Hampshire seamer will return as overseas player in 2021

Matt Roller06-Aug-2020Hampshire have confirmed that Kyle Abbott will not play for the club in 2020, but will return next year as an overseas player.Abbott, who played 11 Tests for South Africa between 2013 and 2017, has been at home in KwaZulu-Natal throughout lockdown, and with the Covid-19 pandemic restricting international travel and causing visa difficulties, he agreed with the club that he would miss the curtailed county season, which began last week.Abbott signed for Hampshire on a Kolpak deal in 2017, and agreed a new three-year contract last year. This included a clause that meant he would become an overseas player after the UK’s transition period with the European Union ends on December 31, one of two permitted in all formats next season.”The window for Kyle’s return to the UK has narrowed significantly as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and the difficulties with visa delays and quarantine restrictions that have followed subsequently,” Giles White, Hampshire’s director of cricket, said.”We’ve had excellent dialogue with Kyle throughout this period, and with everything considered, we all felt the best course of action was for him to remain in South Africa in readiness for the 2021 season.”ALSO READ: Edwards misses county season, awarded testimonialAbbott is the second Kolpak player to confirm he will not be playing for Hampshire this season, after Fidel Edwards last week. Brad Wheal, the young Scotland seamer, is also unavailable as he is not in the country.Several counties were without their Kolpak players during the first round of Bob Willis Trophy fixtures. Surrey remain hopeful that it will be possible for Morne Morkel to come over from Australia at some stage this season, but Hashim Amla is unlikely to feature. Yorkshire have confirmed that Duanne Olivier will be available for their second game of the season.Durham are optimistic about the chances of Farhaan Behardien, who signed a Kolpak deal with the club in January, being available at some stage this season, though his arrival has been held up by visa difficulties.

Senior player says team must stand by Archer as disciplinary hearing awaits

Andrew Miller17-Jul-2020Ben Stokes has called on the England team to rally round Jofra Archer and ensure he “doesn’t feel like he’s by himself” despite his enforced period of isolation, as the ECB prepares to hold a disciplinary hearing into the unsanctioned trip to Brighton that threatened the integrity of its bio-secure summer arrangements.Archer had to be withdrawn from England’s squad on the morning of the match at Emirates Old Trafford after it transpired that he had taken a detour from the Ageas Bowl in the wake of the first Test, during which he stopped off at his home, in violation of the strict protocols surrounding a series that is taking place in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.Despite insisting that his stop-over had lasted only about an hour, Archer admitted to having had contact with at least one other individual, and speaking at the close of the first day’s play, Ashley Giles, England’s team director, said that his actions “could have been a disaster” that might have cost English cricket “tens of millions of pounds”.Archer spent his first day in isolation with the curtains to his hotel room drawn, and did not appear to venture out on to his balcony on the second day either, despite the ECB requesting photographers and broadcasters to refrain from showing any images of him.He will not be permitted any face-to-face contact with the rest of the squad for the duration of the match, and is expected to be reintegrated to the wider team bubble on Wednesday, the day after its scheduled end.However, Stokes himself is no stranger to high-profile errors of judgement – most especially the circumstances surrounding his arrest in Bristol in September 2017 – and without directly referring to his own mental state in the aftermath of that incident, he called on the team to stand by their man in good times as well as bad.ALSO READ: Archer’s bio-security breach ‘could have been a disaster’ – Giles“For us as players, and as the England cricket group, this is a time where our way of operation really needs to come through,” Stokes said. “We really need to there to support Jofra right now, because obviously he’s a big talking point, and he is by himself because of everything else going on at the moment.””But it’s about making sure that he doesn’t feel like he’s by himself,” he added. “The worst thing that we can do right now, as a team, is to just leave him and say ‘see you in five, six days’ time.”Times like these for people are very, very tough. You can feel like you are all by yourself, but I don’t think anybody is going to allow that to happen. Jofra is a massive part of this group, as everybody is. If it was anybody else like Jofra, it would be exactly the same way of handling as a team.”Stokes, who had played alongside Archer for Rajasthan Royals before his remarkable arrival in the England team last May, has struck up a significant rapport with his team-mate. He was famously on hand to offer some priceless advice prior to the World Cup final Super Over at Lord’s 12 months ago, telling Archer, “whatever happens here will not define your career”.It was a reference to his own experience in England’s previous appearance in a global final, when Stokes’ final four balls of the World T20 in Kolkata had been struck for six. But Archer duly closed out England’s victory that day with a nerveless display, and Stokes intimated that England needed to bear that achievement in mind while casting judgment on this episode.”It’s all good being there for people when things are going well and smoothly,” Stokes said, “but what really comes through is how you operate with someone when they need you the most.”

