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Those that have watched cricket at Glamorgan over the years have got used to seeing slow, low pitches. Chris Cooke was grateful for a pitch with far greater carry and bounce as his blasted Glamorgan to a final-ball victory over Sussex.

Peter Miller at Cardiff30-May-2014
ScorecardChris Cooke hammered 65 in just 31 balls•Getty ImagesThose that have watched cricket at Glamorgan over the years have got used to seeing slow, low pitches that produce games where a decent score is rarely over 150. Chris Cooke was grateful for a pitch with far greater carry and bounce as his blasted Glamorgan to a final-ball victory over Sussex.Cooke, on his 28th Birthday, combined first with Jacques Rudolph who scored his second fifty in two innings, and then with Ben Wright, to get Glamorgan in front of the rate. Cooke has been talked of as a long hitter for quite a few years but has never really lived up to his potential. This innings was an example of what he is capable of. He finished on 65 not out off 30 balls, and it should have delivered an easy win with just four needed off the final over.The scores were level with three balls to go with just-arrived Darren Sammy on strike. Yasir Arafat bowled two perfect yorkers that Sammy could not score off. If there was one man that you would like batting for you in that situation it is Sammy. Pressure doesn’t seem to affect him. But it might have done here. Off the last ball he skied a shot into the off side but it evaded the fielder. Just.The last ball finish was a lot closer result that it should have been, but it gave the crowd some real excitement. Hopefully they will be back. Wickets similar to this will certainly help. But despite the easy paced nature of the surface there were still times that timing the ball seemed hard work, especially off the medium pacers and spinners.Sussex looked like taking the game away from Glamorgan at several points throughout their innings, only for them to be pegged back by a wicket through some canny bowling or an ill-judged shot. Ed Joyce looked to be all set to play the linchpin role in the innings only to fall attempting a sweep shot off the medium pace of Jim Allenby. In the same over Rory Hamilton-Brown was dropped by Murray Goodwin. The next ball Matt Prior was well caught by the same fielder for 39 off 30 balls. The brakes were applied in a similar fashion through the whole innings.Prior was far and away the most fluent of the Sussex batsmen, with some well played shots off the back foot and drives down the ground. Perhaps of more interest for the England selectors was the fact that Prior kept wicket. He looked sprightly in the field, running 30 yards at full pelt in attempt to take a catch. He didn’t hold on to the chance, but he got there. There were some excellent moments but some that Prior would wish to forget. The brilliant catch off a bottom-edged reverse sweep to remove Allenby was fantastic. The missed stumping off Cooke when he was on 13 was not one for the highlights reel. It was probably the moment that lost Sussex this match.Some lower order cameos got Sussex up to 178 for 7 off their 20 overs. It was fewer than they could have made, but more than enough for this to represent a stiff chase for the home team. A measured approach early on brought 39 for 0 in the Powerplay, but a flurry of wickets saw Glamorgan lose the experience of Allenby, Wallace and Goodwin in quick succession. That brought Chris Cooke to the crease and the chase was enlightened.

The WICB has said it was left with no option but to “discontinue” the tour of India after the players had informed the board through the team management that they would be returning back to the Caribbean

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Oct-2014’Must fulfil commitments to FTP’ – ICC ExCo chairman

“The situation that has just unfolded, with the West Indian players abandoning the remainder of the Indian tour, is deeply concerning for a game that needs strong cooperation for its survival,” Edwards said. “We are a long way from what has taken place in India and have sought further details so we can understand more as a priority.
“Put simply, players and Boards must fulfil their commitments to the ICC Future Tours Programme.
“Situations such as these have to be avoided at all costs because ultimately those that are affected most are the people that the game depends on so heavily – cricket lovers, key broadcasters and commercial partners.
“For the game’s sake this needs to be resolved as soon as possible.”

