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Fast bowler’s vital over to Pooran derailed West Indies’ acceleration to set up eight-wicket win

Andrew Miller20-Jun-2024It was the decisive intervention in what turned out to be a remarkably comprehensive eight-wicket victory over the hosts, West Indies, in St Lucia.Liam Livingstone’s previous over had just been dispatched for 20 runs by West Indies’ captain Rovman Powell, and though his dismissal to the final ball of the same over redressed the balance a touch, West Indies’ intentions had been made abundantly clear going into their final five overs at an ominous 137 for 2.Enter Jofra Archer, for an over that the man himself has described as “one of those times when you just nail it” – an exquisitely targeted over of wide yorkers, outswinging at a pace that climbed steadily through the gears to a peak of 150kph/93mph.Nicholas Pooran, fresh from a matchwinning knock of 98 from 53 balls against Afghanistan, slashed the third of those deliveries past Mark Wood at gully to become the first batter in the tournament to reach 200 runs, but that was as far as he would get. The sixth ball of the same over was dragged back half a yard, and Jos Buttler snaffled the thinnest of edges to accelerate a crucial collapse of 3 for 6 in 12 deliveries.West Indies were unable to regain their hold on the contest despite a bright finish from Sherfane Rutherford, and even after Phil Salt and Jonny Bairstow had powered England to victory with 15 balls to spare in an unbroken stand of 97 in 44 balls, it was clear where the credit truly belonged.”I was just glad I executed,” Archer said after the match. “It was everything that we talked about in the bowling meetings – that’s one of the times you just nail it, execution was almost perfect. If Woody had dived, he might have caught that one as well. I’m really glad that over was probably the turning point.”Archer’s impact was heartening for England on several levels. It showed that his tactical nous has not been diminished by his long absences from international cricket, while his raw pace was further proof of the success of his recovery from those long-standing elbow and back injuries.”You don’t really get the chance to run in and bowl fast [in T20 cricket],” he said, acknowledging that a lively St Lucia pitch had encouraged him to crank up his speed in a manner that might not have worked previously in the tournament.”Usually everyone sits back and tries to use the pace, so I feel from the Pakistan series [onwards] I’ve been trying to mix the pace, not be too predictable. Obviously at the back end you bowl a bit more pace-on, but in the powerplay you mix it up, so you don’t get lined up.”Pooran had been threatening a decisive innings, having made 98 against Afghanistan•AFP/Getty Images

Archer finished with figures of 1 for 34 in four overs, but said he had taken just as much pleasure from getting stuck into every aspect of the contest, not simply his own contribution with the ball.”Coming back into the team, you just feel you want to give back,” he said. “I didn’t think about it too badly. The first two overs, that’s when you run around trying to make something happen. Giving back to the team makes it easier for everyone else … so bat, ball, fielding, I’m just trying to help. That’s just the person I am.”I wouldn’t say enjoy [bowling the pressure overs] but it’s my job … from the first time I debuted at Sussex, the times I bowl haven’t really changed. You just have to get on with it.”After more than a year on the sidelines, and only a handful of England appearances since 2021, the timing of Archer’s return has been serendipitous. This latest match happened to be the first time he had faced West Indies in a T20I, but he insisted – having ‘had a little cry’ while playing in front of his friends and family in his native Barbados – there had been no mixed emotions at taking on his former countrymen.”This is my first time playing in St Lucia, last week was my first time in Antigua,” he said. “I haven’t really played in the Caribbean apart from St Kitts, so just like the other day, I was just finding my feet and getting used to conditions.”The significance of overcoming the hosts in front of a passionate St Lucia crowd, and ending their run of eight consecutive wins, was not lost on Archer. However, given the doom and gloom that had surrounded England’s campaign after their rain-affected group-stage campaign, he insisted the squad was not about to get carried away by their revived fortunes.”Yeah, it’s probably going to be one of the toughest games we play in this tournament,” he said. “A great opposition in their backyard as well with the crowd … so to come out on top when, I wouldn’t say it didn’t look possible, but it was always going to be a tricky chase, so really glad we were able to chase such a high total so early in the tournament. If we do get in trouble [in future games] we know we can do it.”Everyone loves to win and to win a close game, so confidence will be high .. but it’s only the first game, we have another four to go, so this is lovely but it’s also business as usual.Related

