All posts by csb10.top

David James, who played for Glamorgan in their Championship winning year in 1948, has died at Margam on February 22nd, nine days short of his 81st birthday.Born in Briton Ferry, James had an illustrious career in club cricket in the Neath area. He played with distinction both for Briton Ferry Town and Briton Ferry Steel, but like so many of his generation, his best years as a young cricketer were lost to the War. Under different circumstances, the young all-rounder might have won a place on the county`s staff.However, in 1948 the right handed batsman and seam bowler was called into the county side for the match with Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge, and he marked his one and only first-class appearance by scoring 17 and taking 1-59.Despite an outstanding record in the local leagues, James was never called up again by the county`s selectors, but he remained very proud of his achievement – especially as 1948 was the year that Glamorgan became County Champions for the first time in their history – and he was a regular attender at the county`s Former Players meeting.His father, Edward Hugh James, had also played for Glamorgan in their earliest years in Championship cricket, with the left-arm spinner appearing in seven games between 1920 and 1922.

Match facts
September 19, 2012
Start time 1530 local (1000 GMT)Shane Watson and David Warner will try to blast Ireland into submission•Getty Images

Big Picture Twice in their history, Australia have slipped up disastrously against a less than fancied opponent early in a major event. The first instance came in 1983, when a Zimbabwe team led by Duncan Fletcher – who else? – ground down Kim Hughes’ XI in the first round of the World Cup. Twenty-four years later, another Zimbabwe side upset Australia at the outset of the 2007 World Twenty20 in South Africa, a result that confirmed Ricky Ponting’s side was less serious than required to deal successfully in the game’s shortest variant.There is a pattern to this. Australia took a long time to collectively grasp the tactical and technical realities of the one-day game, despite taking part in the first ODI in 1970-71 then being at the epicentre of Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket, which used the format as its primary vehicle for public interest. Similarly, T20 has taken time to find its place in the thinking of the 21st century Australian cricketer, not least when donning the national colours. The selection panel appointed in the wake of Don Argus’ review has plumped for a specialist captain in George Bailey and a team more weighted than ever in favour of T20 merchants. Flexibility is the watchword, and it will not be a surprise to see Australia’s No. 3 differ depending on which of David Warner (Michael Hussey) or Shane Watson (Glenn Maxwell?) gets out first.For all this progressive thinking Australia retain a whiff of T20 underachievement, an appearance in the 2010 World T20 final against England notwithstanding. Their mottled results were confirmed when they slipped briefly beneath Ireland on the world rankings earlier this month, to the disgust of Australians and the delight of their opponents. Now Ireland have the chance to prove themselves worthy of overcoming Australia in direct T20 combat rather than via the vagaries of the ICC’s points system.Ireland will, as ever, offer plenty of fight, flair and the odd patch of eye-catching skill. In Paul Stirling and Kevin O’Brien they have two natural hitters to match Australia’s most proficient sluggers Warner and Watson. George Dockrell’s mature-beyond-his-years spin bowling will also be a critical ingredient on what is likely to be a dry Premadasa Stadium surface, while Boyd Rankin, Trent Johnston and company will benefit from the sage advice of their newly-acquired bowling coach Craig McDermott. Australia should win, but they should also have beaten Zimbabwe twice before.Form guide (completed matches, most recent first)
Australia WLLWL
Ireland LLLWWWatch out for Australia’s most incisive bowler against Pakistan in the UAE, Mitchell Starc is capable of decidedly frightening spells of pace and swing. Australia are intent on using Starc and Cummins as the spearheads of the bowling attack, backing their ability to move the ball at high pace over the steadier options provided by Ben Hilfenhaus and Clint McKay. The strategy places plenty of confidence in Starc, who recently has merited it. but there remains the chance that he will lose rhythm and struggle with no-balls. Australia hope Wednesday will not be the day.Since the 2011 World Cup, Kevin O’Brien has been the subject of a book, the target of plenty of attention from T20 club sides, and a slightly diminished batting presence in Ireland’s XI. At the top level of T20 competition, O’Brien has never caught fire in quite the same way as he did against England in Bangalore last year, as a top score of 39* in seven matches at the World T20 can attest. O’Brien knows as well as anyone that he is capable of more, and a striking display against Australia would prove it.Team news The young pacemen Cummins and Starc appear to have secured their places in the first XI ahead of Hilfenhaus and McKay, while David Hussey appears out of favour and unlikely to displace either Glenn Maxwell or Cameron White.Australia (probable): 1 David Warner, 2 Shane Watson, 3 Michael Hussey, 4 George Bailey (capt), 5 Cameron White, 6 Glenn Maxwell, 7 Dan Christian, 8 Matthew Wade (wk), 9 Pat Cummins, 10 Mitchell Starc, 11 Brad HoggIreland turned out close to their best side for a narrow warm-up victory over Bangladesh, reversing the results of three matches between the two countries in Belfast in July. They can be expected to field a similar combination against Australia.Ireland (probable): 1 Will Porterfield (capt), 2 Paul Stirling, 3 Ed Joyce, 4 Gary Wilson (wk), 5 Kevin O’Brien, 6 Trent Johnston, 7 Nigel Jones, 8 Niall O’Brien, 9 George Dockrell, 10 Boyd Rankin, 11 Alex CusackPitch and conditions The Premadasa Stadium pitch is expected to start dry and get drier as the tournament goes on, so if there is ever going to be any moisture there it may be in game one. However the likelihood is a surface marginally friendlier to batsmen than spinners, with the pacemen hoping for more assistance through the air than off the pitch.Stats and trivia

