All posts by h716a5.icu

It must surely rank as one of the funniest run outs in cricket history. As much as Samit Patel, Nottinghamshire’s England allrounder, might have wished otherwise, it was a natural for YouTube.

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Apr-2013It must surely rank as one of the funniest run-outs in cricket history.As much as Samit Patel, Nottinghamshire’s England allrounder, might have wished the footage would never get out, it was bound to get onto YouTube before too long.Samit Patel’s run-out against Derbyshire in the Championship match at Trent Bridge was one of those moments when the batsman just had to put personal embarrassment aside and accept that his team-mates could do nothing else but laugh.”Samit Slips over!” is fast becoming the cricket video of the moment. As Stuart Broad, Patel’s England and Notts team-mate, remarked on Twitter: “Who put that banana in the middle of the wicket? A must watch.”Broad told Steve Davies, the Surrey and England keeper, on Twitter how he had to pad up immediately after Patel’s dismissal, trying to act professionally but with tears rolling down his face.Davies called the video “comfortably the funniest thing I have ever seen.” Chris Tremlett, another Surrey and England man, termed it “priceless” and there were comments from the outer that the heavy roller had returned to county cricket.Jon Culley, reporting for ESPNcricinfo from Derby, had sought to record the run out with more gravitas, merely calling Patel’s downfall “unfortunate”, although he did point out that Patel should have been run out for an earlier stumble when the fielder running in, Billy Godleman, missed the stumps from five yards.As for England, they might be tempted to remind Patel that it would not be quite so funny if it happened in the closing stages of a Champions Trophy final.

Just as England appeared to have wrestled control away through a stand of 123 between Joe Root and Jonathan Trott, New Zealand surged back late in the day by taking 4 for 12

The Report by Andrew McGlashan at Lord's18-May-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsJoe Root’s innings guided England into a strong position but their fortunes swung late in the day•Getty ImagesThis match refuses to reveal a favourite. Just as England appeared to have wrestled control away through a stand of 123 between Joe Root and Jonathan Trott, New Zealand surged back late in the day by taking 4 for 12, led by Tim Southee, to leave the contest tantalisingly balanced with the home side leading by 205 in conditions offering assistance to all bowlers.Despite how the day ended, England’s advantage is not inconsiderable on this surface. New Zealand will almost certainly have to score more than their first innings 207 to secure victory. Lord’s pitches have, over recent years, got better for batting (or at least harder for wicket-taking) deeper into the match but this surface does not appear set to follow that trend and the ball continues to swing. Their was less movement, though, when the sun popped out so New Zealand will look skywards. Either side Root and Trott, 12 wickets fell for 100 on the third day.Root, having played outstandingly for his 71, was the first to fall during a collapse that began in the final hour, when he inside-edged Southee into the stumps playing a shot that was not as tight as the majority he had so correctly produced. Then Southee beat Jonny Bairstow with a full delivery that clipped the pads and Matt Prior’s difficult game continued when he completed a pair by pulling softly to square leg. It was the first pair at Lord’s by an England player picked, in a significant part, for their batting since Mark Ramprakash against West Indies in 1995.A compelling passage of play continued when Kane Williamson, finding considerable turn that will give Graeme Swann every chance of being a match-winner, ripped one through the gate to bowl Trott (who had earlier been dropped at slip off the same bowler on 49) and suddenly the ill Ian Bell, who had spent the majority of New Zealand’s innings off the field and the morning of the third day at the team hotel, had to emerge at No. 8 behind nightwatchman Steven Finn.Root’s innings was exceptional. England were wobbling on 36 for 2 – a lead of 61 – when he arrived, after Alastair Cook’s problems with Trent Boult continued by edging a drive to third slip (his fourth dismissal against him in the four Tests this year) and Nick Compton was beaten by an inswinger from Neil Wagner in the next over. The stand that followed was comfortably the highest of the match.Until Root dragged on the only moments of unease came with running between the wickets. A better throw from Brendon McCullum at cover would have found him short on 40; in the process of collecting the ball and trying to break the stumps, BJ Watling damaged his knee and needed to leave the field, which forced McCullum to take the gloves (although not the conventional keeping pads, instead using shinguards under his trousers).Twice on 54 Root came close to being run out again. Martin Guptill, on as sub and New Zealand’s best fielder, missed the stumps then Root had to dive for his ground after another poor call. Each time, however, he managed to refocus. Perhaps the occasionally frantic running was a result of England’s increased urgency. They certainly appeared more intent on not letting the bowlers settle and Root was central to this with numerous tip-and-runs.He was strong square of the wicket, both cutting and driving elegantly off the back foot with a hint of his mentor Michael Vaughan, as he brought up his second Test fifty off 78 balls – rapid in the context of this game, if not quite Ross Taylor pace. The swiftness of footwork stood out, too, especially when he latched on to short deliveries from Bruce Martin, who did not have the same stifling effect of the first innings. Trott, meanwhile, played as he so often does and provided a reassuring presence at the other end although Root does not strike you as someone who needs calming in the middle.The two teams continue to prove closer than the rankings would suggest. New Zealand began the day in the slightly stronger position, but they were quickly knocked back and their last six wickets fell for 52 as James Anderson received the support that had been lacking the previous day, with him and Finn sharing nine wickets.England made the ideal start by removing McCullum in the first full over. He could have taken the game by scruff of the neck in a session but got a thin outside edge as he drove at Stuart Broad who, after being too short yesterday, immediately gained reward by pitching the ball up. McCullum thought he may have clipped his pad, not the ball, and used the DRS but there was a clear mark on Hot Spot.With McCullum gone, England knew the risk of New Zealand racing away had diminished. Williamson, who took a painful blow in the box against the much-improved Broad and needed a few minutes to compose himself, moved to an excellent fifty from 158 balls – his back-foot play through off side continuing to stand out – before falling in the same manner to Root on Friday when he glanced down the leg side against Anderson who went on to complete his fourth five-wicket haul at Lord’s when he beat Martin with a beauty to take off stump.Finn, although remaining inconsistent, played his part in dispatching the lower order. He benefited from a disappointing lack of self-control from Southee who had clubbed three boundaries in three balls and could not resist hacking at a short delivery that was simply taken at cover. It was a waste. Finn also claimed the last two to end with somewhat flattering figures, although his strike-rate of 47.1 should not be overlooked. However, like England, there is still improvement needed.

