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Cox and Critchley pile on the runs as Kent are made to suffer on opening day

Andrew Miller12-Apr-2024Essex 421 for 6 (Elgar 120, Critchley 103*, Cox 67) vs KentNothing changes with any great speed at Chelmsford. Plans are currently afoot for a grand renovation of the pavilion and its surrounding concourse – the only corner of this postage-stamp ground with any wriggle-room for expansion – though rather like this week’s announcement that the ground’s Hayes Close and River Ends have been renamed in honour of its most storied Test performers, Graham Gooch and Sir Alastair Cook, there’s been no pretence of an upgrade in signage in the interim. Indeed, the interactive “Graham Napier Sixes Trail”, with its 16 plaques to commemorate each of Napier’s swings for the bleachers in his famous T20 onslaught against Sussex in 2008, remains Chelmsford’s most visible tribute to any former player, Graham or otherwise.Until, that is, Dean Elgar rocked up with a note-perfect tribute to Cook, whose studiously anonymous retirement last summer had precluded any official attempts to send him off in style. As if to make amends, Elgar filled his boots – in every sense – with no fuss and little flourish. Just 176 balls of nuggetty application across the best part of two sessions, as Essex’s latest left-handed ex-Test opener shifted through his gears with the same unshowy elitism that his English forebear had habitually brought to bear.And, just as had been the case in Essex’s opening-week victory at Trent Bridge, Elgar’s sidekick throughout an innings-defining third-wicket stand of 159 was an up-and-coming England prospect with the same weight and range of stroke as the recently departed Dan Lawrence. Between them, Elgar and Jordan Cox set about convincing an impressive first-day crowd of 2,226 that nothing whatsoever has changed about Essex’s red-ball batting prowess. A scoreline of 421 for 6, capped by an unbeaten century from Matt Critchley, amply backed up that pretence.It wasn’t all plain sailing for Essex after Tom Westley had won a handy toss on the first genuinely shirt-sleeves day of the season. In keeping with the uneven challenge that this month’s two-round experiment with the Kookaburra ball has created, Kent’s seamers caused havoc for precisely 21 balls. In that time, Westley himself was caught behind for 5 off George Garrett, after Feroz Khushi – whose use of an improperly sized bat at Trent Bridge still threatens his side’s top-of-the-table status – chose not to use it at all this week in being bowled by Wes Agar while shouldering arms first-ball.That double-whammy brought Cox out to face his former team-mates at an awkward 10 for 2 – and given his pointed pre-season remarks about Kent’s lack of red-ball ambition, the stage was set for him to be served a large dollop of schadenfreude. Instead, Cox’s opening gambit was a volley of extraordinarily poised drives down the ground – three fours and a three as Garrett strained for swing – and as he marched to 15 from his first six balls, it was as if all threat off the pitch or through the air had been dragged away with him.Jordan Cox made a free-flowing fifty against his former team-mates•Andrew Miller/ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Cox’s confidence on the front foot was ample excuse for Elgar to step up his own intent with a series of compact drives of his own, but it was the introduction of Matt Parkinson’s legspin that kicked Essex’s innings into overdrive. Cox greeted his first-ball full-toss with a dismissive slap through the covers – the first of three fours in a 13-run first over – and he was scarcely allowed to settle thereafter in leaking 25 runs in his first three.Having romped to his fifty from 61 balls, a chance came and went for Cox when Agar at fine leg fumbled a top-edged pull off Nathan Gilchrist, but he had added only seven more runs when Garrett pushed a touch fuller to pin him on the knee-roll for 67. It was hardly the harbinger of a Kent fightback, however. Critchley emerged with a platform of 169 for 3 but just as importantly the Kookaburra entering its dead-zone in the 39th over, and Essex duly punched along at a rate of 4.5 an over, with scarcely a need to over-reach themselves.Elgar’s departure came as something of a surprise when, on 120, he popped a tame catch to short midwicket off Parkinson and dropped his bat in frustration at his own missed opportunity, but that merely unleashed the long levers of “Tall” Paul Walter, who bombed the long-off boundary with a four and two increasingly weighty sixes before scuffing a third attempt to give Parkinson his second wicket.Michael Pepper, too, peppered the boundary, including with a full-faced lift for six over the cover rope, only to pick out deep third with an attempted ramp, one short of his fifty. Critchley, however, made no such error in carrying Essex past the second new ball and through to the close, with the promise of plenty more where these first-day offerings had come from.The only truly duff note for Essex had come before play, when Sam Cook – their Kookaburra-proofed seamer whose ten-wicket haul had routed Nottinghamshire in the first round – was ruled out of contention. Not, it should be said, in protest at the wrong Cook getting the honour of an End named after him, but as a precaution after feeling a thigh strain.