Cricket committee likely to discuss approach to poor light and wet weather after farcical scenes in Southampton

George Dobell at the Ageas Bowl17-Aug-2020The ICC’s cricket committee is likely to discuss regulations around delays for bad light and wet weather after farcical scenes during the Test summer in England. Despite the huge efforts of all involved to ensure cricket could resume behind closed doors, the Tests against West Indies and Pakistan have been marred by frequent interruptions after the umpires deemed the light to be unfit for play.There have also been prolonged delays in resuming after rain has stopped. This culminated in a decision to break for lunch after a delayed start and just one hour of play on the second day. On the fourth day, play was abandoned shortly before 4pm, with the ground subsequently bathed in sunshine. It is understood there was some frustration at the ECB over the decision, with one insider suggesting play could have resumed at 6pm. On the final day, the rain stopped at 11.15 am, but play did not resume until 3.20pm.The ECB has spent heavily to ensure the return of cricket in the face of Covid-19. As well as arranging charter flights for the West Indies and Pakistan players, they have met the costs of creating bio-secure bubbles to satisfy safety concerns and convince the government – and the governments of the opposition teams – that games can be played without compromising the health and safety of all involved.The match officials, however, have been uncompromising in their adherence to normal playing conditions. The ICC’s cricket committee is likely to discuss whether this has been an admirably consistent approach, or a little inflexible in the modern age with improved protective equipment and less tolerance for such delays from spectators.With match officials judged on many criteria, including their ability and desire to get the game on, it is possible the team at the Ageas Bowl in particular – standing umpires, Richard Kettleborough and Michael Gough, third umpire Richard Illingworth, fourth umpire Martin Saggers and match referee Chris Broad – will marked down by the ICC for their performance.Among the other options likely to be considered by the cricket committee will be the use of a pink ball – a decision which might impact on the colour of the sight screens in operation – and whether it would affect the integrity of the game to change the ball as required when the light fades.The committee, chaired by Anil Kumble, is also likely to revisit protocols regarding playing under floodlights. While the lights have been used at several stages this summer, the current convention dictates that once the artificial light has taken over as the primary source, play should be abandoned. This issue was looked at by the ICC a few years ago, with the Full Member boards rejecting the idea of playing on under floodlights. It might be that floodlight technology has improved, too, allowing more play in such circumstances.More transparency over the light meter readings is another possible area of improvement. At present, the umpires take readings by which they judge the light on subsequent days to ensure fairness to both sides. If such readings were published, or if the broadcasters and host venues were able to have access to such meters, it might improve expectations from spectators and avoid some of the frustration that has surrounded recent matches.The umpires were out to inspect•Getty Images

ESPNcricinfo understands there is are no major concerns over the venue. Drainage at the Ageas Bowl is understood to be comparable to other Test venues in England, while extra groundstaff had been drafted in from other clubs to aid preparation of the surface for the third Test – which is scheduled to begin here on Friday – and the warm-up game played by members of the Pakistan white-ball squad.The only minor quibble concerned the length of the covering over the area where the bowlers run-ups. There were some suggestions these were a little shorter than those provided elsewhere and the delay on the fifth afternoon was lengthened by concerns over damp run-ups at the hotel end of the ground. But the application of sawdust seemed to help speed the drying process.The ECB is also likely to review its own playing conditions. While other nations are prepared to start play earlier on subsequent days after rain, the ECB has long argued this would cause confusion with ticket holders. If, for example, a decision was taken at 7pm on Friday to start play one hour earlier the following morning, it is felt it would be difficult to communicate that information to 25,000 or so ticket holders which might, in turn, leave them open to claims of refunds from those that miss out on watching any play.In the case of behind-closed-doors games, however, that is not a factor and it is understood there is growing momentum to change this playing condition ahead of the final Test of the summer, which starts on Friday. In the longer term, it is possible the terms and conditions of the ticket sales could cover such a scenario.The overall impression is that many in the game’s administration, not least those at the ICC, have been stung by the criticism in recent days. As a result, “The Farce Show” – as it was dubbed by one wag – could prove to be something of a watershed moment for the sport.