When Scott Styris struck a ball from Azhar Mahmood that described a perfect parabola out towards long leg, Sussex had their third maximum of the night and their noses in front, 14 runs required from the final 12 balls

Alan Gardner at The Oval03-Jul-2013
ScorecardScott Styris appeared to be taking Sussex to victory before falling to Jade Dernbach•Getty ImagesIt is one of the general maxims of Twenty20 that the team which hits the most sixes tends to win. When Scott Styris struck a ball from Azhar Mahmood that described a perfect parabola out towards long leg, Sussex had their third maximum of the night and their noses in front, 14 runs required from the final 12 balls.The next delivery Styris faced was from Jade Dernbach and uprooted two of his stumps. Dernbach’s over went for just two runs – and completed match-turning figures of 4-0-18-2 – as Sussex were left with too much to scramble off the last six balls. On the opening night of the tournament, Surrey had failed to defend exactly the same score of 139 for 6 against Hampshire; they have now won three games in a row and sit atop the South Group.This format has caused much angst for Surrey in recent times. They were one of the prime movers in next year’s shaking up of the T20 competition, their chief executive, Richard Gould, calling publically for a spread-out tournament on regular nights of the week. This was Surrey’s first home fixture of the 2013 FLt20 and, coupled with the first appearance of Ricky Ponting at The Oval – as Surrey player rather than pantomime villain – a decent crowd of 11,984 grazed happily throughout.Creating atmosphere in Test grounds, where the unfilled seats can be hard to disguise and the hubbub evaporates away rather than wrapping itself around the players, is one of the challenges for domestic T20 in England. Surrey do as good a job as any, though – The Oval is a half-full, rather than half-empty, kind of ground – and one fan became the first lucky recipient of £1000 for taking a ‘Kia catch’, when Dwayne Smith clubbed Zander de Bruyn into the stands.That over cost 22 but, Styris’ efforts apart, the Surrey bowlers succeeded in stifling Sussex in pursuit of a middling target for the second time in a week. On that evidence alone, it might be difficult to tell which of these two teams has been to Finals Day three times in the last six years and which has not got past the group stage since 2006.It is easy to spot a weakness in Surrey’s set-up, however. Steven Davies is the only batsman to score a half-century in four matches and their innings had an enervated, midweek feel to it; Thursday may be the new Friday in London but Wednesday is still the hump. Three of the top six picked out fielders on the fence with iron shots when a driver was needed and it wasn’t until the 15th over that Gary Wilson hit their first six, driving Will Beer emphatically over long-on.Wilson provided the vim Surrey needed, with reverse-sweeps, hard running and the odd Thor-like hammer blow, including another six off the final ball of the innings. Jason Roy was the only other Surrey player to get more than 13 and he flourished initially with several punishing cross-bat shots, as well as one thumping drive that knocked over the umpire, Trevor Jesty, who was hit on the shoulder. Jesty may be 65 but he waved away the stretcher before ambling to square leg for the next over and Surrey, in the end, weren’t left to rue the boundary that might have been.Of course, making a success of T20 financially is a lot easier if you’re making a success of it on the field. This match was really the appetiser for the London derby against Middlesex on Friday, when Surrey are hopeful of attracting a full house. Another last-ball finish – and another victory – will also be on the wish list.