• This is Ireland’s first meeting with Australia in a T20 match
• None of Australia’s four leading wicket-takers in T20 matches are taking part. Brett Lee and Shaun Tait have retired, while Mitchell Johnson and Dirk Nannes were not selected

Quotes
“Australia are our biggest threat. If we rock up ready to play and play as well as we can [against Ireland], then I don’t think there’s a threat.”

A tight all-round performance from an inexperienced Canterbury team against Otago today showed the missing stars the competitiveness which they seem to lack currently.But it was Andrew Hore who was the outstanding player of the day, hitting a second career hundred. He brought up his century in 141 balls, with 14 fours and two sixes, to make it consecutive tons at Christchurch’s Village Green.He fell seven balls later, without addition, to a spectacular overhead snatch on the third man boundary by Aaron Redmond, which gave Wade Cornelius his maiden Trophy wicket. The personable fast bowler later spoke modestly about the milestone, remarking, “good catch, wasn’t it?”Eager fielding and accurate bowling from the five bowlers used, who are all 23 or under, kept a strong Otago eleven subdued for large parts of a bright and sunny day at the QEII ground.If Matt Horne had been dismissed when on zero, having been caught by Gareth Hopkins off a Ryan Burson no-ball, the day may have been even better for the home team, who were missing at least seven first-choice players.As it was, Hore was the star man, with 100 exactly, helping Otago to a relatively modest 295/9 off 104 overs at stumps.He told CricInfo after his 174 minute stay, “I batted a lot better today. It was one of my better innings. I’m getting better. I’m 32 this year, so I’m getting on a bit, so I’m determined to get a big hundred before I finish.”Regarding the Otago score he was not as pleased. “We’re pretty disappointed with the total. A lot of batsmen got themselves out through not being patient enough.”On his dismissal, he commented, “it’s a shot I need to put away, if I’m going to get that big hundred.”On the pitch, he remarked, “the way it is, if you can deny the batsman you should be in with a chance. There certainly isn’t a lot of assistance. It’s a battle of patience. You get yourself out.”Injuries and Black Cap duty have affected Canterbury more than any other province this season. Unavailabilities have also been a factor, firstly from returning Black Caps, and now from a disgruntled Warren Wisneski, who was dropped after being the bowling workhorse in the dark days of Canterbury’s pre-Christmas campaign.Hore, who scored his sole century on this ground almost a year ago, used his big hitting style to keep Otago heading towards a total with potential. He hit Carl Anderson out of the attack, with two straight sixes, and also drove strongly for 14 other boundaries.Oamaru born Hore, 31, had played just seven first-class games before this season, but has been ever-present this year, despite having scored only 184 runs at 20.44 before today. He increased his season’s highest from 54, but his career-best remains last year’s bludgeoned 102.His innings differed from that knock in that he was more cultured, more assured, and altogether looking more like a first-class player.He certainly has given his batting a rethink, transforming himself from a hitter to a strokemaker over the last two seasons.”It’s just a case of working hard at your game and sorting out what shots to play and what to leave out. I could have left the one that got me out alone. I didn’t take on the field really.”Hore’s day in the sun concluded with him telling CricInfo “I batted with more control today. Tomorrow we’ll be trying to deny the Canterbury batsmen their shots.”It promises to be another intriguing fine weather day tomorrow for this South Island derby, but today belonged to Canterbury’s young attack, and of course to Otago’s late developer, Andrew Hore, the oldest man playing in the match.