Here’s a factfile on the latest IPL debutant

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Sep-2020Who is Abdul Samad?
A big-hitting batsman who can also bowl quickish legspin, Samad was one of the breakout stars of the 2019-20 Indian domestic season. Nobody struck more sixes than his 36 for Jammu & Kashmir in the Ranji Trophy, and in all he hit 592 runs in 17 innings at an eye-popping strike rate of nearly 113.Mentored by Irfan Pathan, the J&K player-cum-mentor, and endorsed by Milap Mewada, the coach, Samad became the fourth player from J&K to break into the IPL after Parvez Rasool, Mansoor Dar and Rasikh Salam, when Sunrisers snapped him up for his base price of INR 20 lakh in the December 2019 auction.What about Pathan’s role in his development?
Pathan and Mewada first spotted Samad as a 16-year-old in 2018, at a trial in Jammu. His driving on the up against quicks bowling from 18 yards out had Pathan digging up Samad’s scores in districts cricket.ALSO READ: Will big-hitting Abdul Samad make it to the big time?“He was effortlessly hitting the ball,” Pathan told ESPNcricinfo during the most recent domestic season. “But when I looked through his numbers, he didn’t have one 50-plus score. I took him aside and told him he would be put in the probables, but he needed to work on preserving his wicket. It’s not about six-hitting.What is his USP?
Hitting sixes. It was on display in the Ranji Trophy. It was also on display in the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy when he smacked four sixes off Piyush Chawla in Jaipur. He was also at it in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy, making rapid runs in the middle order on tough, spin-friendly pitches in Surat. His cameos – 29 off 10 balls against Odisha, 28* off 13 against Nagaland, and 32* off 24 balls against Saurashtra – all contributed to victories for J&K.When VVS Laxman, Sunrisers’ mentor, was looking for a middle-order finisher for his franchise, Mewada, who was Laxman’s Under-19 team-mate many moons ago, recommended Samad for the role.Does he have the ability to build an innings too?
Samad has showed signs of it in the Ranji Trophy. When J&K were reduced to 131 for 4 in their second innings against Maharashtra on a green track in Pune, he absorbed the pressure and averted a collapse, scoring 78 off 89 balls. His contribution was central to J&K stretching their lead to 363 and eventually winning the game. Samad also stepped up against a quality Karnataka attack, making 43 off 50 balls in the Ranji quarter-final at home, but J&K narrowly fell short of the first-innings lead and eventually lost the game.In a slightly iffy Sunrisers middle order, he may have to play the dual role of building an innings as well as finishing depending on the game-scenario and conditions in IPL 2020.