Former England assistant coach takes over from Ian Salisbury at Hove

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Dec-2022Paul Farbrace has been named as the new head coach of Sussex, having recently stepped down from his three-year role as sporting director at Warwickshire.Farbrace, who was an integral influence as England’s assistant coach under Trevor Bayliss from 2015 to 2019, was also Sri Lanka’s head coach when they won the World T20 in 2014.”I’m delighted to be joining Sussex and I’m really looking forward to helping everyone at the club to achieve their ambitions,” Farbrace said.”It is a fantastic club that has produced many fantastic players for both Sussex and England. I am really looking forward to the opportunity of working with the players and coaches to drive the performance of the team forward.”We should be very focused on developing our own players, as well as developing players to play for England at all levels, but also winning trophies for the members and the club.”His appointment comes as something of a surprise, however, with Farbrace recently expressing an interest in taking time away from county cricket to pursue new opportunities on the T20 circuit, including with the Hundred.He will be replacing Sussex’s outgoing head coach, Ian Salisbury, who left his position earlier this year after an internal dispute, and will take over a team in transition, having lost a number of its senior players in recent years, among them the England players Chris Jordan and Phil Salt. One senior player still on Sussex’s books, however, is his step-son, the England Test bowler, Ollie Robinson.Speaking on the appointment, Rob Andrew, Sussex’s CEO, said: “We are all delighted Paul has agreed to join the club. His all-round experience is exactly what we have been looking for when we made the decision to return to one Head Coach across all formats and I am confident he will enable our team to fulfil its full potential.”He shares the club’s ambitions to produce our own players, develop players for England and win trophies for Sussex. We have a very exciting few years ahead as we see the young talented players develop further in Sussex colours.”

Experience at IPL has helped allrounder push his case in white-ball formats

Andrew Miller02-Jul-2021Graham Thorpe says that Sam Curran’s composure in pressurised situations is the trait that has propelled him to the heart of England’s white-ball plans, following his series-sealing five-wicket haul in the second ODI against Sri Lanka at The Kia Oval.Curran, who has played ten ODIs in his young career compared to 21 Tests since his debut in 2018, claimed three wickets in his first nine balls, en route to figures of 5 for 48, his best in List A cricket. England eased to an eight-wicket victory with 42 balls to spare, and head to Bristol for Sunday’s third match with options aplenty given the dominance they’ve shown against a sub-par opposition.Curran’s display, however, will have confirmed to England’s management that they have a rising star in their ranks. At the age of 23, he is already a pivotal figure with bat and ball for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, as they seek to rebuild their team around a younger core of players, and with the next T20 World Cup due to follow on from the IPL’s resumption in the UAE this winter, Thorpe recognises that his experience at that tournament could be invaluable.”I think it’s helped him enormously,” Thorpe said of the IPL. “Every environment Sam has gone into, he’s shown that ability to compete and an ability to find a way of putting performances in. From that perspective, playing in the IPL has put him in high-pressured situations and pushed him.Related