Marlon Samuels, the West Indies allrounder, has been ruled out of the New Zealand limited-overs series with the recurrence of a chronic wrist injury. The injury, on his right wrist, will require surgery.West Indies’ physiotherapist CJ Clark confirmed that Samuels is returning home. “It will require surgery management and he returns home to seek that surgical opinion and advice from the WICB medical panel, headed by Dr Akshai Mansingh,” Clark said.Coach Ottis Gibson said Samuels absence will be hard to cope with for an already-struggling team. “Marlon’s injury is unfortunate at such a tough time for the team,” Gibson said. “But it gives another player the opportunity to make a name for themselves in this series.”West Indies are already without two of their biggest names, with Chris Gayle’s hamstring and Kieron Pollard’s knee keeping them out of the series. Dwayne Bravo, the ODI captain, said it would be difficult without the trio.”Chris Gayle, Samuels and Pollard are three of our better players, we can’t hide that,” Bravo said. “We’re definitely going to miss them, because they are three world-class players and despite the talent we have, I don’t think any of us can actually fit those shoes. For me as a captain, I’m going to miss their ability as well as their experience, but it’s a good opportunity for other players, they get an opportunity now to make a name for themselves and try to stamp their authority. They’re definitely going to be missed, but I’m not going to use it as an excuse if we don’t play well. If we play to our true potential, we’re going to do well.”Wicketkeeper-batsman Chadwick Walton will remain in New Zealand following the Tests as Samuels’ replacement. Walton has played two Tests and two ODIs, but is yet to score a run in one-day cricket.Gibson said he was confident, though, that Walton would make use of opportunities that came his way. “Chaddy has been on tour with us from the start, including the tour of India, without getting an opportunity. He has been working hard and growing as a player, and I feel confident that when his opportunity comes he will make the most of it.”Samuels had been in patchy form in the three Tests, which West Indies lost 0-2, scoring one half-century but not touching 25 in the other five innings. His bowling action had been called into question during the series, and though he was cleared to bowl his part-time offspin by the ICC following biomechanical analysis, he was banned from bowling his quicker delivery – his elbow was found to flex beyond the permissible 15 degrees when he bowled that ball.West Indies play five ODIs against New Zealand, starting in Auckland on Boxing Day, followed by two Twenty20s.

ScorecardFile photo: L Balaji picked up his best figures of the season•K Sivaraman