SLC’s first preference still is to hold the tournament in Sri Lanka

Andrew Fidel Fernando02-Nov-2020The Lanka Premier League’s 21 November start date is being reconsidered, while there is also now a possibility the tournament will be moved to the UAE or Malaysia.Tournament director Ravin Wickramaratne told ESPNcricinfo that Sri Lanka Cricket would much prefer to play the tournament on the island. However, the 14-day quarantine that Sri Lanka’s health ministry is insisting on increasingly appears a dealbreaker for some foreign players, as well as an operational obstacle for broadcast crews and commentators set to come for the tournament.Having repeatedly cancelled previous iterations of the tournament, SLC is desperate to make it happen this year, and is now considering three options, Wickramaratne said.ALSO READ: Irfan Pathan signs with Kandy Tuskers in the LPL“The first option is to play the tournament across two venues in Sri Lanka – in Hambantota and Pallekele – but we might have to move the tournament back by about one week. The second option is to play it all in one venue, which will make the arrangements around a biosecure bubble for players and staff more straightforward.”The last option, which we would rather not take, is to play in the UAE or Malaysia. This is a Sri Lankan tournament so it should be played here. But this has been a much-awaited tournament, and there are many Sri Lankan players who have been waiting to play in it. So we want to play it.”SLC officials and tournament organisers are now set to meet with Sri Lanka’s health ministry on Wednesday, after which the path forward will be clearer. Among SLC’s requests is for players to be required to do a five to seven-day quarantine only, after which they would be allowed to begin training within the LPL bubble.Sri Lanka’s sports minister Namal Rajapaksa is also understood to be supporting SLC’s requests, but has not so far succeeded in securing a more flexible quarantine plan from another wing in his own government. Although it is likely that both the minister and SLC officials are wary of criticising the health ministry’s staunch position for fear such criticism could come off as callous, within the board at least there seems to be mounting frustration that health authorities are thwarting attempts to bring high-profile cricket back to the island. Among the arguments SLC is likely to make is that the LPL will be a significant economic boon to Sri Lanka’s economy, in a difficult time.The owner of at least one of the franchises – Jaffna Stallions – has expressed support for the LPL despite uncertainties surrounding it, stating that the franchise is aware it must be adaptable in a pandemic year. There are also talks from tournament organisers to bring Andre Russell back into the league, although Wickramaratne had earlier said he was out of the LPL due to injury. Russell’s hamstring may heal in time for him to play the IPL playoffs, however.At present, the LPL is set to run from November 21 to December 13, with matches to be played in Hambantota and Pallekele.

All other tests from day three of quarantine have returned negative results

Umar Farooq28-Nov-2020A seventh positive Covid-19 test has emerged from Pakistan’s touring contingent in New Zealand. The identity of the squad member is not yet clear.Six players – Sarfaraz Ahmed, Rohail Nazir, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Abid Ali and Danish Aziz – had returned positive results from the first tests conducted upon Pakistan’s arrival in New Zealand on November 24.The latest positive result comes from the second batch of tests conducted on day three of the team’s quarantine at a managed isolation facility in Christchurch. All other tests conducted on day three have returned negative results. This doesn’t include the six players who had already tested positive and assistant coach Shahid Aslam, who will join the squad in Christchurch after completing his 14-day quarantine in Auckland.ALSO READ – New Zealand director of public health slams Pakistan Covid protocol breachesThe fact that the second round of testing only threw up one new positive case will come as a relief for the Pakistan Cricket Board, which had been awaiting the results with some anxiety, particularly after the revelations that some members of the touring contingent had breached Covid-19 protocols at their managed isolation facility.The PCB had, in fact, organised a media interaction with CEO Wasim Khan on Saturday morning, but cancelled it once it came to know there was only one additional positive case. Khan had earlier addressed the players and urged them to comply with Covid-19 protocols, saying it would be “hugely embarrassing” if they were sent home as a result of another breach.The squad will have to clear two more tests, on days six and 12 of their isolation, before being allowed to leave quarantine. Pakistan had sought an exemption to be allowed to train while in managed isolation, but that exemption is on hold pending investigation by medical authorities on its safety and feasibility.In the meanwhile, those who have tested negative are allowed to go out on their balconies or make short, individual visits to a park near the isolation facility.Pakistan are due to play three T20Is on December 18, 20 and 22 in Auckland, Hamilton and Napier respectively, before playing two Tests in Mount Maunganui (December 26-30) and Christchurch (January 3-7).