• Jofra Archer: 'I had a bit of a cry' on return to action in Barbados

• Warner on Wood and Archer: 'Just have to use their pace'

• Salt and Bairstow take West Indies down with ease

• 'Mature, senior player's innings' – Buttler on Bairstow's knock

• WI coach Sammy: 'This loss will not dampen our spirits'

“We had a good night with bat and ball but it’s only one, the first game of the Super Eight. In the last group stage we were struggling a bit – obviously it was weather dependent. We just take every game in our stride.”England have barely 36 hours to digest the West Indies win before their next match against South Africa – the team that delivered them a crushing 229-run defeat in Mumbai in October, arguably the nadir of their terrible 50-over World Cup defence.Archer, however, put that on-field disappointment into context as he recalled the reasons why he didn’t have any abiding memories of the match.”Honestly, I didn’t get to watch it as I was heading back to the UK,” he said. “I know it wasn’t a great tournament for the boys but we have put it past us. It happens and we just look forward.”It’s the same challenge as any other team … every team has a 1-6 that is packed with batters, so it doesn’t really change. We just need to come up with a plan that works.”

Only four India batters reached double-figures after not having answers to Starc’s swing and pace

Sreshth Shah19-Mar-20233:21

Tait: Starc close to being an Australia all-time great

Mitchell Starc produced a masterclass in new-ball swing bowling before openers Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head hammered rapid fifties to complete a knockout performance against India and level the series 1-1. India received a thrashing like no other in Visakhapatnam – their heaviest defeat in terms of balls remaining – when they were bowled out for 117 in just 26 overs.Starc was the tormentor in chief with his 5 for 53, his ninth five-for in ODIs, and gave Marsh and Head freedom to bat with no scoreboard pressure; Marsh raced to 28-ball fifty before Head got to his in 29 balls and Australia chased the target down in just 11 overs.Starc got deliveries to swing in as well as angle across to the right-hand batters in equal measure. His work up top allowed Sean Abbott and Nathan Ellis to join hands and run through the lower middle order thereafter. In all, the Australian bowlers were done with their shift inside two hours and 20 minutes, with the three seamers sharing all ten wickets.When Starc got the deliveries to angle across, he tempted Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma to drive away from their bodies, only for both to get dismissed cheaply. Gill was the first to go, out for a duck in the first over, when he chased a full and wide delivery and drove to point, in what was a repeat of his dismissal from the Mumbai ODI. Rohit, returning to the side in place of Ishan Kishan, was out in the fifth over. He had had moved to 13 by relying on leg-side flicks, but then swung big against a wide ball to edge to first slip.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Suryakumar Yadav walked in looking to make up for his first-ball duck from the first ODI, but he suffered the same fate when Starc swing the ball into him again, and had him lbw for another golden duck. In what was another repeat from the first ODI, KL Rahul came in trying to survive a hat-trick delivery. He did that successfully, but could not last too much longer. The half-centurion from the previous game was also trapped lbw by Starc, on 9, with another inswinging delivery that got him missing a shot across the line.At 48 for 4, India needed a recovery job, but that wouldn’t come. Abbott got a length ball to bounce a bit more and Hardik Pandya poked at it only to see Steven Smith take a stunning one-handed diving catch at first slip to rock them further. Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja tried to resurrect the innings, but they failed as well this time. Kohli was trapped lbw by Ellis when, on 31, he swiped across the line to a full ball, and didn’t bother reviewing the on-field decision. Ellis then came around the wicket to get Jadeja edging a catch to the wicketkeeper Alex Carey. At 91 for 7, India were on the mat and the crowd was completely silenced.That India reached triple-digits was because of Axar Patel’s unbeaten 29. He was circumspect at first alongside Kuldeep Yadav as India went past 100. But when Kuldeep and Mohammad Shami fell in quick succession to Abbott, Axar realised the end was coming soon. He smacked Starc for back-to-back sixes but ran out of partners as No. 11 Mohammed Siraj became Starc’s fifth victim after seeing his off stump rattled.Marsh and Head thwarted India’s hopes of staging any kind of fightback. While Head’s 30-ball 51 was dominant when taken in isolation, it almost paled in comparison to Marsh’s 66 off 36 balls.When the full deliveries from Siraj and Shami were put away in the initial burst of overs, both bowlers tried to go short. The openers were equally competent to the short ball, and made use of the day’s best batting conditions just before sunset.Marsh pulled, drove and punched his way to his second straight fifty after his 81 in the first ODI. Head’s boundaries were more streaky but the highlight was his four consecutive fours against Shami in the sixth over soon after Australia had crossed 50. Marsh also launched three sixes in a Hardik over before finishing the game in the 11th.The ODI series now moves to the decider in Chennai on Wednesday. After the way they have put India’s batters in trouble in these two games, Australia will quietly think they go into the final game as favourites.