Saurashtra rallied from losing a wicket in the second over of the day’s play through Sagar Jogiyani’s unbeaten century but, despite a strong day’s performance – 313 runs for the loss of three wickets – Madhya Pradesh are still a considerable distance ahead.A misfiring Jogiyani – he had two fifty-plus scores and three single-figure scores coming into this game – lasted the entire day to record his sixth first-class century, replete with 18 fours and a six. Sheldon Jackson, who racked up a rapid 84, offered good support as the duo participated in a 152-run stand for the third wicket, which came on the back of another century stand between Jogiyani and opener Chirag Pathak who also made a useful half-century.Should Saurashtra’s quest to claim a first-innings lead come to fruition, they will tie with Bengal in third place in Group B, while Madhya Pradesh languish in eighth, after two losses and no wins.
ScorecardPersistent fog at Jamia Millia Ground limited play to only 23 overs in which time Railways were bundled out for 169 and Tamil Nadu sustained the loss of an early wicket.Karn Sharma could only add one run to his overnight half-century and the final man in, Ranjitkumar Mali, resisted for 18 deliveries before he succumbed as well. Both were dismissed by the TN captain L Balaji as he finished with 4 for 31, his best figures this season.Tamil Nadu’s second innings received an unsavoury jolt and trundled along at less than one run per over after Abhinav Mukund was caught behind for 2 off pacer Anureet Singh who sported figures of 6-4-3-1 by the end of day’s play.Read the full report of Baroda v Services here: Munaf sends Services crashing for 31Read the full report of Bengal v Uttar Pradesh here: Dinda ten-for scripts Bengal’s first win

Prithvi Pankaj Shaw, a 14-year-old from Mumbai, has entered the record books after smashing 546 runs – the highest score by an Indian batsman in minor cricket – during a Harris Shield match at the Azad Maidan in Mumbai. Shaw’s innings lasted 367 minutes over two days and included a whopping 85 fours and five sixes which helped his team, Rizvi Springfield, take an 899-run first-innings lead in the A division match against St Francis D’Assisi.Even though the boundary on one side of the ground – towards midwicket/point – was on the shorter side, a number of Shaw’s shots targeted the longer boundaries as he preferred the cover drive and flick. During his 330-ball innings, Shaw, a right-hand batsman, shared a 619-run stand for the second wicket with Satyalaksh Jain, who scored 164.The Baronet Club’s ground on the eastern edge of the Azad Maidan was easy to spot today as the news of Shaw’s feat spread quickly. The local print media, which covers the tournament regularly, had the company of mediapersons from national dailies and news channels.Mobbed by television cameras after the end of Rizvi’s innings, a calm Shaw said, “It is a good score for me and my team. Our coach just asked me to concentrate on every ball. The only plan was to score as many runs as we could. I wasn’t thinking of a record, but it feels good.”Shaw is no stranger to Mumbai cricket circles. In the past, he has not only made news for being a heavy-scorer in the local tournaments but also for reportedly being praised by Sachin Tendulkar, whose then-world-record partnership of 664 with Vinod Kambli came in the same tournament. It wasn’t a surprise then when a reporter drew parallels with Tendulkar. Shaw momentarily cocked his brow before answering with a straight face. “It’s too far ahead. For now, I am happy playing at this level and scoring the runs,” he said. “Tendulkar is my idol in cricket and one thing I try to pick up from him is how he carries himself in a humble manner.”Click on the photo to view the scoresheet recording Shaw’s 546•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Shaw’s story, like several others’, is one of hard work. Before the age of 10, Shaw was already making long trips from Virar, a suburb 65 kms north of Mumbai, to the fairly central Bandra – a journey that takes 1 hour 45 minutes – to practice with the right people after his talent was spotted. The only family Shaw has is his father, who runs a struggling garment business. Support came through timely intervention from a local MLA, who arranged for an apartment so that the two could stay in Santacruz east, ten minutes away from Bandra’s MIG club. Now, Shaw’s education is been taken care of by the school – Rizvi Springfields – while he also earns a scholarship, which helps run the house.He is currently the captain of the Mumbai Under-16 team, which includes his seniors from Rizvi – Armaan Jaffer, Mumbai and India opener Wasim Jaffer’s nephew, and Sarfaraz Khan, who has progressed to India Under-19s. During the course of his innings on Wednesday, Shaw went past the previous records set by these two batsmen – in 2009, Sarfaraz had scored 439, which was bettered to 498 by Armaan in 2010-11. Armaan also scored 473 in February 2013, in the Giles Shield.