He feels the left-armer is a certainty in New Zealand’s squad for the next T20 World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Nov-2020Before IPL 2020 began, Shane Bond, the Mumbai Indians bowling coach, felt Trent Boult hadn’t fully realised his potential as a T20 bowler. Now, after a season in which Boult took 25 wickets – including a record-equalling 16 in the powerplay overs – to help the Mumbai Indians win their fifth IPL title, Bond is thrilled with the left-arm quick’s growth.”Getting the chance to work with Boulty again was exciting,” Bond said in a media interaction hosted by NZC. “I was always a believer that there was room for improvement in his T20 game, and coming into our team, we could eke that out of him, and he was massive for us. He was a huge part of why we won, so hopefully we won’t have a big option and we may lose him – love to have another chance to work with him another year and keep that team of ours together because it’s pretty good.”Bond feels that Boult has become a certainty for New Zealand at the next T20 World Cup, scheduled to be held in India in October-November 2021. He reckoned New Zealand’s upcoming T20I series against West Indies – from which Boult has been left out to rest him ahead of the Tests – would be an opportunity for head coach Gary Stead to look at newer faces, such as Kyle Jamieson, and see which fast bowlers could dovetail with Boult come World Cup time.”I think [Boult is] a lockdown, a lay down misere in terms of the T20 World Cup squad, and I think you’ve got to effectively use the games coming up to find out who may be the support acts for him in and around that T20 World Cup team.”There’s no problems from my perspective in giving those other guys, guys like Jamieson, another opportunity to see what they’ve got, so that Gary’s really clear when it comes to picking his 15-16 for the next T20 World Cup, so he’s got all his bases covered.”Bond is presently in Lincoln, as one of two guest coaches – Brendon McCullum is the other – in the managed isolation facility where six New Zealand players returning from the IPL are training ahead of the series against West Indies. He feels New Zealand made the right call to rest Boult from the T20Is and give him an opportunity to spend some time with his family before returning to life in a bio-secure bubble.Boult is part of the IPL group in Lincoln until his 14-day quarantine period ends, and he is using that time to bowl longer spells and get into Test-match rhythm after 15 games in the IPL.”I think it’s important [Boult gets a break],” Bond said. “He’s got a couple of young kids. To fly out from here and go straight into games and not have a chance to catch up with his family would have been a massive mistake.”I suppose part of him being here is to get a little bit more volume, in terms of his overs, under his belt. It’s always a challenge when you’re in the IPL – it’s stinking hot, you don’t train as much, and obviously you’re playing a game that’s four overs. So it gives him a little bit of time to get some volume here and in the week, two weeks before the Test matches start against the West Indies.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“I think for his own sanity, he just would need to get home and spend a little bit of time with his family before he has another busy summer, so it’s a good decision.”Bond has worked with Boult in his stint as New Zealand’s bowling coach from 2012 to 2015. From then to now, Bond is delighted with how far Boult has come in becoming one of the world’s best fast bowlers.”With guys like [Jasprit] Bumrah, those sort of players who are experienced and gun bowlers, what you sense is that inner confidence within themselves and they know what they’re doing, and I think that’s the thing [with Boult as well],” Bond said. “You go back to when I started from ’12 to now 2020, eight years is a long time, he’s played a lot of cricket, got a lot of wickets. So all the little things you notice the difference.”He’s aware of his mental processes and where he wants to improve. Technically he’s very aware of the things that work and don’t work, and then you as a coach, you’re trying to find the subtleties of how to make his game better. For me, that was a lot around tactically and around his T20 game.”The one thing about great bowlers or bowlers who’ve had success is sometimes it’s harder to move them, because they’ve found a mode of success. So the good thing for me, having been where I am now for a period of time and worked with Trent is, I don’t have to worry about building the relationship, we already always had a strong relationship, so you have that trust and so you can work together to try and find improvement, because even as good as Trent is – and he’s unbelievable – there are always ways to improve and get better.”We had a hell of a lot of fun, it’s always nice to see someone you like come in and have success, and to share the spoils at the back end was cool.”

“It is too taxing for the boys, asking them to travel to Brisbane and be in the jail for another five days”

Nagraj Gollapudi07-Jan-20211:35

Rahane: ‘Being in quarantine definitely has its own challenges’

The BCCI has told Cricket Australia that India will not be able to travel to Brisbane for the final Test of the ongoing series if they will have to undergo another round of hard quarantine. ESPNcricinfo understands the BCCI mentioned that point in its latest communication sent to CA on Thursday.The Brisbane Test, scheduled between January 15 and 19, will mark the end of India’s long tour of Australia, which started with the white-ball segment last November. A senior BCCI official confirmed an email had been sent to CA, and said that a hard quarantine was “immaterial” when the India squad had already spent the first two weeks upon arrival in Australia isolating.The official pointed out that while normal life in Australia continued without too many restrictions, asking players to be confined to their rooms in team hotels, put down as a condition by the Queensland government, did not add up.Related

• Gabba Test – India fear multiple quarantines will impact home series against England

• Plans continue for Gabba Test despite Brisbane's newly announced weekend lockdown

• Paine: 'Tension starting to boil under the surface'