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“His hitting ability with the bat was always there. I think that’s progressed to a really good level. He’s bowling at important times in the IPL, so he’s put under pressure and challenged. At 23, he’s getting some really good experiences.”Curran has had to bide his time in England’s ranks, with just three appearances across all formats in the 2020 home summer – a Test apiece against West Indies and Pakistan, and a solitary ODI against Australia. However, he has not looked back since his maiden campaign for CSK in November, and has been a first-choice pick in each of England’s subsequent white-ball fixtures in South Africa, India and now on home soil.”When he comes back and plays with England, he’s having to challenge for a place so he’s being put under pressure there too,” Thorpe said. “That’s not a bad thing. One of his great personality traits is that he’s a real competitor. We have seen that ever since he was a young lad, and his skill level is going up. For a 23-year-old it’s a good place to be. We want him to keep getting better and better.”Curran’s first England five-for came only two matches after he capped their ODI tour of India with a remarkable unbeaten 95 from No. 8 in Pune, but Thorpe – who is standing in for Chris Silverwood as England’s head coach for the Sri Lanka series – warned against expecting too much, too soon from a player whose stamina, as well as his skills, are bound to be tested by the intensity of England’s workload.”Given where he’s at, the amount of experience he’s got as a 23-year-old in terms of international cricket and franchise cricket as well, makes us believe he’s just starting out,” Thorpe said.”Of course, he’s still got to work really hard. His T20 cricket has progressed really well, but I think establishing himself as a 50-over player as well is a really important part of it. He’s got to try and be in the mix as well for Test cricket.”It sounds like quite a lot of cricket. As you know, with someone like Ben Stokes, the amount of work and fitness levels that are required for that is huge. So the challenge for Sam to be a multi-format cricketer is delivering that consistency as well for England time and time again.”That’ll be one of the bigger challenges for Sam going forward. But that very much lies on his shoulders to do that. We know we’ve got a very exciting cricketer with us, and we just have to keep encouraging him to improve and keep getting better as a player all the time.”Sam Curran leaps in celebration•AFP/Getty Images

With a 2-0 lead in the ODI series, and having eased to a 3-0 clean sweep in the recent T20Is, Thorpe hinted that England would take the opportunity to test some new faces in Sunday’s match – with Sussex’s left-arm quick George Garton potentially in line for a debut.”We know he’s got a bit of pace on him,” Thorpe said of Garton, a player who has been on England’s radar since he was called up as cover during the Ashes tour in 2017-18. “But he’s also got some good tricks up his sleeve. It’s one thing seeing it at a county level, but it’s another thing stepping up and doing it in international matches as well. There’ll be interesting discussions about whether we can get him into the side down at Bristol.”However, Curran’s recent performances have also reiterated the importance of seizing those chances when they arise, given the competition for places that is hotting up in England’s white-ball ranks.”I think the players know that as well,” Thorpe said. “Having good healthy competition keeps players on the edge. All the players are aware that every time they put a shirt on in the white-ball format, and in our red-ball team, that it’s an opportunity for them to establish their place and be in a position where they’re picked for squads, and to perform at a high level in tournaments for us.”Asked if England had been disappointed by the quality of Sri Lanka’s cricket during the white-ball series, Thorpe admitted that the Pakistan series, which gets underway later this month, was likely to prove more challenging.”Potentially the Pakistan series could push us further,” he said. “The Sri Lankan bowling attack has been decent, but they’ve been weakened more on their batting side. I think Pakistan will be a team that’s further ahead in terms of experience and how they’ll be able to challenge as well. It’ll probably be a tougher contest.”

Ireland skipper will keep a close eye on West Indies’ tour after their arrival in the UK

Matt Roller09-Jun-2020Andy Balbirnie, Ireland’s captain, is hopeful that his team’s three-match ODI series against England will go ahead in July after a “very reassuring” briefing from the ECB last week.Ireland returned to training on Monday to begin their preparations for the tour, which is due to be played at the Ageas Bowl pending ratification from the ECB and approval from the relevant governments.Balbirnie told ESPNcricinfo that he would be keeping a close eye on West Indies’ tour after their arrival in the UK on Tuesday, but that he was “desperately keen” for the ODI series to go ahead.”I’ll be watching this West Indies series closely, following how they get on with training and the protocols for that,” Balbirnie said. “But as far as I’m concerned, I’m desperately keen to play.”I’d be hopeful that all will go well with the West Indies series, and I think it will having heard what the ECB can do with the bio-secure facilities. It sounds really well-planned and well thought-out. The world will be watching this West Indies tour, but I’m looking forward to hopefully getting over at the end of July.”ALSO READ: Ireland’s return to training boosts prospects of England ODI seriesBalbirnie and other Cricket Ireland representatives were briefed by the ECB at the end of last week about arrangements for the tour, which will see players stay on-site in the hotel at the Ageas Bowl with their interactions with the outside world minimised.He has yet to speak to the squad as a whole as things stand – training sessions are being conducted in groups of four at three different locations – but is optimistic that all centrally-contracted players will be available to travel. He currently expects that Ireland will take a normal 15-man squad, but conversations are ongoing about the possibility of bringing additional reserves as net bowlers or back-ups.”We’ll have the chat at some stage,” he said. “I know myself that I’m itching to play, and it’s not an eight-hour trip – you’re not going to a different continent.”At the same time, you want to make sure everyone is on board: you’ve got to respect people’s decisions, and you don’t want to be going over with players who are tip-toeing around the place. You want to go over and win games of cricket.”The ECB call was very reassuring because this is completely new to everyone. The way they pitched it to us was that this is completely under control, and the guys they have sorting it out are brilliant at their jobs.”England are set to be without several World Cup winners for the series, with the expectation that they will name a completely separate squad to that used in the West Indies Tests, meaning that hopes have been raised of a first Irish ODI win over their local rivals since the 2011 World Cup.Ireland’s home summer has already been mothballed, with Bangladesh, Pakistan and New Zealand agreeing to postpone their tours, and with the expectation that October’s T20 World Cup will be postponed, 50-over cricket will be the focus in training for the foreseeable future.Ireland are due to play a three-match ODI series in England starting in late July•Getty Images