ScorecardFile photo – Suresh Raina hit 12 fours and four sixes•Associated Press

Left out of India’s Test squad, Suresh Raina nudged the national selectors with an attacking century on the opening day of Uttar Pradesh’s second-round match against Baroda at Moti Bagh. Raina’s 123, off 154 balls, helped UP to 291 on an evenly-matched day. Baroda struck with quick wickets on the final session and had all but wrapped up the innings before stumps.The pitch at Moti Bagh wasn’t as tranquil as the surroundings, though. There was bounce and plenty of turn for the spinners as the day wore on and Raina did well to overcome those challenges, and in particular the left-arm spinner Bhargav Bhatt, who took 5 for 98.UP lost all nine wickets to the spin duo of Bhatt and the offspinner Utkarsh Patel. Bhatt had Mukul Dagar caught at backward short leg before Utkarsh got one to turn square to induce a thin edge off Tanmay Srivastava to the wicketkeeper Pinal Shah. It was the first of five dismissals for Pinal, who was impressive behind the stumps off the spinners.Mohammad Kaif and Raina settled in after lunch to add 85 for the third wicket before Kaif was caught behind trying to cut Bhatt. Raina and Parvinder Singh played aggressively in their stand of 110 for the fourth. Raina smashed four sixes and one of those, over long-on, brought up his century.Raina is among several possible contenders for a Test spot, one of which will be vacated by Sachin Tendulkar at the end of the West Indies Tests. Rohit Sharma was given a chance thanks to his splendid limited-overs form and he grabbed the opportunity with century on debut in Kolkata in a pressure scenario. Simultaneously, across the country, Raina scored a century to give the selectors something to think about before they pick the team to South Africa.Aggression, however, got the better of both Raina and Parvinder. Parvinder gave Bhatt the charge and was stumped, before Raina charged the same bowler and was caught at deep cover. UP lost their way after tea and Bhatt brought up his five-wicket haul with a swagger, taking a low return catch that rocketed towards him. As a send-off, Bhatt showed five fingers to the departing Praveen Gupta, as West Indies fast bowler Fidel Edwards does. UP collapsed from 249 for 3 to 291 for 9 at stumps.

Despite losing the series after taking a lead in the opening game, there were individual gains for India. Yuvraj Singh’s return to form after months of no match practice was timely, with the home season approaching, and was what drew spectators to the thousands at the Chinnaswamy, and they grew bigger for each game. B Aparajith was introduced to television audiences at this time last year during the Under-19 World Cup and his all-round performances marked him out as a talent to watch. After serving drinks in the first two games, Aparajith was given an opportunity in the third and enhanced his reputation with a composed half-century at the top, though in a losing cause.Ironically, Aparajith had replaced his captain from that World Cup, Unmukt Chand, who failed in the first two games. Majority of his scoring shots were off the front foot, but his first boundary was a confident, one-legged pull off a short ball from Andre Russell over fine leg. He was lucky, though, when on 11, he gloved a ball down the leg side. Several West Indian players went up in appeal but the wicketkeeper Devon Thomas, strangely, didn’t show any enthusiasm.He was strong off his pads and was ready to play the supporting role to his captain Yuvraj, who took it on himself to belt boundaries. Aparajith said he worked to a plan of taking singles and handing Yuvraj the strike for the cause of the team.”It was a nice experience [batting with Yuvraj]. It was the first time I was batting with Yuvraj,” Aparajith said. “I just had to give him the strike because he was trying to hit and he was striking the ball really well. He was looking for boundaries because he was cramping up. It made my innings easier.”Aparajith picked gaps through the off side with delicate late cuts off the spinners and seamers and following his fifty, crunched two consecutive boundaries through the covers off the offspinner Ashley Nurse. When he launched left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul over long-off for his only six, a worried West Indies A captain Kieran Powell quickly summoned his fielders for a quick pep talk. A 19-year-old taking them on was enough to prompt an emergency meeting.Yuvraj’s dismissal in the 30th over left India needing a further 155. It increased the responsibility on the set Aparajith, then on 63. He fell soon after in the 33rd over, bowled off a quicker, straighter delivery from Permaul off the pads. Aparajith regretted that he couldn’t stick around for the batting Powerplay, taken after 35 overs.”My plan was to take it till the Powerplay with Kedar Jadhav,” he said. “We had seven wickets in hand then. The Powerplay was an important stage but I got out before that and it was the wrong time to go.”Powell said the homework his team had put in after the hammering in the opening game paid off. He didn’t elaborate on those strategies, but one of them which paid off was bringing in Leon Johnson and Jonathan Carter from the second game and the two middle-order batsmen made telling contributions. Their positive batting took West Indies to scores to 279 and 312, which the hosts failed to match.”After the first game we got to observe the Indians and we strategised and came out and executed our plans brilliantly,” Powell said.Powell added that a century from Kirk Edwards was to be expected, so long as he occupied the crease long enough. After failing to convert his starts from the first two games, Edwards made a run-a-ball 104.”He gave himself a chance to bat deep into the innings,” Powell said. “He knew that if he did so, he would go on to get a century. He did it and the other guys batted around him to get us to a winning score.”