Chris Dent struck an unbeaten century as Gloucestershire’s County Championship match against fellow promotion-chasers Northamptonshire at Wantage Road drifted to a tame draw.

05-Aug-2013
ScorecardChris Dent struck his fourth first-class century on day four•Getty ImagesChris Dent struck an unbeaten century as Gloucestershire’s County Championship match against fellow promotion-chasers Northamptonshire at Wantage Road drifted to a tame draw.Dent’s 128 not out off 211 balls, including 17 fours and one six, eased Gloucestershire to 227 for 1 as they batted through the day with their captain Michael Klinger contributing 78 from 181 deliveries.As a result, the visitors go up to third in the Division Two table, two points clear of Essex having played a game more. But with second-placed Northants coming out of this match with three more bonus points than their opponents the gap between them is now up to 27 points.Gloucestershire began the day on 31 without loss, 178 runs behind their opponents, with Klinger resuming on 21 and Dent, who went for a four-ball duck in his side’s first innings, on 10. But, for the second day in a row, the start of proceedings was delayed – on this occasion due to a wet outfield caused by overnight rain.Play eventually got under way at 12:15pm after 20 overs had been lost but what went on thereafter was a total anticlimax as Klinger and Dent easily batted through to lunch on a lifeless wicket. Runs continued to come easily in the afternoon with Klinger to first to go past 50 off 112 balls with a boundary through fine leg off the bowling of Steven Crook.The pair made their fourth opening partnership of 100 plus of the season with Dent also completing his half-century off 102 deliveries by smacking James Middlebrook through square leg for four. Dent, 22, then accelerated to his fourth century in first-class cricket and his second of the season off 159 balls by sweeping a four behind square leg off Cameron White.But Klinger was to fall on the final ball before tea when he edged his attempted sweep off White went to Andrew Hall at slip to finally break the stand on 190. He became the first wicket to fall since White himself was dismissed at 2:30pm yesterday, but it understandably only drew subdued celebrations from Northants.With the evening session not bringing any further incident, the two captains shook hands at 4:50pm with Gloucestershire wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick unbeaten on 11. Northants come out of this contest with 11 points and Gloucestershire eight and both sides now have five games left to try and secure their place in Division One next season.