Andy McBrine and Andy Balbirnie have also been forced to isolate as close contacts

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Dec-2021Paul Stirling and Shane Getkate, the Ireland allrounders, are self-isolating in Florida hotel rooms after testing positive for Covid-19 and are set to miss at least the first ODI against West Indies in Jamaica.Ireland’s ODI series against USA was called off at short notice after a string of positive tests on both sides. The touring party are due to fly to Jamaica on December 31 for three ODIs and a T20I, starting on January 8.Several Ireland players tested positive for Covid before the squad met up earlier this month with their T20I squad down to its bare bones for the USA series. With the squad living in a “managed environment” rather than a strict bio-secure bubble, Stirling and Getkate have tested positive and two further players – Andy McBrine and captain Andy Balbirnie – have been forced to isolate as close contacts.Cricket Ireland said in a statement that Balbirnie and McBrine are likely to join the squad in Jamaica on January 2, pending further negative tests, with Stirling and Getkate due to leave quarantine on January 9, the day after the first ODI against West Indies.George Dockrell also returned a positive test but has been given the all-clear to travel to Jamaica with the rest of the squad. Dockrell contracted the virus earlier in December before leaving for Florida and holds a recovery certificate from that infection.”A managed environment is different to a bio-bubble, and is an approach being used currently to try and find that balance between risk mitigation from the virus and impacts of sustained periods of isolation on the mental and physical health needs of players and staff,” Richard Holdsworth, Cricket Ireland’s performance director, said. “Part of this new approach is the ability to have several partners travel with the squad. However, these additional people are required to abide by the same testing and travel protocols as the players.”The transmissibility of this latest strain of the virus has not spared us – nor indeed the USA squad or umpires in our recent series. Overnight, three players have now tested positive. We have seen sport all around the world negatively impacted by this virus still, and like all sporting organisations trying to continue with sport during the pandemic, we are adapting quickly and responding to the needs of those in our duty of care. We have an extended squad with us on this tour, so will be able to cope with these absences pending no further outbreaks.”Harry Tector and Gareth Delany, who both tested positive after playing in a local T20 tournament before the T20I series, have completed their isolation periods and are due to fly to Jamaica on Friday.The fixtures will be played behind closed doors after Jamaica’s minister of local government and rural development announced this week that it was “simply not practical to give the green light for public access” due to the spread of the Omicron variant.