Cricket Australia plans to trial day-night first-class cricket with the longer-term aim of playing a Test in the country under lights. The ninth round of the Sheffield Shield this season will be a day-night affair with pink balls in Queensland, South Australia and Victoria.If these attempts are successful, CA will look to schedule more day-night first-class matches in the 2014-15 season to further trial playing conditions and equipment. The matches are the first step towards a potential day-night Test being played in Australia in 2015-16, according to a CA release, and the board has been in talks with New Zealand Cricket about the possibility, with the neighbours slated to come visiting towards the end of 2015.”There is a lot of work to be done and nothing is guaranteed but this summer’s trials are our first serious effort to make day-night Test cricket a reality,” CA CEO James Sutherland said. “We’ve also had some discussions with New Zealand Cricket to gauge their interest in the concept over the past few weeks given they are due to tour Australia in late 2015.”This is all about the fans. Cricket can’t afford to sit on its hands and must keep working hard to ensure Tests remain the most popular form of the game. There isn’t a major team sport in the world that schedules the majority of its premium content during the working week. At least three days of a Test are played when adults are at work and kids are at school.”No doubt there will be some resistance along the way but for the sake of growing the game in the long term, cricket needs to address the hurdles standing in the way of day-night Test cricket in a rational, mature way.”Sutherland acknowledged the challenges in the way, specifically those relating to developing a ball that works under lights for the long format and about the peculiar problems night conditions would pose. “We acknowledge that one of the critical aspects is how the ball wears, behaves and is seen over the course of an innings. There are also some concerns about dew on the ground at night. There may need to be some flexibility and compromise to get to the outcome.”The ICC last year approved the idea of day-night Tests, a decision which was welcomed by Sutherland, but left it to member boards to decide on the hours of play and the colour of the ball. Pakistan’s offer to Sri Lanka to play a Test under lights in January 2014 on their tour to the United Arab Emirates was turned down by the latter, which cited its players’ lack of practice with the pink ball as the source of their reluctance. Day-night first-class matches have been trialled before in Pakistan, South Africa, England, West Indies, India and Bangladesh.”In encouraging teams to trial Test cricket as day-night matches, the ICC has said it will take a positive and flexible view of any proposed amendments to playing conditions that will allow such trials to proceed,” Sutherland said. “CA’s commitment to Test cricket does not just extend to our men’s team being the best in the world. We also have a responsibility to help grow interest in Test cricket around the world. To achieve this, we need to try and find a way to schedule our premium content at a time when the most number of fans are able to attend and watch.”The game needs to continue to evolve to meet the needs of its fans. We are not proposing all Tests should be played at night in the long-term, however, there are certain venues and times of the year where day-night Test cricket can potentially enhance and further promote and support the game.”