Ryan Harris has almost made it. Almost got through three consecutive Tests for the first time in his career. And he has done it – or, almost done it – with style

Brydon Coverdale at Chester-le-Street11-Aug-2013Ryan Harris has almost made it. Almost got through three consecutive Tests for the first time in his career. And he has done it – or, almost done it – with style. Harris has been Australia’s most effective bowler during this Investec Ashes series, having claimed 16 wickets at 21.37, one fewer than Peter Siddle, who has played one more Test. On the third day at Chester-le-Street, Harris was again the most dangerous man in the attack, his speed, accuracy and movement all troubling England.That the hosts got away slightly through Ian Bell and Kevin Pietersen and extended their lead to 202 by stumps was not the fault of Harris, who delivered a searing new-ball spell that accounted for all of England’s top three batsmen. The wickets were the main prize for Harris, but the feeling of making through a third consecutive Test – and after a short three-day break, no less – was a major bonus for a man whose body has kept him to 15 Tests in three and a half years.”I’m a little bit tired after today but I feel good,” Harris said. “I’ve come out of it nice and strong. I feel really confident in my body. I’ve had a really good build-up. Unlike in the past I’ve gone from not bowling many overs to bowling lots of overs, whereas this time I’ve spent plenty of time on the Australian A tour and bowled lots and lots of overs and finished off the first-class season back in Queensland and bowled lots and lots of overs”Because I’ve copped a few injuries, I guess you get sore spots here and there and you doubt whether or not it’s going to be bad. Even today I had a couple of sore spots when I bowled a few balls but you … go back and go again and if it doesn’t hurt you’re all right. If it does you’ve got a problem. You’ve always got doubts, but I’m starting to have less and less doubts.”Harris earned his three early wickets in different ways, his superb outswinger clipping the top of Joe Root’s off stump, his accurate bouncer tempting Jonathan Trott, who gloved behind, and his wider ball surprisingly drawing Alastair Cook into a flash outside off. His aggression also nearly had the centurion Bell, who fended a sizzling bouncer off his gloves and fell back onto the ground, almost onto his stumps.”I went around the wicket to try and muck up his feet and the one he hit me, I got it a little bit wide and a little bit full,” he said. “So it was always going to be a short one – one of the next two. I got it on the money but it would have been nice if it had of flown to Usman Khawaja at short leg, that would have been better. It was one of those things where you just have to try. Once he gets in, he is hard to get out.”Bell was mostly responsible for putting England back in the driving position, for batting last on this Chester-le-Street surface will not be easy and Australia cannot afford to let the lead stretch much further. But Harris said a pursuit of 250 to 300 would be achievable and the focus had to be on claiming England’s remaining five wickets as quickly as possible.”The wicket’s holding together pretty well. It might spin a little bit but the ball’s going through nicely. I think it’s pretty evenly poised to be honest,” he said. “It’s hard to say a target. But it is not breaking up as much as we probably thought. It hasn’t had as much sun as it could have had. If it had of been sunny of the past three days it might have been different and dried out a little bit more. There a couple that keep low and misbehave but that’s going to happen.”

Mosharraf Hossain has continued to claim that his bowling figures from Dhaka Gladiators’ February 2 BPL match against Chittagong Kings are enough evidence to prove his innocence

Mohammad Isam20-Aug-2013Mosharraf Hossain, the Bangladesh left-arm spinner, has said the ICC has charged him for being involved in alleged match-fixing in Dhaka Gladiators’ February 2 BPL match against Chittagong Kings earlier this year. He, however, continued to claim that his bowling figures from the match are enough evidence to prove his innocence.”The ICC has accused me on charges of match fixing in the game between Dhaka Gladiators and Chittagong despite doing well,” Mosharraf said in a statement. “I had picked up two wickets for 17 runs in that game. It seems that I am a victim of situation and decided to take the recourse of law to prove my innocence and I am confident about it.”If anyone wanted to do fixing then he needs to bowl badly – at least bowl three or four deliveries in an over should be a full toss and a short ball. I am not such a fool that I would do fixing and also bowl well.”Several top Bangladeshi newspapers had raised suspicions after the match, especially at the manner in which high-flying Gladiators lost meekly to Kings by 54 runs. Gladiators had won five out of six games before February 2, and were seen as the form team having taken the title the previous season and having further strengthened their side. Kings had won two of their last six games before the match in question.On Tuesday, Mosharraf arranged a press conference at the City Club ground in Mirpur where he denied every angle of questioning that linked him to corruption. But he admitted that after the February 2 match, there was discussion in the dressing-room regarding the team’s performance.”After the match there was no other discussion apart from our bad performance. Some of us fielded badly while our batsmen were getting out. But there was no discussion regarding the fixing issue in the dressing room.”I am totally confident that I had not spoken to anyone regarding any deal of match-fixing. So there cannot be any question of obtaining any recorded telephonic conversation of mine.Mosharraf has now found himself in two of the biggest controversies in Bangladesh cricket. In 2008, he was among the 12 players who were banned for joining the rebel Indian Cricket League. He was pardoned by the BCB the following year, after which he came back strongly. He earned a senior call-up earlier this year in Sri Lanka but did not play any of the ODIs.At the time of receiving the ICC charge letter, he was playing a tournament in Kent in England but had to abandon his team to appeal against the accusations. Having been suspended till the completion of the anti-corruption tribunal’s proceedings, Mosharraf is set to miss next month’s domestic one-day competition, the Dhaka Premier Division League. But at the moment, he is more interested in being proven innocent.”Even if I cannot play anymore, my major goal now is to clear my name from this scandal. If I can prove my innocence, I will be the happiest person.”