The WICB has said it was left with no option but to “discontinue” the tour of India after the players had informed the board through the team management that they would be returning back to the Caribbean.”The WICB clarifies that players in the West Indies Squad currently in India represented by Mr. Dwayne Bravo indicated to the WICB through the West Indies Team Management that the players have taken a decision to withdraw their services for the remainder of the tour of India,” the release said. “As a result of this action by the players the WICB was left with no option but to advise the BCCI that it will no longer be able to provide a West Indies team for the remaining five matches (5th ODI, T20 International, three Test matches).”The WICB directors have called for an emergency board meeting on October 21 in Barbados to decide all the “ramifications” arising of the players pullout and take any actions if necessary. The WICB did not rule out penalising players but such actions would be discussed at Tuesday’s meeting.After the players’ decision had become public as soon as the fourth ODI in Dharamsala had started, BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel issued a bluntly-worded media release, holding the WICB responsible for what he called as an “abrupt” termination of the tour. Patel pointed out that the WICB’s inability to resolve the growing differences between players and West Indies Players Association (WIPA) over the payment dispute lead to such a crisis.Although it had issued a short release earlier in the day stating the WICB did not play any role in the tour being called off, the board issued a ten-point media release late Friday afternoon Caribbean time after an emergency teleconference of its directors. In it the WICB pointed the fingers back at Dwayne Bravo, the West Indies ODI captain, and his players for the “premature” end to the tour.The WICB said it did think of sending a replacement West Indies team, but that was “not considered acceptable” to the BCCI. “The WICB is understanding of this position,” the release said. The WICB took the opportunity to “unreservedly” apologise to the BCCI, the sponsors and the fans both in Caribbean and India.But the BCCI was completely unapologetic as it bared its angst in a second media release, issued late Friday evening India time. The release was once again signed by Patel, where he listed a timeline of the events about the WICB president Dave Cameron’s communications with BCCI. Cameron’s various unfulfilled promises about providing an assurance that the dispute would have no repercussion on the India tour, Patel said, “makes it clear all along that the WICB was withdrawing its team if a resolution was not reached in the issue with the players.”But the WICB defended its position. “The WICB clarifies further that as a result of postulations by the players, the tour was under a cloud of uncertainty from the inception. The WICB, acting prudently, advised the host board – BCCI – of the developments and remained in constant contact to provide updates as to the threat of possible player action.”The WICB also revealed a delegation lead by its CEO Michael Muirhead along with Julian Charles (the cricket committee chairman) and WIPA president and CEO Wavell Hinds was supposed to be in India on October 20 to negotiate with the players. “The WICB regrets that the delegation which was pre-scheduled to travel to India to meet with the players on a number of issues will no longer be able to conduct such meeting at which the intention was also to discuss the concerns of the players.”This meeting was scheduled prior to any issues being raised with the new MOU/CBA and it was intended to acquaint all the parties of how it would roll out. This was necessary as the WICB did not have an opportunity to so do in the Caribbean due to the logistical challenges of assembling all the players prior to departure for the tour of India (some of the players were already in India participating in the Champions League). The WICB CEO, Mr. Muirhead and WIPA President/CEO Mr. Hinds had been in negotiations with regard to finding a mutually agreeable position to allow for the full tour to be completed.”

With so many high-rated cards available for both Premier League sides, a Europa League final combined team is something special

Kicking off the first of two all-English club European finals, Arsenal and Chelsea will clash in the Europa League in Baku.

Now that EA Sports has UEFA licensing rights, you can create the Europa League final on FIFA 19 and Goal has previewed the final by creating a combined Arsenal and Chelsea squad on Ultimate Team!

EA/Getty91-rated End of an Era Petr Cech

Kicking off this list, it feels right to include a player who has represented both clubs with Petr Cech. The legendary goalkeeper is retiring after the final, resulting in his amazing End of an Era card.

With 90 diving, 92 reflexes, 89 handling, 80 kicking, and 91 positioning, Cech is incredibly safe and will make plenty of saves to keep you in the game.

AdvertisementEA/Getty86-rated Carniball Hector Bellerin

Next, at right-back, we have Hector Bellerin who has missed most of the season through injury but is still amazing in FIFA 19 thanks to this Carniball card. FIFA fans will be salivating over his 96 pace but Bellerin is no slouch at the back either with 86 interceptions, 84 marking, 87 stand tackle and 89 slide tackle.

