Shaun Tait’s impressive debut, and Ricky Ponting discovers his bowling skills

On the ball with S Rajesh and Arun Gopalakrishnan25-Aug-2005Shaun Tait came into an Australian side, which was without Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie, and by close of play he had done enough to justify his selection, ending with impressive figures of 2 for 62 from 14 overs. Tait’s first spell in Test cricket was hardly impressive – on a pitch lacking in pace, he bowled back of a length or short far too often, and rarely looked threatening. After the tea break, though, he altered his length, bowling up to the bat and getting appreciable movement, and while he went for more runs, he also bowled more wicket-taking deliveries (five out of 41 before tea; 10 out of 47 after the interval).The other bowling card that was a success – far more unexpectedly – for Australia was the captain himself. Before tea, England were rattling along at 4.5 runs per over, and of the 134 runs, 46 came through cover and midwicket, and only one through third man – a clear indication that the batsmen were hardly ever troubled and completely on top. Then came Tait’s wicket, after which Ricky Ponting brought himself on and did an excellent job of bottling an end up. He bowled six overs, and never once strayed more leg side than off stump, in the process getting the key wicket of Michael Vaughan. Don’t be surprised if Ponting’s seen offering a few bowling tips to Jason Gillespie in the nets tomorrow morning.

The Indian board’s latest warning to Sehwag was totally uncalled for and reeks of double standards, writes Siddhartha Vaidyanathan

Siddhartha Vaidyanathan10-May-2006

Virender Sehwag: mum’s the word, keep the secret © Getty Images
Here we go again. How irresponsible can Virender Sehwag get? One can understand his liberal swishing of the bat out in the middle, but look what he’s done now. He actually had the audacity to publicly go on record and say that there’s too much cricket and that players “need a break” to guard against burn-out. Worst still, he was cheeky enough to say that Sourav Ganguly was the best captain he has played under and added that (take a deep breath) “we miss him”.Obviously, none of this would sit well with the Indian board, who promptly issued a warning. One wonders how Niranjan Shah, the board secretary, controlled a chuckle when he read out this statement: “As a player you cannot give your opinion on any other player.” Shah, probably realising his folly a day later, attempted a cover-up operation: “It was not a warning, just our advice to him. There is no question of taking action against Sehwag. The matter is closed.”But, more pertinently, why was it an issue in the first place? Sehwag isn’t the first to be pulled up for opening his mouth. The two Singhs – Harbhajan and Yuvraj – have been gagged earlier and Greg Chappell has faced the music as well, except that his comments, unlike the other three, were against Ganguly. So it’s 3-1 at the moment, but the refereeing has been quite hopeless.Around a month back, at the pre-match press conference before the sixth one-dayer against England at Jamshedpur, Sehwag was asked about Ganguly. His response was guarded, more an effort to pass the question rather than create a stir: “… there’s no question of looking back … We have already forgotten that chapter.” No warning then, no yellow card, no nothing.Around two weeks back, Sachin Tendulkar was asked, again in a press conference, about too much cricket. One of his responses: “I have been happy with my schedule. It is important to physically and mentally recharge yourself after every series. One must make sure there is a break after matches and series.” Tendulkar expresses his opinion. No hassles. Sehwag expresses his opinion. Warned. Inference: open your mouth but just don’t say what the board doesn’t want to hear.And what if you are asked about your former captain? He might have been your greatest backer, he might have revitalised your career, and he might be your hero, but it’s almost anathema to take his name, more so if you are praising him. If the Indian board has its way, a few years down the line you may watch this version of a player interview.Interviewer: Who have been the key players in India becoming the best team in the world?
Player: Sorry, I am not in a position to answer that.I: Tell us about the World Cup final. What a superb innings from your captain …
P: I wish I could talk about that innings. But I can’t publicly comment on other players.I: Do you still have fond memories of your debut?
P: Great moment. I need to thank one man for having faith in me during that time. I am sure you know who I am talking about. That’s all I can say.I: A thousand Twenty20 games in the last year. Isn’t it too much?
P: That is for the board to comment.

Cricinfo writers select their best and worst moments from 2006

20-Dec-2006

Martin Williamson

Bangladesh had a good year winning 12 of their 14 ODIs and giving Australia quite a scare © AFP

Best: Bangladesh on the up
Bangladesh, so long the whipping boys of international cricket, have enjoyed handing out some drubbings of their own and ended the year flushed with success after 12 wins in 14 ODIs – their previous 129 ODIs had brought just 16 victories. While the opposition were not top class, Bangladesh more than underlined that they have opened a wide gap between themselves and the chasing pack. Although restricted to two Tests by the grossly imbalanced Future Tours Programme, they gave Australia some sleepless nights – and almost a follow-on – before the pressure got to them. Their aim in 2007 is to pick off the sides in eighth and ninth in the ODI rankings … England and Sri Lanka.Worst: Haves and have nots
Speaking of the gap between the best and the rest, 2006 was the year in which the ICC’s brave new (albeit under-funded) plan to allow the top six Associates kicked in. However, there were no surprises, although Kenya hinted at what we all suspected, namely they are the best of the rest, by drawing a series in Zimbabwe although they were trounced by Bangladesh. That aside, no upsets were threatened and some woefully one-sided games were also in evidence, none more than when Sri Lanka piled on 443 for 9. The biggest disappointments were the highly-funded Bermudans and the Scots, who were thrashed in Bangladesh in December. But the main problem was still that the big boys simply didn’t want to play with the minnows whose appeal to sponsors and TV companies was zero.