The series will also be the first in the qualification process for the 2023 World Cup through the new ODI Super League, and Balbirnie – who was appointed in November – said that he has been chatting to his team-mates over the weekend about the importance of getting the new cycle off to a strong start.”It’s such an important cycle for us. I’ve come in as captain and my aim is to take us to the next World Cup in 2023. These are the first games in that cycle.”Look, whoever England pick, they’re world champions – they’re going to have a vast number of good players to choose from. But we’re an experienced side ourselves and we’ve had some good successes this year in white-ball cricket. The guys will be champing at the bit to have a crack at them. If we can cause a couple of upsets, it’ll be a great few weeks for us.”If we can come away with a win or two, that’ll set us up brilliantly and it’ll give the lads some confidence. In the T20 games when we beat West Indies and Afghanistan at the start of the year, the young guys we have coming into the squad, the confidence that they got from those results is contagious. If we can pick that run up in ODI cricket then we have an exciting few years ahead of us.”With the first summer as captain [being cancelled], you’re gutted and disappointed. We’ve got some young players who would have benefitted greatly from this summer. But when you sit down and watch the news, you understand that it was the right thing to do.”ALSO READ: Ireland itching to play England ODIs despite risks – StirlingBalbirnie returned to his family home during lockdown to avoid being alone for the duration in his Dublin apartment, and admits that it came as a welcome break from the hectic nature of the international schedule and constant touring.But by the time the opportunity to return to training came around, he was “sat looking at the clock waiting for about an hour”, excited by the prospects of seeing team-mates again – albeit from two metres away.”I was like a kid at Christmas. It was surreal: I’m 29 years old, and I was running out the front door into my car. It’s just nice to have a bit of interaction with a few of the lads.”On arrival it’s very different, having to get your temperature taken and wash your hands, but over the next couple of weeks we’ve got to train ourselves so that it becomes a habit. For me it’s about getting down to the basics again, getting my feet moving and retraining my mind. It’s all very basic staff, but it’s nice to have a schedule leading into – potentially – these England games.”

David Richardson says ‘no indications’ from either board that June 16 match will not go ahead as planned