Riley Meredith left Steven Smith flat on his back when he dismissed him with a bouncer

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Aug-2020Cummins XI 250 for 8 (Maxwell 108, Stoinis 87, Lyon 3-47) beat Finch XI 249 (Tye 59, Starc 41, Stoinis 4-31) by two wicketsGlenn Maxwell hit a century in his first innings since the Big Bash final in February and Marcus Stoinis produced an impressive all-round display with 87 and four wickets in Australia’s latest warm-up match ahead of the England series.This intersquad game was played across 50 overs and saw the Pat Cummins XI get home by two wickets chasing 250 after Maxwell (108) and Stoinis had added 174 in 26 overs for the third wicket. Earlier, AJ Tye top-scored for the Aaron Finch XI with 59 as that top-order stuttered to 113 for 6 before recovering.Maxwell’s last appearance for Australia was in the T20I series against Sri Lanka at the end of October, but neither he or Stoinis have appeared in the ODI team since the World Cup when the pair had disappointing returns.They came together at 9 for 2 following early wickets for Mitchell Starc, who trapped Matthew Wade lbw second ball for a duck, and Riley Meredith who bounced out Steven Smith leaving him flat on his back in the crease.Glenn Maxwell lofts the ball away during his century•Getty Images

The boundaries flowed between Maxwell and Stoinis with both striking two sixes in their dominant partnership before Meredith removed Stoinis 13 short of a hundred with a yorker from around the wicket.”It took a bit of time to get used to the wicket, but it was nice to get some rhythm,” Maxwell said. “That’s all you can hope for as a middle-order batter, is a fight for spots and for guys to put their hands up and make some big scores and give the selectors something to think about.”Can’t just have Warner, Finch and Smith making runs all the time, we’ve got to have other guys contributing as well.”The Cummins XI fell from 215 for 3 to 249 for 8 as Nathan Lyon claimed three wickets before the target was ticked off.Adam Zampa had produced an eye-catching spell with the ball during the first innings as he removed Marnus Labuschagne and Josh Philippe with a brace of wrong ‘uns. David Warner had again looked in good touch making 34 off 44 balls before he edged behind off Cummins.The Finch XI’s lower order more than doubled the total as Tye, who has a List A high score of 28 not out, Starc and Daniel Sams – the latter batting twice to make up the XI – muscled the ball around the ground. Stoinis, who has spoken of his belief that he can add value to the Australia limited-overs sides with his death bowling, claimed three late wickets.

The latest round-up of how the Australians are performing in the IPL and county cricket as the World Cup and Australia A tours edge closer

Alex Malcolm07-May-2019Who’s in form and who’s notJames Pattinson was the only member of the Australia A squads playing overseas this week. He only played once though after Nottinghamshire’s Royal London One-Day Cup clash with Durham was washed out. Pattinson took 1 for 55 from nine overs and made an important 15 from 10 balls in a thrilling win over Northamptonshire.Ashton Turner, another Australia A squad member, oddly didn’t get selected in Rajasthan Royal’s last IPL game against Delhi.Chris Lynn, who is not in Australia’s winter squads, had an excellent finish to the IPL for Kolkata making 46 off 22 against Kings XI and then 41 from 29 in the loss to Mumbai Indians.Andrew Tye dismissed Lynn but had a very difficult season for Kings XI. After being the IPL’s leading wicket-taker in 2018 with 24, and an economy rate of 8.00, he took just three wickets in six games this season with an economy rate of 10.59. In his last two outings he conceded 78 runs in just six overs.#AsheswatchThe Royal London Cup continued in England this week as the County Championship remains on hold with World Cup preparations ramping up. Although 50-over white-ball form may not carry as much weight towards Ashes selection, the Australian selectors are undoubtedly keeping an eye on the players involved.Cameron Bancroft was starved of opportunity this week due to bad weather. Durham’s clash with Notts was abandoned prior to the toss and he was 18 not out when the clash with Yorkshire was washed out after 34.2 overs, a result that eliminated Durham from the competitionMatt Renshaw is putting his hand up for allrounder status in white-ball cricket. He took 2 for 17 from five overs and made 32 not out in Kent’s a big win over Surrey. But his returns with bat and ball against Essex weren’t as fruitful. Peter Siddle didn’t play for Essex.Marnus Labuschagne has been doing plenty of bowling, taking 2 for 57 from his full quote of 10 overs for Glamorgan against Middlesex, but he would prefer a few more runs after making 16 in the loss and became the first List A wicket for Sam Robson’s part-time spin.Jake Lehmann made an impressive start to his short spell with Lancashire•Getty Images