Otago captain Brendon McCullum said for them the victory against Lions came down to the confidence gleaned from their 14-match winning run, which ended with this tie

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Sep-2013When Otago needed 65 runs off the final five overs in their chase of 168, with only four wickets in hand, it looked like Lions had won the game in Jaipur. But James Neesham managed to take it to the Super Over. When Otago had got only seven runs off the first five balls of the Super Over, they looked in bad shape again. But Brendon McCullum charged down to convert one of many good deliveries from Sohail Tanvir into a full toss and hit it for six to give them a defendable 13. When Lions needed only three off the final three deliveries of their over, it seemed the game had finally got away from Otago. But the fielders and Neesham held their nerve, again.In the end, captain McCullum said, for them it came down to the confidence gleaned from their 14-match winning run in T20s which ended with this tie. “I think it’s the luxury of winning all the games on the bounce, it breeds confidence,” McCullum said after victory was secured via a superior boundary count. “The guys get pretty composed in the middle and are backing their ability.”They might have been clear in their mind as to what was needed to be done, but the nerves were still jangling, McCullum admitted: “I don’t know about calm. I played about three dots and in the Super Over [and that] wouldn’t have gone down that well. I missed two really good balls from Tanvir to start the over and at the end was fortunate to get one away.”Neesham, who had thumped 52 off 25 to get it to the Super Over, was entrusted with bowling it for Otago. He didn’t bowl the best of overs, dishing out several length deliveries but, as he said later, it was just his day. “Everyone has their day I guess. I guess it was just my day. Someone new stood up in each game, so I guess it was my turn.”He mirrored McCullum’s thoughts, saying that the situation was tense but he didn’t let that get to him. “Did I look calm? Got to be cool on the outside and not let on, and just be clear in your plans and go forth from there. I think this feeling will linger for a while.”

The three-man probe committee appointed by India’s Supreme Court to investigate the IPL 2013 corruption and spot-fixing scandal will meet Mumbai Police joint-commissioner Himanshu Roy and the BCCI’s anti-corruption unit in Mumbai on November 5 and 6

Sharda Ugra02-Nov-2013A law to combat corruption in sport

The Mudgal commission investigation comes at a time when the Law Ministry is finalising a critical draft legislation to cover all sport, domestic, national or international played in India, and including not merely athletes but “support personnel.”
The Prevention of Sporting Fraud Bill 2013, which must now be placed before the cabinet, includes manipulation or attempt to manipulate sports results, proven underperformance, passing on insider information for financial benefit as well as failure to inform within a reasonable amount of time “approaches” that relate to manipulation, attempts to manipulate, underperformance or insider information. The punishment extends to cover foreigners involved in sporting events in India as well as offences by companies or an association of individuals.
Should the sporting fraud law come into being during the course of the police investigation into the IPL, it is possible that the prosecution against the IPL players and officials can either add the charges on to the cases currently under way, or transfer the charges of the cases under the new sporting fraud law.