Nagraj Gollapudi19-Feb-2019The ICC and the 2019 World Cup organising committee remain confident that the tournament’s biggest match, to be played between India and Pakistan on June 16 in Manchester, will go ahead despite the volatile situation between the two countries in the wake of a terrorist attack in Kashmir last week.With the World Cup starting in exactly 100 days, there are have been scattered voices that want India to boycott the group match against Pakistan. The fixture itself remains the biggest game of the tournament: nearly half a million applications for tickets poured in as soon as the ICC opened its ballot. Even the World Cup final, to be played on July 14 at Lord’s, paled in comparison with about a quarter of a million applications.Although neither board has made a public comment, internally top officials from both the BCCI and PCB agree that it is too far-fetched right now to predict the situation in June. The ICC’s quarterly meetings take place in Dubai next week, where representatives from both boards will have a chance to conduct discussions in person.David Richardson, the ICC’s outgoing chief executive officer, said that “no indications” have been sent from either board about the World Cup clash not taking place. “We haven’t written to the boards as yet,” Richardson told ESPNcricinfo in London, where he was present to mark the 100-day countdown to the tournament. “Our thoughts are with the people that were impacted by the incident. And we are monitoring the situation with our members including the BCCI and PCB. Certainly there are no indications any of the matches, including the Pakistan-India match, will not be played as planned at the World Cup. But as I say we will continue to monitor the situation.”This is not the first time the fate of an India-Pakistan match at a global event has been called into question due to the fragile relations between the two neighbours. However, Richardson remained optimistic. “Sport, and cricket in particular, is perfectly placed – it has the wonderful ability to bring people together to unite communities. And hopefully cricket can be used in this fashion rather than a way of [dividing] people.”For Steve Elworthy, the World Cup tournament director, the India-Pakistan contest will be a marquee occasion. “It is probably one of the biggest sporting events in the world,” Elworthy, the former South Africa fast bowler, said. “You think of that match and you think of the passion, the support, the audience, the [number of] people who applied for tickets.”David Richardson, Steve Elworthy and UK sports minister Mims Davies at an event marking the 100-day countdown to the World Cup•Getty Images

Elworthy was also the tournament director for the 2017 Champions Trophy, where India and Pakistan played each other twice including the final where Sarfaraz Ahmed’s team won convincingly. It only increases the needle for the Old Trafford match on June 16.And that can be seen in the record demand for tickets, which Elworthy pointed out was significantly bigger than for the final. “That particular game, we had over 400,000 applications for tickets, which is an incredible number. The stadium only holds 25,000 people. So there are a number of disappointed people. That’s just locally, but [there is also] the audience globally.”To put that [number] in perspective, England v Australia was around 230-240,000. And the final was around about 260-270,000 applications for tickets. So that gives you a bit of perspective for the demand for this match [India v Pakistan]. It’s a big game. They could end up playing each other in the final [too], you never know.”In the scenario where one team decided to forfeit the match, Richardson said the ICC would open the rule books to ascertain the repercussions. “There is justifiable non-compliance and unjustifiable,” he said. “That we will have to deal with under the playing regulations.”But neither Richardson nor Elworthy are currently too concerned – both said they would not be having any sleepless nights. Not yet. Elworthy even afforded a big smile when asked who he thought would win the game.”Good question,” he said. “We’ve had them play a couple of times against each other, haven’t we? And Pakistan won the last one about 18 months ago. That was an incredible game, down at The Oval. But then, India have beaten Pakistan in the group stages. They are very balanced teams. It is very hard to choose because it is just that passion, that rivalry that you can’t really account for. And when they get on to the field what takes players over, what drives them, and motivates them. So whatever the result we are going to see an incredible game of cricket.”

Khulna Titans jumped to second spot after their 14-run win over table-toppers Comilla Victorians, who can still extend their lead as they have a game left against Sylhet Sixers on Wednesday

The Report by Mohammad Isam05-Dec-2017Khulna Titans 174 for 6 (Shanto 37, Ariful 35, Al-Amin 3-52) beat Comilla Victorians 160 for 7 (Tamim 36, Malik 36, Howell 2-32, Jayed 2-35) by 14 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Raton Gomes/BCB