Did you see?Jake Lehmann made an excellent start at Lancashire as a replacement for Glenn Maxwell. He struck 77 not out from 66 balls in a win over Derbyshire. He then followed up with 23 in a loss to Warwickshire.Injury listTurner revealed last week he will need shoulder surgery after the Australia A tour of England. It will be the third procedure he’s had on his right shoulder but he hopes it will fix the issue that has restricted his bowling and throwing.Performance of the weekCallum Ferguson is a forgotten man in Australian cricket. He was in the mix for the ODI tour of India but was dropped from South Australia’s Sheffield Shield team late in the season. He made 103 not out from just 95 balls for Worcestershire on Monday as they chased down 352 with ease at Derby. Ferguson had a great season in the Royal London Cup last year with Worcestershire and will be hoping to carry that form forward.

Only 65.1 overs were possible on another rain-affected day on which Tasmania’s third-wicket pair put on an unbroken partnership of 160

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Feb-2018Getty Images

Persistent batting from the Tasmanian pair of Beau Webster and Jake Doran and persistent rain have combined to frustrate New South Wales at the SCG.After much of day two was lost to rain, further weather delays meant only 65.1 overs were bowled on day three.The Blues made an early breakthrough with Steve O’Keefe deceiving George Bailey seven balls into the start of play to leave Tasmania two down and trailing the home side’s first-innings total by 369. But that was the only joy for New South Wales as Webster and Doran put together an unbroken stand of 160 in 64 overs.Webster reached his fourth first-class hundred in the penultimate over of the day, having faced 253 balls to get there. Doran remained not out on 86 at close. The two sides will face a challenge on the final day trying to manufacture a result.

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has glimpsed a few weaknesses in New Zealand’s batting line-up and believes his varied attack can bring it down

Andrew Fidel Fernando in Christchurch16-Nov-20161:30

Fernando: Pakistan attack can exploit NZ conditions

When South Africa returned from a 0-3 drubbing in India in 2015, they went on to lose the subsequent home series against England. When Australia returned from a 0-3 drubbing by low-ranked Sri Lanka this year, they went to lose the subsequent (and ongoing) series against South Africa.New Zealand hope to break the trend; they hope their 0-3 in India will not have a similar effect on their home summer. Misbah-ul-Haq, though, has glimpsed a few weaknesses. He believed his varied attack can bring an ailing New Zealand top order down.”If you see, after the Indian tour, most of the Kiwi batsmen have been struggling and short of confidence,” Misbah said. “I know this is their own territory and they’ll be confident playing here, but as a batsman, and a cricketer, confidence can play a big role. Being short of confidence – we’ll look forward to exploiting that.”While New Zealand’s batsmen seek a return to collective form, Pakistan’s own top order must resist the likes of Trent Boult and Tim Southee on Hagley Oval’s green top. Pakistan did win two Tests in England this year, but both those matches were played in London, where pitches were less seam-friendly than elsewhere. It had, in fact, been the legspin of Yasir Shah that defined the Lord’s Test, as well as playing a crucial role in the second innings at The Oval. Tracks in New Zealand have not been so spin friendly recently.”If you look at the UAE conditions and New Zealand conditions, these are totally different,” Misbah said. “That’s the biggest challenge for us, especially for our batting. Most of our players have been to New Zealand before, and they know how these conditions can be different from what we are used to. We need to make sure that we bat with discipline and put good scores on the board. Our bowling is very much capable of performing well in any sort of conditions.”There may be rain in the air in Christchurch, but Pakistan had also had their three-day practice match in Nelson completely washed out, meaning their preparation in New Zealand has been less than ideal. Misbah said his team would fall back on their recent experience in England, and hoped the lessons learned on that tour would hold true here.”The England series was a tough series for us. That experience will really help us here, because of the confidence we gained from that. The players are up for this challenge, and we can prove ourselves here also. We need to learn some things from that tour – those conditions, and how we go about business. How we’ve batted, how our disciplines are, and how we’ve bowled.”It’s going to be a key for us because we missed the practice game here. A couple of practice sessions are the only experience we’ve got before the Test match. As professionals, we need to use that information and be ready enough for the Test.If India lose the series against England, Pakistan have an opportunity to reclaim the no. 1 Test ranking they had briefly held following Australia’s loss in Sri Lanka. Misbah said the prospect continued to spur his team.”Always the no. 1 ranking is a big motivation. If you play any sport, you want to be the best. That’s what we are looking forward to. That said, we need to improve ourselves every game. Every series and game becomes important for us. Looking forward to playing well in this series and in Australia.”