The Spaniard is effective going up the wing too with his 89 agility, 85 ball control, 81 dribbling, 89 short passing, 85 crossing and, of course, his 94 acceleration and 97 sprint speed.

87-rated Carniball Antonio Rudiger

Our first Chelsea player on this list, Antonio Rudiger is a solid centre-back that you can always rely on.

The German has reasonable pace thanks to his 84 sprint speed but his stats really shine in the defending and physical areas with 84 interceptions, 83 heading, 85 marking, 90 stand tackle, 87 slide tackle, 86 strength and 97 aggression.

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EA/Getty89-rated Flashback David Luiz

One of the more popular cards on the game, David Luiz's Flashback card is ridiculously good. You won't find many centre-backs who are adept at carrying the ball forward as much as they are at defending.

This card is stacked with outrageous stats including 85 sprint speed, 89 shot power, 84 free-kicks, 85 short passing, 85 long passing, 85 reactions, 90 ball control, 87 composure, 94 interceptions, 89 heading, 87 marking, 92 stand tackle, 91 slide tackle, 89 jumping, 90 strength and 97 aggression.

Luiz is fast, strong and even has that little something special to score a rare goal.

The Asian Cricket Council Premier League is set to commence from May 1 in Malaysia, with tournament favourites Afghanistan up against Hong Kong in the first match

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Apr-2014The Asian Cricket Council Premier League is set to commence from May 1 in Malaysia, with tournament favourites Afghanistan up against Hong Kong in the first match. The 50-over competition features six teams, of which Afghanistan, Hong Kong and UAE have ODI status. The week long competition comprises 15 matches, with all teams facing each other.This edition of the tournament includes Nepal, who were impressive in the recently-concluded World Twenty20 in Bangladesh, winning two out of three qualifying matches. Shortly afterwards, Nepal’s cricketers boycotted the national one-day tournament that was meant to be a selection trial for this competition, but called it off a week later.Afghanistan enter the tournament as the team to beat. Although they had a poor outing in the World Twenty20 where they won just one match, they have the experience of playing against highly-ranked sides. They were impressive in this year’s Asia Cup, which they were part of for the first time, and also toppled Bangladesh.Hong Kong will enter the competition with the confidence of having beaten Bangladesh, in the last match they played in the World Twenty20. UAE gained ODI status after finishing in the top four in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier in New Zealand; they lost the finals of that tournament to Scotland.The last edition of the Asian Cricket Council Premier League was in 2012. The title was shared by UAE and Nepal after a tie.

For some, it is about the one that got away. For Stuart Williams, it is about the one moment that did: Marlon Samuels’ dismissal

Firdose Moonda in Cape Town05-Jan-20150:52

‘We’re the best bowling unit in the world’ – Morkel

For some, it is about the one that got away. For Stuart Williams, it is about the one moment that did: Marlon Samuels’ dismissal.”We were building nicely. It was just an awful shot,” Williams said.After declaring himself a cannibal, in spin terms at least, Samuels got hold of Simon Harmer and was playing him comfortably, even with the shot that led to his downfall. He responded to a brief period of being tied down by launching Harmer down the ground but forgot that there was a long-on with legs chasing after it. Dean Elgar is one of the quicker men on the outfield and made good ground to take the catch almost straight down the wicket.That was the catalyst for another collapse – this time seven for 33 – which saw West Indies tumble from a fighting position to a flagging one. “I think we just missed the moment. That’s the moment in the game where everything fell away,” Williams said. “This is international cricket and we just have to seize the moment. You have to respect your opposition at all times and we didn’t do that.”South Africa knew that Samuels’ default position is defiance, which could stretch to disrespect if he is feeling in the mood. They also knew that if they got him out of the away, the rest would fall. “He was one of their stand-out batters so it was important to put him under pressure early on,” Morne Morkel said. “We know him – if he hits, he hits. But [if] he misses, he is out.”Despite that, Samuels remains the highest run-scorer for West Indies in South Africa for a second tour in succession and Williams conceded that he remains the biggest positive for them. “We have some positives like Marlon averaging over 50,” Williams said. “And in the first innings of this game, we bowled out South Africa. We had three run outs. Even though we don’t have a bowler who took five or six wickets, we still worked hard.”The small improvements West Indies made along the way is a good sign for Williams, even though he admitted to frustration with the lower order. “In the first game, South Africa played well and we didn’t. Then, in Port Elizabeth we showed some improvement and then in three-and-a-half days here, we were in the game and we obviously had a competition,” he said. “But our lower order never really fronted up and we spoke about it all along. It’s difficult; it’s stressful but you still have to find a way.”Williams hoped that West Indies would bat out the day and bat until lunch tomorrow to get a lead of “close to 230 or 240.” That, he believed, would have been enough to push for victory. Now, they only have 115 more runs to defend and Williams has promised ” a fight” and that his men would learn from the team they may eventually be beaten by. “They’re not No. 1 in the world by mistake. What I will take from here is consistency, especially in the bowlers. If we can learn from that, we will be on the right track.”