Khulna Titans jumped to second spot after their 14-run win over table-toppers Comilla Victorians, who can still extend their lead as they have a game left against Sylhet Sixers on Wednesday.Batting first, Khulna posted 174 for 6, with Nazmul Hossain Shanto top-scoring with 37. But the real push came from Ariful Haque and Carlos Brathwaite, who helped them punch 50 runs in the last three overs. Al-Amin took three wickets but was very expensive, giving away 52 runs.Comilla started well with the bat, but a lack of big hits in the middle overs squeezed them out of the game. Shoaib Malik and Marlon Samuels slammed some sixes in the last few overs, but it was too little too late.Khulna’s bright startMichael Klinger and Nazmul Hossain Shanto put on 55 runs for the first wicket to give Khulna a strong start in the Powerplay. After a sedate start – they scored six in the first two overs – the two blasted 49 runs in four overs. The only thing that prevented it from becoming the perfect start was Shanto’s dismissal, off the last ball of the sixth over, for 37 of 21 balls. He stuck four fours and two sixes – over long-off and midwicket. Klinger was slower, his 29 coming off 28 balls with a four and a six, before he got out in the 11th over.A forceful finishAfter the blistering start, Khulna lost substantial ground in the middle overs, with Mahmudullah and Nicholas Pooran getting out cheaply. That was until the arrivals of Carlos Brathwaite and Ariful Haque, who plundered 67 runs in the last five overs. Though they only cleared the fence once each, they found it with regularity. The duo’s onslaught upset Khulna’s lines and lengths, as witnessed in the penultimate over, when Mehedi Hasan Rana conceded a hat-trick of wides and a no-ball. Khulna finished with 174 for 6, which would need some batting to chase down.Comilla recover from early lossSolomon Mire, playing his first game this season, fell for a two-ball duck in the first over of the chase. But Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes brought them back through a 63-run second wicket stand. Kayes struck three fours in his 19-ball 20, and was reprieved by Carlos Brathwaite, who dropped a sitter in the fourth over when Imrul was on 6. Brathwaite later made amends with a smart catch, running to his left from long-off, to send back Kayes for 20. When Tamim fell two overs later, toe-ending a catch to Mahmudullah at cover, Comilla were on the backfoot: 69 for 3 at the halfway mark, requiring another 106.Khulna sustain late pressureAfter Imrul and Tamim’s departures, Benny Howell removed Jos Buttler in the 14th over, having him caught at backward point. Thereafter, with the required rate rising quickly, Shoaib Malik slammed three sixes in the 14th, 15th and 16th overs before Samuels continued the trend with one in the 17th over. But Malik’s dismissal pretty much brought the curtains down on Comilla. Having played fluently for his 36, Malik lobbed a catch off the leading edge to point, leaving Comilla with 48 to get in three overs.Abu Jayed conceded seven in the 18th over which also included the wicket of Graeme Cremer. He returned for the last over and conceded 16, but with Comilla requiring 31 at the start, it still ensured a comfortable win for Khulna.

Short-bowling tactics and allegations of sledging were placed under the microscope on day one of the New South Wales Coroner’s inquest into the death of Phillip Hughes