Mark Footitt, the former Derbyshire left-arm fast bowler, and Liam Dawson, the Hampshire left-arm spinner, have been called up to the England Performance Programme (EPP) in South Africa and Dubai next month

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Oct-2015Mark Footitt, the former Derbyshire left-arm fast bowler who recently joined Surrey on a four-year contract, has been called up to the England Performance Programme (EPP) for a ten-day training camp in Potchefstroom next month.Footitt, 29, is considered by many to be the quickest bowler on the county circuit, and trained with England ahead of the Ashes last summer to help the batsmen prepare for the left-arm pace of Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc.He was initially overlooked for this winter’s EPP, even though some pundits suggested he would have been a worthy replacement during England’s Test series in the UAE, after Steven Finn succumbed to a stress injury in his foot.From November 11, he will be working alongside seven other promising English fast bowlers in South Africa – Jake Ball, Craig Miles, Craig and Jamie Overton, Tymal Mills, Olly Stone and Tom Curran, who was himself added to the party last month.Hampshire’s left-arm spinner, Liam Dawson, is another man who will be featuring in the EPP plans this winter, after he was called up to the batting and spin-bowling camp that starts in the UAE at the same time but lasts for two-and-a-half weeks.Dawson, who claimed 29 wickets at 31.93 for Hampshire last season, takes the place of Zafar Ansari, who has failed to recover in time from the thumb injury he sustained while fielding for Surrey against Lancashire.Ansari, whose injury occurred on the same day that he had been called into the Test squad, will continue to be monitored by a specialist, and his participation with the EPP and Lions programmes later this winter will be reviewed on an ongoing basis.From South Africa, Footitt and the rest of the EPP fast bowlers will fly to Dubai to join up with the EPP batting and spin bowling group for a further training opportunity in sub-continent conditions – ahead of the England Lions T20 series against Pakistan A, which gets underway on December 7.Both Footitt and Dawson will first take part in a four-day EPP training camp for all players at the National Cricket Performance Centre (NCPC) in Loughborough next week.”Congratulations to both Liam and Mark on their selection for this winter’s England Performance Programme,” said James Whitaker, the national selector. “The training camps in Dubai and Potchefstroom next month present an ideal opportunity for them to work closely with the EPP lead coaches and experience what it is like to be in an England environment.”This is essential as they continue to develop their all-round games and push for future international recognition.”It is unfortunate that Zafar’s recovery from injury has not progressed at a rate that would allow him to participate fully in the EPP batting and spin camp in the UAE at present. But we will continue to monitor his progress closely and will consider involving him in the later stages of the EPP and Lions programme this winter, once he regains full fitness.”

Northamptonshire weren’t touted as promotion contenders but few counties have started 2013 better. Rain denied them victory at Glamorgan last week and here the vaunted Essex batting line-up were dismissed for 183.

