlights from the group game between South Africa and Zimbabwe in Hamilton

Bishen Jeswant15-Feb-2015256 The partnership between David Miller and JP Duminy, an ODI record for the fifth wicket. It was also South Africa’s highest partnership for any wicket.3 Instances where Nos. 5 and 6 have both scored centuries in the same ODI. Both Miller (138) and Duminy (115) got hundreds for South Africa in this game. The last two times that this happened were in 2013 (England) and 1997 (India).28 Runs scored by South Africa in the first ten overs of their innings, their lowest against Zimbabwe when batting first since 2001, prior to which ball-by-ball is unavailable. However, they still went on to post 339, South Africa’s fifth highest score against Zimbabwe.96 Runs scored by South Africa during the last five overs of the innings, the second-most for South Africa and the fifth-most for any team. The most runs scored during this stage of an innings is 110, by New Zealand against USA in 2004.2 Number of South Africa batsmen who have scored a century on World Cup debut – Gary Kirsten and Miller. Kirsten had scored 188 not out against UAE in 1996.144 Number of ODIs played by Hamilton Masakadza before playing his first World Cup game today. In the other Pool A game being played today, between India and Pakistan, Ravindra Jadeja and Rohit Sharma, two other experienced players who have played 111 and 127 ODIs respectively, made their World Cup debuts.277 Runs scored by Zimbabwe, their third-highest score in an ODI against South Africa. Zimbabwe’s top eight scores against South Africa have all come in losses.

The form has survived from the beginnings of cricket well into the digital age

David Dawkins06-Feb-2015Cricket imagery has a heritage going back about 275 years, and it may surprise you to learn that the first modern representation of cricket was in fact by a Frenchman. Hubert Gravelot’s “The Game of Cricket”, from 1739, captures the innocence of children – one with a bat, the other with a ball, quite a few others presumably in the field. Though the French never really took to cricket subsequently, this image marks an important moment in the history of the sport as one of the earliest depictions of the game.Through the 18th century, illustrations were a part of cricket’s narrative – appearing on cigarette cards, in boy’s own magazines, political satire and irreverent caricature. Cricket is a sport that well reflects our love of storytelling, and as we all know, an image is worth a thousand words.While there are various early depictions of the game, in the form of church windows and the like, cricket imagery began to take hold in the first half of the 18th century. Around the same time (1744), the Code of Laws was being drawn up, and the MCC was formed in 1787. As Neil Robinson, a research officer at the MCC and the manager of the cricket library at Lord’s, explains: “Cricket was seen as representing the British values that the aristocracy wished to be seen as standing for, and when they or their children sat for their portraits it was natural that in including elements that would speak for their character and accomplishments, they would choose to be pictured with their cricket equipment.”Hubert Gravelot’s “The Game of Cricket”, from the mid-18th century•Hubert GravelotThe transition from cricket images making their way from the private collections of the wealthy into the daily lives of the Victorian chattering class began on the pages of various weekly print publications that emerged in the late 19th century. was first published in 1868, and with its bold, full-colour cartoons it set about further intertwining the British establishment with cricket, reflecting as it did the primary concerns of the Victorian middle classes – the empire, sport, society and politics.Possibly ‘s two most famous employees were the cartoonists who went by the names “Ape” and “Spy”. Ape was Carlo Pellegrini, a descendent of the Medici family and a trained artist known for being flamboyant. Spy, Sir Leslie Ward, had a classical background, as a protégé of Sir John Everett Millias and the great-grandson of the romantic painter James Ward. He had a keen eye as a society insider and was a cold observer of those in power. Both men brought great charm to their subjects by combining – in often the most delicate way – personality traits with physical representation.Toby Pennington, an illustrator himself and a collector of the cartoons, says of Spy’s relationship with cricket: “He seemed able to pick up on all the tiny little things that someone might do. Whether it be someone’s stance, the way they used a handkerchief, or how they pushed their glasses back up onto their nose. This is a different skill from caricature, where you just draw someone with a big nose and make it bigger. This requires a , for it to become a part of the .”Are they art, though, belonging to the canon of portraiture, or more a part of the charming tradition of illustration? “It would not be fair to describe the cartoons as great art,” John Arlott once said. I put the question to Robinson of the MCC, who said, “I can’t comment much on the attitude at the time – this is before MCC even had a Museum – but I think we certainly do consider Spy to be art.” And so the debate rumbles on.Spy’s rendition of Fred Spofforth•Vanity FairAround the same time another storytelling culture was beginning to emerge. One dealing with ruddy-cheeked young boys and buttery crumpet stains on school hymn books. As CLR James recalls in , “[…] there would also be articles on the great cricketers of the day, WG Grace, Ranjitsinhji, Victor Trumper…. , a magazine called … the Mike stories by PG Wodehouse and scores of similar books and magazines. These we understood, these we lived by, the principles they taught we absorbed through the pores and practised instinctively. The books we read in class meant little to us.” James indicates just how central words and images were to the minds of the young men who might one day grow up to play or follow the game into adulthood. It was a different time; if you wanted to know what a cover drive might look like, you’d have to read the words carefully. The illustration was there to help.If these images captured the imagination of young schoolboys, British adults – the longer-limbed version of the British schoolboy – enjoyed the ridiculing of public figures of authority just as much has their younger selves once had done.Toby Pennington’s work, starring Beefy and Immy•Toby Pennington was a weekly satirical magazine first published in 1841. ‘s cartoons were the internet memes of the day. The publication held a virtual monopoly on the work of the illustrators of the era, and this led to illustrators becoming part of the journalistic establishment.”To be totally honest, I did it on a whim,” Pennington said of his illustration of Shakib Al Hasan knocking on the door of the elite allrounders’ club, which he said came from reading and seeing year after year the page for the record of ten wickets and a century in a Test. A page with only two names – Imran Khan and Sir Ian Botham. “Shakib is a part of the IPL generation of T20 mercenaries that Botham seems to think are ruining the game. He’s a good player, though, and I like the idea of him challenging the old guard,” Pennington says.As the digital age has developed and the need for paper has diminished, so too has the nature of illustration. Contemporary illustration isn’t just about pencil on paper. As Gareth Proskourine-Barnett, illustration tutor at the University of Worcester points out, “We’ve seen illustration, typography, gif imagery and collages among other things coming much closer together.”If illustration dies then so too does our ability to produce something imaginative that runs alongside the accepted norm of everything being, and a part of believable, everyday reality. Sometimes sport and people do things that operate outside of those terms. Sometimes, reality is only so valuable.”Nicola Davies’ “Art of Fielding”•Nicola DaviesAnother image-maker, Nicola Davies, is not an illustrator, but her work is very much illustrative, and “Art of Fielding” is a great example of the new ways image-makers are intertwining sport and image once again in the 21st century.”I’ve always been an admirer of typographic designs and a bit of a sucker for fonts,” says Davies, whose designs have been used to raise money for the Time for Change campaign, and who gives 10% of all her proceeds to the mental health charity Mind. “I found Mike Yardy’s open disclosure about his mental health issues incredibly inspiring and I wanted to use my work as an opportunity to provide awareness of mental health issues, because I’ve had my own problems with depression and know how difficult it can be to ask for help.”Illustration’s role in the 21st century falls into the nooks and crannies of an age dominated by technical innovation and speed. Has there ever been a sport in which the most charming and timeless details, the smallest points of interest, are celebrated the way they are in cricket? As Robinson suggests, “Cricket is fortunate in having always been a sport that has benefited from a substantial cultural hinterland, and it remains a big part of what people love about the game.”Cigarette cards featuring the stars of the early 20th century•David DawkinsAs image-makers change the way they work to fit the world we live in, illustration – a tradition nearly as old as the game itself – lives on. Cricket is a game to which, it seems, creative-minded people cannot help but gravitate, and with illustrators like Pennington and conscientious print-makers like Davies the form will continue to capture the game we love with the warmth, wit and craft of all those that have come before.