Daniel Brettig10-Oct-2016Short-bowling tactics and allegations of sledging were placed under the microscope on day one of the New South Wales Coroner’s inquest into the death of Phillip Hughes.Witnesses including Brad Haddin, the NSW captain on the day, and pace bowler Doug Bollinger were examined on issues surrounding the events of November 25, 2014, when Hughes, playing for South Australia, was struck on the side of the neck by a short ball delivered by Sean Abbott in a Sheffield Shield match at the SCG.The blow caused a severe arterial injury that rendered him unconscious within seconds and ultimately ended his life in St Vincent’s Hospital two days later.Members of the Hughes family, who were present for the inquest at Sydney’s Downing Centre court complex, had raised concerns about the bowling Hughes was subjected to on the day, and also about some of the comments allegedly directed to him prior to the blow.It was alleged, in the examination of detective senior constable Jay Tonkin of NSW Police by the Hughes’ family’s legal representative Greg Melick SC, that Bollinger had uttered the words “I’m going to kill you”, something the bowler strongly denied with the words, “I know in my heart I didn’t say that.” Hughes’ parents, Greg and Virginia, were seen to shake their heads when Bollinger offered his denial.Haddin was queried on tactical discussions about how to dismiss Hughes, given that he had established himself at the crease by lunch. Haddin stated he had discussions with the then NSW coach Trevor Bayliss about how to change the flow of the game, but denied any specific plans to bowl short.The field placings used by Haddin after lunch – interpreted by some as to cater for short bowling – were, he said, devised to reduce the scoring rate. Haddin also stated that if he had wished to deliver a short-pitched attack on Hughes, he would have used other bowlers, pointing out that the spinner Nathan Lyon was operating opposite Abbott at the time.However David Warner, in an earlier statement offered to the inquest, stated that the NSW team had previously formulated a plan for Hughes. “The team had developed a plan of how to get Phil out,” he said. “Basically it was to bowl at or over leg stump and get Phil moving backwards instead of forwards.”Asked initially to recall events, Haddin spoke vividly of the moment Hughes was struck. “It was like something I’ve never witnessed before in my life,” he said. “It was the noise. The groan. The way he fell straight down, motionless without trying to break the fall.” As part of the first day’s proceedings, the inquest viewed footage of the over in which Hughes was hit. Members of the Hughes family left the room at this time.Proceedings had opened with addresses from the NSW Coroner, Michael Barnes QC, and the Counsel assisting the Coroner, Kristina Stern, SC. Barnes spoke about the toll the week’s events were likely to take on the Hughes family in particular. “It is important to note that Phillip Hughes was, before anything else, a son and a brother,” he said.”To his family, who have been devastated, he was much more than a fabulous cricketer. I offer them my sincere condolences. I can appreciate these proceedings may be harrowing for them. It may exacerbate their raw pain. I deeply regret that, and only hope the improved safety that may result justifies that pain.”Cricket is not generally seen as dangerous or violent. But that does not mean cricket can’t be made safer.”Stern’s address laid out numerous avenues of inquiry, and also outlined the timeline of events from the moment Hughes was struck to the time he made it into surgery at St Vincent’s Hospital about an hour later. However she made clear that the type of injury sustained by Hughes meant, “None of the chronologies set out above had any impact on the death of Phillip Hughes, which appears to have been inevitable from the point of impact.”That left much focus to be placed on events leading up to the ball that struck Hughes. “Concerns have been raised in relation to the number of short balls that were delivered by the pace bowlers to Phillip Hughes,” Sterns said. “And as to tactics during the afternoon session that day.”In particular, concern has been expressed that the NSW team may have been bowling short at Phillip Hughes for a good majority of the time after lunch, in order to restrict the run rate and get him out. And as to whether the umpires should have taken steps to prevent this.”There has also been some concern expressed as to any sledging that may have taken place that day. [Phillip’s brother] Jason Hughes has, with the benefit of the video footage available, prepared a ball by ball analysis of the short-pitched deliveries that will assist your honour in understanding these issues.”Before the inquest began, Hughes’ manager James Henderson delivered a statement on behalf of the family. “This is going to be a very, very, very difficult week for Greg, Virginia, Jason and Megan,” Henderson told reporters outside the court. “They haven’t been looking forward to this week, and they’re hoping that perhaps there will be a positive that comes out of Phillip’s death as we go through the next five days in the Coroner’s court.”James Sutherland, the Cricket Australia chief executive, also spoke before the inquest began. Sutherland had delayed his departure for the next round of ICC meetings in Cape Town, South Africa, in order to be present for the start of the inquest.”We never want to see a tragedy like this happen on the cricket field, and to that end we have the utmost respect for the coronial inquest process that we will need to go through this week,” he said. “We won’t be providing a running commentary dealing with specific issues through the week, but we do hope something good comes from this process.”The inquest continues on Tuesday with further witness examinations.

R Ashwin took his 13th five-wicket haul, and his 150th Test wicket as well, as South Africa were bowled out for 184 and India built their lead to 142 by the end of the day with Cheteshwar Pujara’s half-century

The Report by Alagappan Muthu06-Nov-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details.Manjrekar: India will be looking at a 300-plus lead•Pakistan Women Cricket Association