The rebranded Birmingham Bears drew only 6,000 to Edgbaston as their victory against Durham was tarnished by doubts about the appeal of their campaign

George Dobell at Edgbaston06-Jun-2014
ScorecardEngland showed no appetite for releasing Ian Bell six days before the first Test•Getty ImagesThis report could start with a description of Shoaib Malik’s quietly impressive start to life at Edgbaston. It could start with a description of Ben Stokes’ unhappy evening or the impressive pace generated by Boyd Rankin.It could even compare the difference in standard of fielding between these two sides that was the main ingredient in a result that sees Warwickshire – in their guise as Birmingham Bears- leapfrog Durham in the North Division table.But, bearing in mind that the T20 Blast is designed to relaunch the game in England and Wales, bearing in mind that this was a perfect summer’s evening, bearing in mind the good gate figures elsewhere in the country and bearing in mind that this was a match scheduled in that Friday night slot in which so much hope was placed and it seems more pertinent to start with what might be described as the modest crowd number.The official figure rated the attendance 6,000. Even taken a face value – it looked a generous assessment – that figure compares with an average of 5,500 for 2013. That was a season that benefited from little of the marketing push that preceded this campaign and when matches were seemingly spread across the week at random.While it is too early in the campaign to jump to conclusions, such a figure does provide food for thought.It may be that there has been a backlash against the decision to rebrand Warwickshire as Birmingham Bears for this tournament. While that tactic is, in many ways, at least understandable and perhaps even laudable, the fact is that the traditional membership is distinctly unimpressed by it. Anecdotal evidence suggests it is the straw that has broken the camel’s back for some.But the decision to deny the counties the services of the Test squad for this game seems a particularly short-sighted move. If the aim of this tournament is really to inspire a new generation of supporters, then the likes of Ian Bell and Chris Woakes should have been made available for this game on their home ground.Not only is Bell arguably the most famous contemporary sportsman in the region – this is not a golden age for Midlands’ football – and quite capable of adding significantly to gate figures, he is also crying out for more experience of T20 cricket. Having just been recalled to the England T20 squad, you might think he would like add to his tally of one T20 game in the last three-and-a-half-years.Sadly, though, the suggestion that the ECB would make the centrally contracted players available more often for this competition has turned out to be false.It also suggests that the ticket price – £22 on the gate – is just too high. While there is an incentive to pre-book (£15), that acts as a disincentive to those who prefer, understandably given Edgbaston’s recent history, to wait and see how the weather is before booking.And if this competition is about investing for the future by inspiring a new generation of supporters, a ticket price of £22 seems steep. A family of four will, after parking and refreshments, be lucky to spend less than £75. Cricket in England is not so popular that it can ask so much.At least those that attended – a good-natured bunch that made their own fun when necessary – appeared to enjoy what they saw. Hopefully they will return.Those that did attend saw that the difference between the teams in this match was the fielding. While Warwickshire’s throws hit the stumps – Shoaib ran out Mark Stoneman in the first over with a direct hit from mid-off; Rankin picked up in his follow-through and ran out Scott Borthwick – Durham’s missed. Chopra could have been run out on three occasions, most notably on 20 and 21, had Durham’s accuracy been better. Paul Collingwood also put down a tough caught and bowled chance offered by Chopra on 43.Stokes endured a miserable evening. While he bowled with waspish pace, he was involved with a mix-up that saw Borthwick sent back and run out and was then bowled, first delivery, by a quick, full ball from the ever impressive Jeetan Patel. By the time Stoneman dropped a simple chance offered by Laurie Evans off his bowling, it was hard not to fear for the lockers in the Edgbaston dressing room.Durham were actually flattered a little by their final total. Only a career-best score from John Hastings, who might just be a giant in man fancy-dress, helped them to anything like a respectable total on a fine track. Hastings helped plunder 50 from the final five overs as the Warwickshire bowlers, so impressive until then, started to miss their yorkers by a crucial few inches.It never looked likely to be enough. While Durham, and Usman Arshad in particular, built some pressure, it could never be sustained. Borthwick’s first two balls – a horrid full toss and an even more ugly long-hop – were despatched for 10 in all by the increasingly impressive Jonathan Webb and with Chopra oozing class in his half-century and Malik and Evans providing the acceleration, Birmingham – or Warwickshire, as you prefer – were never likely to be denied.