The three-man probe committee appointed by India’s Supreme Court to investigate the IPL 2013 corruption and spot-fixing scandal will meet Mumbai Police joint-commissioner Himanshu Roy and the BCCI’s anti-corruption unit in Mumbai on November 5 and 6. These meetings will take into account the police investigation in the two cities that fall within the commission’s terms of reference, particularly important since formal charges have been laid on individuals connected with the IPL, as well as bookies relating to the scandal.The commission’s terms of reference are very specifically related to allegations of betting and spot-fixing on IPL matches as well as the general “involvement” in betting and spot-fixing against IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings official Gurunath Meiyappan, who is the son-in-law of BCCI president N Srinivasan, CSK team owners India Cements, and Rajasthan Royals team owners Jaipur IPL Cricket Private Ltd, as well as some players.The commission has also sought information from the public, the first time any matter related to Indian cricket has been opened up for information from independent sources. It has asked “persons possessing information” connected to the investigation and its terms of reference to contact them, by November 15, through an email address – [email protected] – and has assured confidentiality.The commission, which replaced the BCCI’s own two-man probe panel after a protracted legal dispute, comprises Mukul Mudgal, former chief justice of the Punjab and Haryana high court, L Nageshwar Rao, additional solicitor-general of India, and Nilay Dutta, senior advocate and member of the Assam Cricket Association.The initial part of the commission’s investigation will involve studying internal documents around the IPL that will have to be made available by the BCCI.In its original PIL, the Cricket Association of Bihar had asked for the inquiry to also include the question of “termination of the franchise agreement entered by the respondents 3 & 4 [India Cements and Jaipur IPL Cricket Private Ltd] with BCCI-IPL.” The inquiry into the issue of “termination” was, however, set aside by the court as it formed a separate case by itself; it could theoretically be taken up following the conclusion of the Mudgal commission.The commission, which has already met twice, is expected to arrive at a decision by the end of January. Its costs will be borne by the BCCI.The commission was established by the court to investigate two key terms in a public interest litigation filed by the CAB, following the IPL 2013 corruption and spot-fixing scandal. In May, three cricketers belonging to the Rajasthan Royals IPL team, more than 20 bookies and Gurunath Meiyappan were arrested by Delhi and Mumbai Police for their alleged involvement – including in spot-fixing – with the illegal betting mafia. Rajasthan Royals owner Raj Kundra was also questioned by Mumbai Police and a handful more players by Delhi Police.This case is unprecedented not merely in Indian cricket but in all of Indian sport due to the involvement of law enforcement agencies and the courts in matters related to betting and fixing. For the first time since it was informally understood from the mid-1980s that the illegal betting mafia was involved in Indian cricket, the police have made arrests of players and officials connected to cricket and formal charges have been laid – in this case, involving the IPL, which has just completed its fifth year.Delhi Police has produced a 6000-page charge sheet, accusing 39 people, including three cricketers, under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for criminal conspiracy, cheating and dishonesty as well as provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). The Mumbai Police chargesheet extending for 11,500 pages, charged Gurunath under the IPC for cheating and fraud and, under the Bombay Police Act, ‘cheating at games’. Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf has been declared as a “wanted accused” in the case.

Unfussy, unfazed and uninterested in speculating, England No. 6 Joe Root sounds a lot like England opener Joe Root did during the northern summer