• Rahane: Stay in bubble 'challenging' when 'life outside in Sydney is normal'

• Fresh report casts doubt on Brisbane Test, but Cricket Australia says it's not heard from BCCI

Life in Sydney, the venue for the ongoing third Test, while not completely normal, is less restrictive than the biosecure environment the players have been put in. Parts of Northern Beaches where the latest Covid-19 outbreak occurred remain in lockdown, but people are generally free to move about. However, the players have been kept in stricter restrictions because the border between New South Wales and Queensland, which will host the next Test, has been locked down as Greater Sydney is still a “hotspot”.According to the official, the Indian team management has told the BCCI that the players had cited it was becoming “too stressful” to be restricted to the team hotels.As reported earlier on Thursday, CA had booked the team hotels at both Sydney and Brisbane. Players are allowed to mingle outside their rooms in the communal areas within the hotel. The one difference is that the restrictions in Sydney are CA protocols while those in Brisbane are imposed by the Queensland government as the terms to allow exemptions to be granted.According to the BCCI official, in case the CA was “so particular” about the restrictions they could conduct the final Test also in Sydney, where the third Test is taking place this week. “It is too taxing for the boys, asking them to travel to Brisbane and be in the jail for another five days,” the official said.

Sydney Sixers, Perth Scorchers, Sydney Thunder, Brisbane Heat and Adelaide Strikers can all win the BBL

Alex Malcolm27-Jan-2021

Sydney Sixers

Qualified: 1stRoad to the playoffsDefending champions the Sixers were the team that utilised the Bash Boost point better than any other team in the competition, claiming nine throughout the season including the point that sealed top spot against Melbourne Stars. But they also won more games than any other team and proved themselves to be clutch chasers. The Sixers won four games in the last over on the back of their exceptionally experienced middle order. It was back-to-back, last-gasp wins on the Gold Coast against the two Melbourne sides that really kick-started their season and then they completed three clinical chases in January against Brisbane Heat, Perth Scorchers, and Sydney Thunder to qualify for the finals with three games to go. They did lose two of their last three matches with two poor bowling performances but returned to their best against the Stars to claim top spot.Path to the titleIf the Sixers beat the Scorchers in the Qualifier at Manuka Oval on Saturday, they will qualify for the BBL final and likely host it in Canberra. An SCG final hasn’t been ruled out but border restrictions for certain states will make it difficult. If the Sixers lose the Qualifier, they will host the Challenger in Canberra and would need to win that before travelling to Perth for the BBL final, where they were bowled for 97 earlier in the season.How the squad shapes upThe Sixers squad has been boosted by the inclusion of Moises Henriques and Sean Abbott. Mitchell Starc is an outside chance to join them but it depends on his fitness after requiring a scan on his hamstring following the Test series against India. The three overseas of James Vince, Carlos Brathwaite, and Jake Ball, who have been together since Jason Holder’s brief three-game stint ended in late December, are available throughout the finals, but it will be interesting to see how Ball is used after he was the X-Factor sub in the last game against the Stars. The batting order is incredibly deep with Josh Philippe and Vince opening up, Henriques bolstering the middle order, while Jordan Silk and Dan Christian are in red-hot form lower down. The attack is well balanced with a variety of options to turn to depending on the surface and the match-ups.The Scorchers have depth in both batting and pace bowling•CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images

Perth Scorchers

Qualified: 2ndRoad to the playoffsThe Scorchers overcame a horror start to the season to storm into second spot, and probably should have clinched first had they played better against Brisbane Heat in the final match. The Scorchers were winless from their first four games, but they clicked into gear on New Year’s Eve once Jason Roy and Liam Livingstone had shaken the rust from 14-days quarantine. The batting line-up was settled with the English pair moving to the top of the order and Josh Inglis sliding to No.4. It gave them tremendous depth and the well-established attack some scores to defend. The Scorchers won four in a row at home and eight of their next nine before the loss to the Heat.Path to the titleThe Scorchers blew a chance to secure two home finals but they can still host the BBL final at Perth Stadium if they can beat the Sixers in Canberra in the Qualifier. The Scorchers lost both matches they played at Manuka Oval this season including one against the Sixers. But they have won a BBL final at Manuka Oval against the Sixers in BBL03. If they lose to the Sixers, they return home to Perth to host the Challenger. If they win that they will fly back to either Canberra or Sydney to face the Sixers again with just a 48-hour turnaround.How the squad shapes upThe squad is as well-balanced as any with only a couple of concerns. Ashton Agar is unlikely to available for the finals series having not played all tournament due to a calf injury, despite being named in Australia’s T20I squad to tour New Zealand on February 7. Mitchell Marsh, who is also in the Australian squad, is unavailable to bowl due to a side strain but will play as a batsman. Marsh’s inability to bowl does put pressure on the Scorchers’ fifth bowler in Aaron Hardie. He has been targeted in recent games with Ashton Turner forced to get creative in using either himself or Livingstone to make up some overs. Cameron Green is being rested ahead of the South Africa Test tour.Alex Hales has been prolific for Sydney Thunder•Getty Images