Netherlands’ batsmen came good when it mattered, as they made short work of a potentially tricky target of 152 against UAE

The Report by Abhishek Purohit in Sylhet17-Mar-2014
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsStephan Myburgh struck seven fours and two sixes in his 36-ball 55•ICCPeter Borren will not have any reason to be “pi**ed off” with his batsmen tonight, the way he had been after they had blown potentially winning positions in both their warm-up matches. When it came to the game that counted, Netherlands, led by their openers, made short work of a potentially tricky target of 152.Stephan Myburgh and Michael Swart took on from where Paul Stirling and William Porterfield had left off earlier in the evening. Ireland had been 61 for 0 after the first six overs of their chase. The Netherlands openers did even better, taking 67 off the fielding restrictions.By the time Swart top-edged a pull to midwicket, Netherlands needed 83 from 80 balls. Myburgh kept going on, and it needed a suicidal dash for a single to send him back at the midway stage for 55 off 36, with 59 needed from the remaining ten overs.Myburgh had set about UAE right from the opening over, as Manjula Guruge went for 34 in his first three overs. UAE’s seamers did not have the pace to trouble the batsmen but they kept pitching it back of a good length and Myburgh, especially, kept pulling them for fours and sixes. He went so hard at the ball that even a couple of top-edges flew over the wicketkeeper for boundaries.Amid Myburgh’s assault on Guruge, Swart went after left-arm spinner Shadeep Silva, taking 16 in his second over after a tight first one. A short ball was muscled over midwicket and the fuller one next up was sent soaring over the straight boundary.Although Netherlands had imploded from similar positions in the practice games, there was no looking back after such a start this time. Helped along by a few chances put down by UAE, Netherlands cruised home in the 19th over. Wesley Barresi and the late, controversial replacement Tom Cooper ensured the openers’ efforts weren’t frittered away and also avoided the kind of late stress Ireland had managed to build for themselves (although Borren did fall cheaply in the 18th over, needlessly ramping a shortish ball to third man).The game was effectively taken away from UAE by the Netherlands openers, but they would think they should have got more than the 151 they did after choosing to bat. Despite the early loss of their openers, UAE were 79 for 2 in the 11th over, captain Khurram Khan and keeper Swapnil Patil having added 67 off 52.Both were bowled in the 11th over by Tom Cooper trying late cuts with no room to play the stroke. Rohan Mustafa and Shaiman Anwar put together another partnership, worth 47, but UAE surrendered the advantage again, and there was no comeback from the lower order.Mustafa was run-out by a direct hit from Borren and Anwar was yorked by Timm van der Gugten. UAE managed only 20 in the last four overs. They had still achieved what they were looking for at the start, but the Netherlands batting was to come good on the night when it mattered.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board’s elections will be held on October 10, according to a gazetted notice of the National Sports Council (NSC)