The cries in the first hour were of frustration. India’s spinners just could not find any rhythm and that spurred impatience. But from the final half hour of the morning session, those cries turned into cackles of joy. South Africa’s most assured player, Hashim Amla, was dismissed for 43 and their most feared AB de Villiers carved 63. But seven single-figure scores from the rest meant R Ashwin, who returned from injury with 5 for 51, Ravindra Jadeja and Amit Mishra took the honours. India gained a lead of 17, but it was just slender enough not to be decisive. They had to bat well, and they did, to finish the day ahead by 142 runs.M Vijay looked easy on the eyes and so runs, even on a stingy pitch, kept following him. He had made 47 off 105 balls before the substitute fielder Temba Bavuma snagged a diving, one-handed, horizontal-with-the-ground blinder to prevent what could have been the only wicketless session of the Test. Still, India’s second wicket added 86 runs and the dominant partner Cheteshwar Pujara was unbeaten on 63 off 100 balls. The trick was in not allowing the bat to dangle away from the body while defending, and alternatively holding nothing back once the bad ball arrived. As Pujara demonstrated when he pulled an Imran Tahir long hop, the penultimate delivery of the day, for a six.The architect of India’s position in Mohali was Ashwin, though. He had led his team off the field at the innings break. He has 13 five-wicket hauls and 150 wickets now, in only his 29th Test. Only Sydney Barnes, Waqar Younis and Clarrie Grimmett have been quicker to the mark. So it is clear that the side strain he suffered in the ODI series has not led to a stutter in form. Meanwhile, South Africa’s spearhead is under an injury cloud now. Dale Steyn picked up a groin injury and did not bowl today.And considering that, it was poor that Shikhar Dhawan ended up bagging a pair on the same ground he hammered 187 on debut against Australia. The bowler was Vernon Philander, the ball was simply angled across, but Dhawan turned it into a wicket-taking one by flashing at it and India recorded their sixth single-digit opening partnership on the trot.It is true that this is not the most straightforward pitch to bat on. Even a man of De Villiers’ calibre could have been dismissed in five balls. Jadeja got one to turn and bounce to perhaps take the outside edge – it seemed like there was a noise as ball passed bat – but the umpire had enough doubt to rule against the appeal. Then in the 45th over, he definitely nicked one and it was caught on the rebound off the wicketkeeper’s gloves by Virat Kohli at second slip but the bowler, Jadeja again, had overstepped; the fact was confirmed after several minutes of deliberation from the third umpire Vineet Kulkarni. The bowler’s toes had landed, the heel had not, which is fine, but some part of the foot had to be behind the line. Nothing was. It appeared Jadeja had done it again when he had Philander edge to slip, but Kulkarni upheld that appeal.De Villiers, at the other end, hit the spinners off their lengths with a flurry of sweeps and exploited angles that may not have been readily available to other batsmen. De Villiers collected six fours and maintained a strike-rate of 75. He was ninth man out, bowled by a peach of a legspinner from Mishra and India edged the lead.That did not seem likely early on, though. South Africa were cruising towards possibly a wicketless morning session with Dean Elgar and Amla recording 76 runs off 176 balls. India may have taken the old adage about the first hour a little too seriously. They were trying too hard, as was their captain Kohli chopping and changing his bowlers around as frequently as his fields. Ashwin came on to bowl in only the ninth over of the day and Jadeja in the 13th. And that was the turning point. Ashwin tossed the ball up over the eyeline of the right-hander, pulling him to drive outside off, while Jadeja settled for natural variation – whether by turn, lack of turn or bounce. Orthodox cricket applied pressure and it was enough to undo a very stubborn South Africa batsman.Amla is the kind of player who can turn up and turn it on. He did so without bat in hand yesterday, leading his bowlers, trusting his gut and giving India a taste of their own medicine. Today, he amped up the dosage with an assured 43 off 97 balls. Sometimes it seemed like the length the spinners were bowling did not even matter to him. He would keep back in his crease even against flighted deliveries and make the adjustment with his wrists. He would even drive through the covers with a whippy flourish as Jadeja found out in the 37th over. The firmness in his decision making and the softness of his defence were beautiful to watch.Then came something that was bizarre to watch, which seems Amla’s thing when he plays against India. He had once ducked into a bouncer and got bowled, and today, he chipped down the track, was beaten by Ashwin’s flight and then stumped as the ball hit Wriddhiman Saha’s chest and dropped onto the off bail.Elgar played an innings that suggested he can handle rank turners. He likes to spend time at the crease at the cost of his strike-rate. He could even recover after being beaten in flight because of his use of soft hands and dead bat. It takes strong belief in one’s technique to repel noted spinners like Ashwin and Jadeja with three or four men around his bat. And Elgar seems like a confident blocker. But just as he was getting into the groove, an overambitious stroke led to his downfall.Elgar had begun the day with a powerful sweep shot with Mishra’s leg spin and chose to repeat the same against Ashwin’s offspin. The outside edge looped over the point where Jadeja held the simplest catch. One of the India fielders even chirped gleefully, “What a shot, man.” Dane Vilas was another victim of the sweep with lunch minutes away. India had their belief restored, South Africa were pushed on to the back foot, and that was where they stayed.