Tim Wigmore at Wantage Road17-Apr-2013
ScorecardSteven Crook continued his excellent start to the season•Getty Images

Northamptonshire weren’t touted as potential Division Two promotion contenders but few counties have started 2013 better. Only rain denied them victory after bowling Glamorgan out for 134 last week and here the vaunted Essex batting line-up were dismissed for 183.The shoddy shot selection of Essex’s top order was partially to blame for their fate but significant credit must go to Northants’ seamers. Steven Crook was outstanding, claiming Mark Pettini caught at second slip to a ball that reared up and then James Foster clean bowled to a delivery that moved late in the same over on the stroke of lunch. Ravi Bopara was utterly becalmed by Crook’s unrelenting line in his 31-ball 6 and edged behind just three balls after being dropped at second slip to another tentative forward prod. Since returning to Northants, Crook has now taken nine Championship wickets at under ten apiece.Crook’s career path may have been unconventional – he briefly retired from cricket a few years ago – but his bowling success, based on a strong, repeatable action and a consistent line just outside off stump, is certainly not.Northants have quietly assembled a formidable seam attack at Wantage Road. Australian Trent Copeland bowls a consistently threatening off stump line, which accounted for the stylish Tom Westley; David Willey showed the priceless left-armer’s virtue of swinging the ball back from around the wicket; and Andrew Hall’s relentless wicket-to-wicket bowling trapped Essex’s overseas player Rob Quiney lbw. Together, they easily vindicated Stephen Peters’ decision to bowl after winning the toss.Peters would have been particularly thrilled that three bowling changers yielded wickets within two balls. As Crook later said, “We’ve bowled well as a unit and we’ve got some variation in our attack – we’re not all doing the same thing.”That Essex even mustered 183 was the result of Graham Napier’s belligerent unbeaten 73. With Essex in disarray at 138 for 9, Napier responded as is his wont, thrashing five sixes in ten balls. A couple were harrumphed over long-on, and there were a trio of upper cuts for six as Napier sagaciously targeted the short third man boundary. It’s not often that a bowler can feel frustrated with figures of 4 for 39, but that was Crook’s fate after Napier plundered him for 22 in an over.Napier, who said he had never played in windier conditions, was almost as impressive with the ball, bustling in with considerable pace to take 3 for 30. Indeed, had substitute Tom Craddock taken Rob Newton – who has batted pleasingly for his unbeaten 35 – just before the close, Essex might even be dreaming of a first innings advantage.But Napier and Reece Topley might have benefited from a little more support. While Topley was impressive, fellow left-armer Tymal Mills bowled too many short deliveries on leg stump. Maurice Chambers was also inconsistent, going for 27 in five overs, and was a little fortunate to dismiss Alex Wakely, caught at square leg of a lackadaisical flick. But he was also unlucky not to get another wicket: he got a ball to rear up to Rob Newton’s glove, and it bounced onto off stump without dislodging the bail. As wags immediately remarked, it was a case of Newton defying gravity.Fifteen dismissals in the day might suggest this was a pitch with excessive zest but, although good bowlers can find seam movement and bounce, it is an excellent cricket wicket. Indeed, if there is a problem with the conditions it is with the wind. Napier avoided blaming the wicket for Essex’s first innings total, saying only “it’s a strange pitch – when it’s done something it’s done a lot”.That the wicket rewards good batsmanship was highlighted by Stephen Peters, who played the late-cut deliciously in his 60. It is often remarked that Peters hasn’t enjoyed the career expected after scoring a match-winning hundred in the Under-19 World Cup Final in 1998 but he remains one of the most aesthetically pleasing batsmen on the county circuit.