Mohammad Isam26-Sep-2013The Bangladesh Cricket Board’s elections will be held on October 10, according to a gazetted notice of the National Sports Council (NSC). It will be held at the NSC Tower in Dhaka, with the results announced on the same day.The polls will coincide with the second day of the first Test between Bangladesh and New Zealand in Chittagong. But BCB’s acting CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury has insisted that it will not affect the holding of the match.Twenty-three directors will be elected through votes from 172 councillors of various entities around the country. These include all the divisional and district sports associations, the Dhaka clubs, former cricketers, governmental institutions and education boards. The NSC, the sports regulatory body in Bangladesh, will select three directors among their 15 councillors. From these 26 directors, the BCB will choose its president, the first elected chief in the board’s history. A date has not been declared for the presidential election.The BCB’s current president, Nazmul Hassan, and former chief Saber Hossain Chowdhury are taking in the part in the elections, and are likely to head two panels and battle for the president’s post. Both are ruling-party MPs, but have been involved in a verbal battle through the media in recent weeks.While it is the first time the BCB head will be elected, it’s the fifth BCB elections – previously they were held in 1998, 2001, 2005 and 2009. The directors elected in the last election ran the board till October last year, after which the government appointed an ad-hoc committee. The body was supposed to hold elections within three months of their appointment, but have taken almost a year to complete preparations for the elections.

The revolving-door nature of Australia’s ODI captaincy had not impacted the team too much, according to George Bailey, due to a collaborative approach

Daniel Brettig25-Jan-20151:48

‘Our depth and form has been pleasing this summer’ – Bailey

Before he began to answer questions about the Australia Day match against India, George Bailey joked about the revolving-door nature of the team’s ODI captaincy – you never know who’s going to walk through the door.Australia’s training session on Sunday brought this home, as the incumbent Bailey and his Hobart substitute Steven Smith played fluently in the nets while the rehabilitating Michael Clarke looked pensively on in his training shirt and shorts. It is the sort of “too many cooks” scenario that has brought many a cricket team down in the past, but for the moment it seems each leader is able to work with light enough hands to ensure their fingerprints are not too distracting for the next man.Clarke keen to continue as Test captain

Michael Clarke has no intention of standing aside as Test captain for Steven Smith, though he says he will not take part in the World Cup unless 100% fit to do so.
“As long as the selectors think I’m the right man for the job,” Clarke told the when asked if he wanted to remain captain for the rest of his playing days. “I think I’ve earned that respect, I think I’ve played some really good cricket and from the information I have the selectors are really happy with my performances – personally and also with my captaincy. I’ve heard no different at this stage.”
Clarked reported his rehabilitation was progressing smoothly, the deadline of the February 21 World Cup match against Bangladesh still in sight. “Things are going really well. I’ve rehabbed every day, plenty of training, I’m still ahead of schedule,” Clarke said. “Trying to get fit as soon as I possibly can with the realistic view of February 21 being the date I can be back on the park playing for Australia again.”
But Clarke will not put his hand up to play unless his readiness is proven. “I won’t do that to my teammates, I won’t let them down,” he said. “If I’m fit I’d love to be on the park, if I’m not I won’t do that to my team.”