Match facts

Saturday, August 31, 2013
Start time 0930 local (0730 GMT)It’s a last chance for Nasir Jamshed to answer his critics•AFP

Big Picture

It’s not often that you get a second crack at winning a series against a top side if you are Zimbabwe. They may have lost the second ODI by a heavy margin, but that has only meant that the last game of the three-match contest is nicely poised with the series up for grabs. Pakistan were lax in the first ODI, but as they showed in the second, they are unlikely to repeat the mistakes and are favourites to take the series. Zimbabwe, on the other hand, not only need to find their best game, but also somehow concentrate despite the chafing presence of the player payments issue in the background that has put the remaining matches in the series – including the third ODI – under cloud.But there is something about the way Zimbabwe are playing in this series. They do not appear mere pushovers who are just required to take the field for the other team to stroll to a win. They are making Pakistan work hard, they are handling Pakistan’s bowlers appreciably well. Saeed Ajmal has taken a couple of wickets in each ODI, but he hasn’t run through the side. Shahid Afridi, a menacing bowler for most teams, has not been able to pick a wicket. Mohammad Hafeez is wicket-less as well and Zimbabwe have managed to cross 200 in both matches.It’s a huge confidence boost for a struggling team against one of the most potent attacks in the world. Zimbabwe would believe that if they are to cause an upset before the Test matches, it has to come through their batting. The top order has been in decent form and the middle order has been contributing valuable runs.Pakistan, though, would hope their openers come good and play meaningful innings. There is the calming presence of Misbah-ul-Haq and Hafeez in the middle order, but the rest of the batsmen haven’t shown consistency or leadership in building an innings. Not yet. That’s the chink in Pakistan’s armour Zimbabwe need to exploit. It could be their last chance to earn some glory as Pakistan are unlikely to cede any territory when the Tests begin.

Form guide

Pakistan WLWWT (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Zimbabwe LWLLL

Players to watch

Nasir Jamshed, one of the most promising batsmen in world cricket, had an exciting start to the year. Things have fizzled down a bit since then. The selectors’ decision to drop him from the Test squad raised a few eyebrows, but with scores of 2, 23, 27 and 32 on this tour, the case against him has only got stronger. Pakistan have two important tours against South Africa and Sri Lanka later this year and this match is Jamshed’s last chance to bring himself back into the spotlight.Brian Vitori has picked up a couple of wickets in both the matches. In the second ODI, he dismissed two specialist batsmen in the first half of the innings, but was taken for runs towards the end. However, in the first ODI, his spells were a mirror image: he was expensive at the start, but incisive towards the end. He bowls with good pace and if he can stay consistent during the match, he is always a threat to pick wickets.

Team news

Questions were asked of Brendan Taylor during the post-match press conference after the second ODI about Timycen Maruma’s place in the XI and the absence of Pakistan-born Sikandar Raza. Taylor defended the inclusion of Maruma saying the batsman has looked better in the nets. But with five failures in a row, Maruma may have run out of breathing space. Taylor indicated Zimbabwe might make a couple of changes.Zimbabwe (possible): 1 Vusi Sibanda, 2 Hamilton Masakadza, 3 Brendan Taylor (capt & wk), 4 Timycen Maruma/Sikandar Raza , 5 Malcolm Waller, 6 Sean Williams, 7 Elton Chigumbura, 8 Tendai Chatara, 9 Prosper Utseya, 10 Brian Vitori, 11 Tinashe PanyangaraPakistan are unlikely to disturb the winning combination for the crucial match.Pakistan (possible) 1 Nasir Jamshed, 2 Ahmed Shehzad, 3 Mohammad Hafeez, 4 Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), 5 Umar Amin, 6 Shahid Afridi, 7 Abdur Rehman, 8 Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), 9 Saeed Ajmal, 10 Junaid Khan, 11 Mohammad Irfan

Stats and trivia

• Misbah-ul-Haq is the leading ODI batsman this year, with 894 runs. He has hit 10 half-centuries in this period, which is one-third of his career tally. When he was dismissed for 3 in the last match, it was only the third time this year he was out for a single-digit score. He averages a whopping 59.60 this year, but his strike-rate is 71.57, almost two points below his career strike-rate
• Brendan Taylor, who has scored 483 runs more than Misbah in his career, has had a poor year till now. He is averaging 23 this year after staying over 40 in each of the previous four years.

Quotes

“Raza has had a fair run. To me he’s new to the side and we know he has got serious ability so we need to try and back him and he’s definitely going to contribute but it’s not going well for him and that’s the nature of the game.”