Sydney Thunder

Qualified: 3rdRoad to the playoffsThe Thunder won five of their first six matches to sit pretty on top of the table and looked like the team to beat. But when Daniel Sams suffered a concussion in the loss to Brisbane Heat, they lost four of the next five with the balance of the side thrown off when he missed a couple of games. They righted the ship with a dominant performance against the Sixers in Adelaide with Alex Hales plundering a century to help the side post a BBL record score. Hales continued his incredible form against the Strikers to secure third spot for the Thunder and make them a real threat for their second BBL title.Path to the titleThe Thunder will host the Knockout against the winner of the Eliminator between the Heat and Strikers at their home-away-from-home in Canberra. If the Thunder win the Knockout, all roads to the title lead through Perth. They either face the Scorchers in Perth in the Challenger or the Final. Perth Stadium won’t hold as many fears for the Thunder as it does other teams. The Thunder have won two of four matches at the venue and nearly pinched a third against the Scorchers this season. They also have to beat the Sixers in Canberra in either the Challenger or the final. They beat the Sixers in Adelaide but lost the rain-affected clash in Canberra.How the squad shapes upThe Thunder are well balanced but the fitness of Sams is important. He injured his wrist in the loss to the Hurricanes and has missed the last three matches although is hopeful of playing in the finals. Brendan Doggett’s form with the ball gives the Thunder plenty of options from a bowling perspective and potentially a selection headache if Sams is passed fit. Hales and Usman Khawaja are a formidable opening combination but Khawaja is due for a big score and finals may bring the best out of him.Marnus Labuschagne has had a big impact with bat and ball since returning to the Heat•Getty Images

Brisbane Heat

Qualified: 4thRoad to the playoffsThe Heat left it right to the last day to steal a spot in the finals thanks to a nail-biting win over the Scorchers in Adelaide. The Heat’s season started horrendously losing four of their first five games. Ironically, a hamstring injury to Chris Lynn actually kickstarted the Heat’s season. Jimmy Peirson took over as captain and the Heat won three out of four, with the only loss a controversial one-run defeat to the Hurricanes. Lynn returned and promoted himself to the top of the order with good effect but, unlike the three stable sides above them, the Heat continually tinkered with their batting line-up and looked like they would miss the finals after two horror defeats to Perth and Adelaide where they were bowled out for 115 twice. The Heat needed to win their last two matches and did thanks to blistering half-centuries from Lynn and superb allround performances from Marnus Labuschagne on return from the Test squad.Path to the titleThe Heat and the Strikers have the toughest road to the title. They each have to win four games in eight days. The Heat at least get to host the Strikers at the Gabba, a ground that suits them well. Should they win they will then head on the road to face the Thunder in Canberra 48 hours later for the Knockout. Should they win the Knockout, they will need to beat the Sixers and Scorchers in Canberra and Perth to clinch the title.How the squad shapes upLabuschagne’s inclusion initially looked problematic for the Heat but his all-round package gives them a lot of versatility. It gives the dynamic duo of Lynn and Max Bryant at the top some middle-order stability, however their last two innings have stalled a touch with Labuschagne and Joe Denly have got together. But they have power down the order and then a balanced attack that has benefitted hugely from Mitchell Swepson’s return. He has made up for the absence of Mujeeb Ur Rahman who won’t return for the finals. The Heat have been the most adventurous with the X-Factor sub, and can afford to be given the bevy of allrounders and fast bowlers they have in their squad. Their major flaw is there is no left-hander in their batting line-up, with Sam Heazlett on the outer, which leaves them vulnerable given every finalist has either a legspinner or a left-arm orthodox in their line-up.The Strikers have stuttered, but Jake Weatherald has found form•Getty Images