Michael Clarke’s belief that the Bridgetown Test match could be won was forged six years ago in the middle of Adelaide Oval

Daniel Brettig at Kensington Oval12-Apr-2012Michael Clarke’s belief that the Bridgetown Test match could be won was forged six years ago in the middle of Adelaide Oval. He had been joined at the wicket by Shane Warne, Australia struggling for first innings parity with England on the fourth day of what seemed destined to be a drawn Ashes Test. Simply and clearly, Warne told Clarke the match would be won. On a scarcely believable final day, it was.Clarke carried that memory with him throughout the first Test against the West Indies, and echoed Warne in assuring his team that the Barbados match remained within their grasp. After a mighty struggle over the final two days, the visitors dragged themselves up from a position every bit as dire as the one occupied by Australia against England in 2006, and another remarkable victory was secured. It made Clarke only the second captain in the history of Test cricket to win a match after declaring behind.”I remember Warney telling me back then that with a day and a half left in the Test match that we would win the game and I was trying to work out how,” Clarke said of 2006. “At best surely we’d get a draw but he had no doubt in his mind. For me as a young player I thought ‘right-o, that’s my attitude, I’m going to win’. A few years on and I’m in the change rooms telling the boys we’re going to win this Test match. Hopefully a few of them believed me the way I believed Warney back then.”It shows, if you have that self-belief and belief in the inner sanctum and the guys that sit beside you that you find ways. That was the main thing I said to the boys today. I know it’s tough, I know we’re tired, I know there’s going to be issues of the foot marks, I know it’s going to be a tough run chase but find a way. Everyone and individually as a team we’ve got to find a way and we’ll win this Test match. Credit to the boys, they certainly found a way.”Australia are building a team to be reckoned with under Clarke, and he had little hesitation declaring the Bridgetown result the equal of any he had enjoyed. It was as much a victory over the conditions and late season lethargy as the opposition, a West Indies team that is gathering discipline, skill and experience but is still learning how to fight out the critical phases of a Test.”A just reward for hanging in, the team showing true character and fight and not giving up,” Clarke said. “I think whatever happened this afternoon, whether we won the game, drew the game or lost the game, I think we certainly showed a lot of fight, a lot of character. We tried to win the Test.”We did everything we could to try and win the Test match and it’s very, very rewarding now sitting in the change rooms with that bunch of boys that we got the result we were after…after a lot of hard work, a couple of days with, I guess, our backs to the wall. But to be able to fight and get a result like that, that’s as special a win as I’ve had in my career.”This is as good as I’ve had, no doubt, because we had our backs to the wall for the first three days of the game. And the spirit and the character, I guess of the guys in the change room is what drives you, I guess, as a captain to make a bold decision, to declare when I declared. The confidence around me from everybody in that group, there wasn’t one bit of fear of losing that Test match, it wasn’t spoken about.”From day one of the Test all that’s been spoken about is what we have to do to win this Test match. And a lot of time it’s easier said than done, especially when a team gets 450 on the board in the first two days, you get some time taken out of the game with the light, so full credit to every single player and support staff person in that change room.”The Australian team is beginning to bear the stamp of Clarke – relentlessly positive, adventurous, tactically agile and skillful. He said the team was learning more about how to best operate under pressure, meaning the lapses that occurred in Cape Town against South Africa and Hobart against New Zealand are now growing less likely to occur. It is also benefiting from the balance between the brash youth of David Warner, and the poise of older heads like Michael Hussey, so calm in the chase as he had been in Adelaide six years ago.”I think we are just learning more and more about each other every day, especially under pressure,” Clarke said. “We’re working out what guys require to perform their best under pressure. We’re seeing guys stand up when they get an opportunity to play Test cricket. We’re seeing some old hands and some old legs still pulling tricks out of the bag to help us win games and Huss is a great example of that.”We’re putting in really good team performances. You’re not going to be successful individually every single time you walk out to bat or walk out to bowl. But I think the team we have at the moment, the players we have around the group at the moment aren’t bothered about themselves. They care most about the team winning and doing whatever they can to contribute to success. In my mind, there’s no coincidence the team’s doing well because we’re all putting the team first.”Edited by Kanishkaa Balachandran