Daniel Brettig16-Nov-2013Unfussy, unfazed and uninterested in speculating, England No. 6 Joe Root sounds a lot like England opener Joe Root did during the northern summer. However the captain, Alastair Cook, and the team director, Andy Flower, will be hoping for a decidedly different outcome in terms of runs scored and partnerships established, having sent the young Yorkshireman down the order and replaced him with the older Michael Carberry.Root made 75 in his first extended innings in the new role during the tourists’ seven-wicket victory over an Invitational XI at the SCG and, according to most observers, looked the part. These included the former Australia Test opener Ed Cowan, who reckoned that Root will be better for the “baptism of fire” he received at the hands of Ryan Harris, Peter Siddle and others in the earlier Ashes bout. Root, who will not admit to any pangs of irritation about the move, agrees.”I’m not that egotistical really, I just want to represent England,” Root said. “To get the opportunity to do that down the order is a different challenge to last summer but one that I’m really looking forward to. The basics are pretty similar, there’s still a guy 22 yards away bowling a ball at you. You just need to make sure you manage the situation well and try to score as many runs as possible.”I definitely learned a lot from [opening], I’ve got a lot of things out of it, and parts of my game I’ve worked hard on from last summer. Hopefully I can keep improving on those and become a better player for it. This week was about getting used to the role again, getting out there and trying to score runs and make sure my game’s in good order.”Carberry concluded a persuasive trio of matches by punching his way to 50 in England’s successful chase on the final afternoon. If he looked ungainly at times against the legspin of James Muirhead, there was solace in the thought that it is pace rather than wrist spin that will provide the greater challenge in Brisbane.”If you look at Michael Carberry’s tour so far he’s played exceptionally well and scored a huge amount of runs,” Root said. “It’s hard to ignore that and it’s great to see, everyone putting on strong performances and putting us in a good position going into next week. He’s a very experienced player, he’s very relaxed, a calming influence and he knows his game really well. As far as the team’s concerned it’s very exciting.”A lot of the lads have got some big scores with the bat and especially this week bowlers have done well, picking up wickets and bowling good spells in partnerships. Everyone’s in good spirits, we won as well, which is important to take that momentum into next week and hopefully we can start the series with a bang.”The only moment of worry for Root in Sydney was when the left-arm seamer Josh Lalor struck him a painful blow on the little finger, a digit already strapped due to an injury sustained before the previous Ashes series. X-rays came back clear and Root felt sure his hand would not discomfort him too much in Brisbane, even if it does not look a picture of health.”I’ve got a bit of a plastic hand at the minute, made of bandages, but I’ll be absolutely fine,” he said. “It’s something I did last summer and managed to play through it all summer, so it shouldn’t be too much of an issue. It did for a little bit, every time you get hit you worry about it slightly, but I had an X-ray and everything’s fine.”

AB de Villiers talks about the emotions South Africa felt after their hard-fought draw with India and how Johannesburg was better than Adelaide, and looks ahead to the Durban Test

Firdose Moonda in Johannesburg23-Dec-2013AB de Villiers: “A lot of people are blaming Dale and Vernon but I honestly believe that the Nos. 9, 10, 11 should never be going for the runs”•AFPWhat was the feeling in the immediate aftermath?
There were a lot of mixed emotions. It’s difficult to handle those situations. Dale [Steyn] was really upset, he struggled to handle it. It really took Graeme [Smith] and a few guys to help him handle it immediately, because of the crowds, the booing and everyone criticising him and Vernon [Philander]. They took a lot of strain and it was up to the team to pull through that but it was really tough.A guy like me, I felt really good about the game of cricket. I am always a guy that looks past the results and I feel really lucky to have been part of that. I gave it my best shot, so did Faf [du Plessis], so did the whole team and we just came short in winning a spectacular Test match but very blessed to have been part of the match. It will go down in the history books as one of the best Tests ever. That’s how I felt.Graeme, I don’t know, he was quite nervous at the end, running up and down in the changeroom. It was tough to get messages out there, so he let the boys play and let them make the decisions, which I still believe was the right decision. At the end, we had a really good team chat, where Russell [Domingo] and Graeme spoke really wise words and I think the whole team is in a good space after that.And those words were that it was a great draw?
We pulled up an amazing draw and those were Graeme’s words. It was about just how amazing a team we are and what we’ve achieved over the last while. That we should not go down with the criticism we will get, but to remember that we are a team of character and to keep believing in ourselves and our team-mates. That’s why we play the game – for each other. So we look each other in the eye and we are really chuffed with a great draw.Is there still some disappointment or is it mostly relief?
It’s a very sensitive one. It’s difficult to explain. We came so far and in that sense, we are all disappointed we didn’t win the game. India will also be disappointed. I watched the highlights and I think Robin Jackman summed it up well when he said both teams would be disappointed but cricket probably won in the end. It was a great Test match and everyone should remember that. It’s really tough to sum it up in the end. It is make or break. You make a silly decision and you lose the Test match. I think a draw was a fair call.A lot of people are blaming Dale and Vernon but I honestly believe that the Nos. 9, 10, 11 should never be going for the runs. It’s up to the top six to score the runs. If responsibility is going to be thrown around, it’s on me, Faf and JP and maybe a little bit on Vern at the end there. The minute Dale walked to the crease, the right thing to do was to save the Test match and I thought they did that brilliantly well.