Adelaide Strikers

Qualified: 5thRoad to the playoffsThe Strikers can count themselves incredibly fortunate to be playing in the Eliminator. Had either the Hurricanes or the Stars (including a Bash Boost point) won their last match the Strikers would have missed the finals. Had both results fallen the other way the Strikers would have finished seventh on the table. They have been inconsistent but mainly paid a price for some unforced errors at home. In back-to-back matches they capitulated from strong positions with bat and ball against the Renegades, who had lost seven matches in a row, and missed the chance to claim an easy Bash Boost point against the Stars, although they still won the game. Those two results alone would have secured third spot. They had to rely on favours from the Renegades and the Sixers to finish in fifth.Path to the titleThey have the toughest road to the title. They need to win four games in a row in eight days, all away from home. It starts with the Heat on Friday at the Gabba. If they win that they face the Thunder in Canberra on Sunday. Then they face trips to Perth and back to Canberra or vice versa, to win their second title.How the squad shapes upThe Strikers have tinkered endlessly with their batting line-up but have finally settled on the opening combination that won them BBL07. Alex Carey and Jake Weatherald have found form at the right time, but their middle-order is a worry. Phil Salt is batting out of his preferred position, Jon Wells has failed to fire this season and Matt Renshaw is also battling for runs. The attack has been strengthened by the return of Michael Neser and they do have options depending on the conditions at the Gabba to play an extra seamer or a second spinner. Rashid Khan’s absence has hurt them and he won’t return this season.

“When we go abroad and get a seaming track, we don’t talk about excessive grass on the pitch”

Sidharth Monga15-Feb-20212:37

Is Axar Patel now ahead of Kuldeep Yadav in the pecking order?

Debutant left-arm spinner Axar Patel has asked the critics of the Chennai pitch to change their mindset towards spinning pitches, pointing out that India never complain about seaming tracks when they travel.Related

• A dreamy, ambitious Ashwin's hard work pays off with a hundred at home ground

• Stats – All-round Ashwin goes past Sobers, Kallis

• R Ashwin hundred flattens England as India close in

The Chennai pitch has received criticism from former players such as Michael Vaughan, Mark Waugh, Damien Fleming and Sanjay Manjrekar.”It’s not as though someone has been hit in the helmet or the toes,” Patel said. “It is a normal wicket. We are playing on the same wicket and scoring runs. I feel no one should have an objection about this pitch. When we go out and get a seaming track, we don’t talk about excessive grass on the pitch. You have to change your mindset rather than think about the pitch.”The argument has been that a pitch with puffs of dust and mini-explosions on day one will only get worse for batting, turning it into lottery. But as Patel said, India have scored runs in both innings whereas the whole England side managed fewer runs in the first innings than Rohit Sharma’s 161. He was even asked if there was extra determination from R Ashwin and Virat Kohli to bat on and score as many as possible even though they had more than enough runs on the board.”We don’t think of outside and if we have to send a message,” Patel said. “We just batted normally. If it had been day four we would have thought of declaring.”Patel also said this wasn’t a pitch where you just turn up and release the ball and the surface will do the rest for you.”The way the wicket is behaving, you know there is spin, but the spin is there only if you put some strength behind the ball,” he said. “If you leave it like that or flight it too much, then there is not much turn from the pitch. The speed has to be high. Otherwise the batsman is going back and has time to adjust. Speed is very important for a spinner on this pitch.”Patel had all the strength to give after missing his debut a week ago with a niggle in the knee. He said that while it was frustrating to miss that match, had he risked it, he could have ended up losing out on giving his best in both the matches.”I was selected to play the first Test but I pulled out because of the injury,” he said. “I didn’t want to play with a niggle and take the risk of letting the team down halfway into the match. The physio told me if I gave it time I will be fine for the second Test. So the physio and I took that call. It was frustrating but the positive is that I could give my 100% here.”