One of Afghanistan coach Andy Moles’ constant demands of his players is just to see improvement. He is not expecting miracles. On that scale, Najibullah Zadran will have emerged from the heavy defeat against New Zealand in considerable credit

Andrew McGlashan in Napier08-Mar-2015″He can’t block the ball to save his life.” That was Andy Moles’ assessment of Najibullah Zadran during the match against Sri Lanka in Dunedin. As the coach uttered those words, Najibullah opened his account with a six. Shortly after the interview finished he slotted one straight up in the air and was caught.Plenty of things about the job Moles has taken will cause him to take a deep breath, but one of his constant demands of his players is just to see improvement. He is not expecting miracles. On that scale, Najibullah will have emerged from the heavy defeat against New Zealand in considerable credit.Walking in at 59 for 6 he added 86 for the seventh wicket with Samiullah Shenwari with a run-a-ball 56. It was an innings of impressive selectivity apart from one occasion when he got carried away having deposited Tim Southee onto the roof at deep square-leg and tried to repeat the stroke next ball, only to be reprieved by Martin Guptill. Contrary, though, to Moles’ earlier view that was more an exception than a rule.He has fantastically fast hands, as was evident when he was picking off early boundaries against Adam Milne and later put Southee into the stands for a second time. “There’s a lot of respect around the Afghanistan team, they are good players and have a nicely balanced line-up which you saw today by the way they were able to counterattack,” Daniel Vettori said.Shenwari has previously shown his qualities when he guided his side to the brink of victory from an almost hopeless position against Scotland. This innings, against a much superior attack, also included a nasty blow to the helmet when he was facing Corey Anderson. It left a dent in the helmet and Shenwari needed treatment an over later when the effects of the hit became apparent. However, he later fielded and bowled without any apparent unease.The innings of Shenwari and Najibullah should have been a lesson to the rest of the Afghanistan top order. Clearly they were expected to be out-classed, but there were some soft dismissals on display. Facing Daniel Vettori in the third over perhaps was too much of a relief after the challenges faced at the WACA a few days ago. They are not the first side to be defeated by a lack of turn from Vettori, but Narwoz Mangal’s cut and Mohammad Nabi’s dab to slip belied their experience.”The way Najibullah and Shenwari played was quite good and maybe the top order will learn from that and take responsibility,” Nabi said. “Najibullah is an aggressive player, but we didn’t give him a big platform. He has been under pressure in every match after losing early wickets. If we had scored 270 it could have been a different match.”When you play against big teams it’s completely different than against the Associate teams. It’s quite difficult to adjust against world-class bowlers both quicks and spinners. New Zealand bowled brilliantly.”Afghanistan’s attack has earned many plaudits over the last few weeks, but the batting will not leave with the same feel-good factor. They were 97 for 7 against Scotland before the tremendous recovery, while their completed innings have been 162, 232, 142 and in this match, 186. However, their opposition have been impressed by the overall package.”I look at Afghanistan and think that’s the beginning of a very good team,” Vettori said. “The way they are balanced, the firepower all through their batting order and their bowling line-up, especially the three fast bowlers, are impressive. Having three guys over 140 will give you a chance to win games at the top-tier level.”For Nabi, as he and his team prepared for another journey back to Australia for their final game in Sydney, there was one thought keeping him hopeful. “England are also in trouble at the World Cup and we will try our hardest.”