“People who don’t know the game that well will still blame us but if you look at it – wickets in clusters, that always happens at the Wanderers. It was tough for the new batter and that showed when JP came in. Myself and Faf struggled for the first 20 balls, so those are all the things you have to think of. There was a lot of things going through Dale’s mind at the end there. So I would say it was a very good draw.”

How would you compare this to the draw in Adelaide last year? Would you say this is a bigger achievement?
It’s definitely a better achievement than Adelaide. Maybe we did not have such a great bowling attack that we faced here, but Johannesburg is a lively pitch where not a lot of Tests go to day five. I can’t remember the last time didn’t get a result at the Wanderers. To get away with a draw and to bat so much time was a hell of an achievement.There’s so many things to take into consideration. People who don’t know the game that well will still blame us but if you look at it – wickets in clusters, that always happens at the Wanderers. It was tough for the new batter and that showed when JP came in. Myself and Faf struggled for the first 20 balls, so those are all the things you have to think of. There was a lot of things going through Dale’s mind at the end there. So I would say it was a very good draw.What do you think the team can take away from this Test?
We were outplayed in the first three days and towards the end of our second bowling innings, we leaked more than we normally would. So we needed a bit more care with the ball in hand. We could have saved 20 or 30 runs, which would have taken us across the line.We started slowly. They were a bit smarter than us. It’s hard to say that in our conditions but it is a fact for the first innings. We adapted well in the second innings. For some reason, it got a bit slower, which was weird. The Wanderers wicket always picks up pace. Its frustrating that we started slowly but we still got away with a draw. We’d like to start better. The first session of day one will be important for us to set a good trend and send the message that we are here to win a Test match.South Africa have lost their last four Tests at Kingsmead and the venue has become something of their nemesis of late. With this match being a must-win, what do you expect?
I am confused about Durban. I don’t know what to expect. I am going to play it like I always play my cricket. I am going to take it one ball at a time and use my experience to adapt as quickly as I can. So will the whole team. I think there will be a bit of movement on the first day. Batting first always seemed the better option in the past. I don’t expect as many cracks as there was at the Wanderers. It will probably be a bit more green, a bit firmer, and there may be a bit of turn towards the end of the Test.With Morne Morkel unlikely to play, which of Kyle Abbott or Rory Kleinveldt do you think will get the nod and when will the decision be made?
It will come down to the morning of the game for Morne. It’s an injury where he could probably play, that’s my gut feel, but the chances of him breaking down half-way through the Test match will be good. Any little misplacing of the foot could happen. If he is not 100%, he shouldn’t play but that is up to the fitness trainer. Morne definitely wants to get on. You know Morne. He wanted to bowl in the last innings. He’s crazy. My gut feel is that we will go with 12 into the morning, let Morne run around and then see. I have no idea who is in better form between the other two. Rory has been with us on tour while Kyle has been bowling well domestically. It’s up to the captain and coach to make that call.The spinners were ineffective and fairly expensive at the Wanderers. Will South Africa opt for a more containing bowler in Robin Peterson in Durban?
JP had a decent game. He was the best spinner in the match. He picked up wickets at important times and if he hadn’t, we may have had to chase over 500. Spin will play a bit more of a role here in Durban, so it’s a tough one.Immi [Imran Tahir] has bowled really well in the last few months. He didn’t have a great game at the Wanderers but that is part of sport. We know what he is capable of. It’s always tempting to get Immi into your starting XI, even if you play on a road. Even on glass, he can get you wickets. He seems to run through the tail easily. It’s a tough decision to make. We lacked control at the Wanderers, not just from Immi, from all the bowlers.