“To Michael’s credit when he hasn’t played he’s certainly allowed it to be my team,” Bailey said. “A lot of the tours where it’s happened overseas and he’s still been there it’s probably difficult for him to step back, but that’s really helped me not to put my stamp on things because I don’t think I do things all that differently. I think I’m pretty collaborative in the way I try and approach things. I don’t think it’s Michael’s team or my team, I think it’s our team at the moment.”It helps that Bailey is a man of equable temperament and rare maturity among cricketers, able to see the wider picture more effectively than many others. Then there is the fact that the Australian team is these days run conclusively by Darren Lehmann, to the point that neither the captain nor the team manager Gavin Dovey can sign off on much at all without the coach’s input or approval.Lehmann’s deliberations will include Bailey’s place in the XI should Clarke prove his fitness in time to lead during the World Cup; with Shane Watson, Glenn Maxwell, Smith and Clarke there is something of a queue formed for middle-order spots after the opening combination of Aaron Finch and David Warner. Bailey is not allowing himself to be too wrapped up in the various scenarios that may unfold.”If Pup’s there one of the batsmen makes way, if it’s me or someone else that’s how it is,” he said. “I know you guys love writing about it but if I’m not scoring runs and they pick him, that’s fine, that’s the nature of the game. You’re scoring runs or you’re not scoring runs – you get picked or you don’t. It’s a really basic equation.”It’s a very enjoyable thing to do, to captain your country. Tomorrow will be fun, captaining on Australia Day, that will be a real buzz. I’ve always said it’s something I’ve enjoyed because it gives you a unique opportunity to share the success of others – talking to the bowlers about their plans and how they want to execute, seeing it come to fruition, talking to the batters about their different roles and how that’s going to pan out then seeing that happen. It’s an honour to have that role – a unique and special viewpoint to have.”How much longer Bailey can enjoy that viewpoint, or that of a middle-order batsman, will depend on whether he can regain the fluency and form of 2013, when his awareness of match scenarios and knack for power-hitting made him one of the world’s more effective ODI batsmen. His runs have faded more recently, something Bailey attributed partly to greater success being enjoyed further up the order.”It’ll sound a bit silly but I think we’ve been batting really well as a group, so in terms of my role I’ve been coming in a touch later than when I was scoring big runs,” he said. “So I feel like I’m batting as well as I ever have, it’s just a matter of getting some balls in the middle. But hopefully we continue batting as well as we are at the top of the order and that role continues to be a finishing role at the end.”Bailey does not expect to have Mitchell Johnson in harness on Monday, though he has bowled swiftly and well in sessions on both Saturday evening and Sunday morning. Having faced Johnson in the first of these stints, Bailey said Australia’s spearhead was likely to return to the team for the triangular series final in Perth in a week’s time. Watson is also to remain sidelined, while Warner, Xavier Doherty, Mitchell Marsh and Josh Hazlewood may all be in line to return to action. Maxwell and Pat Cummins are two who may have a spell.”What’s really pleasing at the moment, in all formats, is the depth of cricketers we’ve got and the way guys can seamlessly come in from outside the squad or within teams and immediately start performing,” Bailey said. “That’s been really pleasing. It just comes down to having really clear plans within that group.”It doesn’t matter if guys come in for their first game, or guys are coming back in the squad after time out, they’re able to slot into a role that’s well defined for them – with how the captain or team wants them to play. The way Boof and staff integrate guys when they come in, it’s been pretty easy in terms of welcoming the guys in.”For the time being, that also includes the identity of the captain.

Ed Cowan and Jordan Silk both scored centuries for Tasmania but South Australia were able to hold on for a draw on the final day of their Sheffield Shield match in Adelaide

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Nov-2013
ScorecardEd Cowan and Jordan Silk both scored centuries•Getty ImagesEd Cowan and Jordan Silk both scored centuries for Tasmania but South Australia were able to hold on for a draw on the final day of their Sheffield Shield match in Adelaide. Phillip Hughes and Tom Cooper both made half-centuries in South Australia’s chase of 285 but regular wickets kept the Redbacks from reaching the point at which they could realistically push for victory.At 2 for 130 in the 24th over they had some hope but the loss of Hughes, who was caught off the bowling of Xavier Doherty for 67, sparked a collapse. James Faulkner picked up two quick wickets before Cooper and Tim Ludeman steadied, and when time was called, Cooper was unbeaten on 74 from 94 deliveries, with Ludeman on 18.Earlier, Silk and Cowan carried on from their overnight half-centuries to both reach triple figures before Ben Dunk (72 off 54 balls) and Faulkner (53) helped steer the total up to 7 for 390 before the declaration came. Cowan made 123, his first century at first-class level since he was dropped from the Test side during the Ashes tour of England.Silk, 21, continued his outstanding start to the summer – he has now scored two hundreds in the first four Shield matches of the season and averages 46.12. Silk has also had a remarkable beginning to his first-class career – he debuted in March and has already scored four hundreds and three fifties in his first nine games.