Sriram Veera

Sourav Ganguly: India’s highest run-scorer in the Test series against South Africa © AFP

Best: Dada returns
It was all set up for a fall. The critics were chuckling quietly, “Ah … He’s going to get buried on the bouncy South African track.” Obituaries were dusted up and one more line, describing his latest debacle, was about to be added. He made them look sheepish with a gutsy 87 against Rest of South Africa. And by the end of the first Test, he had converted a few of the critics to his side. Ridicule had made way for respect. ‘Dada ki baat sunenge na?” he had cajoled us in an astounding advertisement that I can’t believe any other cricketer would have done. He impressed with his desire, if not with the scores, by playing every Ranji Trophy match and surprised some of us, with his show in South Africa. The redemption song is on. How long it will last is anybody’s guess but, briefly, at end of the year, when old dies for new, Sourav Ganguly gave us a lilting tune.Worst: Story of Sachin’s life?
A little story first. During the ball-by-ball commentary of the second Test
against South Africa in Durban, I had written this: “Two wickets down, in
comes Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. Another semi-crisis to deal with. The story
of his life.” Almost immediately, two feed-backers pinged me with, “Story of
Sachin’s life you said? How many times did he rescue India out of crisis?
What a statement?”What a statement indeed, the worst of the year. But to me, it’s not a comment on the hero, more a reflection of the escapist-fantasy that we cling to. We don’t like to watch
our heroes turn into mortals. We like to see them riding off into the sunset. Some like Shane Warne do. Tendulkar can easily walk off now. He has runs, money and respect. To me it’s fascinating to watch how a master is prepared to swallow his ego and is willing to look ungainly, even scratch around, for his runs and the team. The injuries have taken its toll on the mindset, the free-flowing man is slowly turning into a thing of past and yes
it would be great if he returns to his pristine best. But till then, even if
it never comes, his monk-like efforts in Sydney, his fight back, albeit
brief, in the first innings at Durban are to be cherished. The horse can
wait.

Peter English

Ponting might have gotten away with two hundreds and an average of 88.50 in the Ashes but for Kasprowicz and MacGill Buchanan’s boot camp meant a long break from international cricket © Getty Images

Best: Pidgeon II
Stuart Clark waited until he was 31 to make his mark on Australian cricket
with a Man-of-the-Series performance against South Africa. A useful fast
bowler for New South Wales, he quickly became a stand-out for Australia with
his nine wickets on debut at Cape Town. Twenty dismissals came in his first
series and his continued strong performances have shown there will be life
after Glenn McGrath.Worst: Boot camp busting
John Buchanan’s boot camp might have bonded Australia’s contract-holders
successfully, but it pushed Michael Kasprowicz to consider retirement.
Kasprowicz could cope with the various tasks, but he suffered a groin injury
that later flared into a painful back problem and he is still waiting to
return to domestic action. John Buchanan rated the camp as one of his
greatest achievements, but it has almost certainly led to the end of
Kasprowicz’s international career. Stuart MacGill, who suffered a knee
problem during the week, has also not appeared for Australia since the
pre-season activity.

Nishi Narayanan

And so it all came together © Getty Images

Best: Hussey catches his destiny

If like the movies we could flashback a cricketer’s life in quick rewind to ‘where it all came together’, Michael Hussey’s catch to dismiss Ashwell Prince in the second match of the VB series this year, would be such a moment. Hussey ran in from mid-wicket to square leg with his left hand out. He stretched a little more than one’s imagination could and flung himself towards the ball. The scoreboard innocuously read Prince c Hussey b McGrath 19. Hussey had played 22 ODIs before the one at the Gabba and in three months into his Test career he had three hundreds and was already a ‘find of the year’. But the catch was the moment it all fit into place. No turning back from there. An ODI average of 77.11 and with four fifties and a hundred from six Ashes innings he is now on full fast-forward mode.Worst: Coaching Videos
One had to tune into this one – Greg Chappell coaching Sourav Ganguly on playing the short ball – a nicely packaged ‘unrehearsed’ video of the coach and batsman in the nets going over the processes of hooking and pulling. Then Sunil Gavaskar, a commentator on the channel which broadcast these exclusive videos, gave Rahul Dravid some batting tips and Allan Donald, also a commentator, had a friendly chat with Indian bowlers Sreesanth and VRV Singh. As televisions were switched on to watch the fourth day of the Durban Test, Sreesanth and VRV stood awkwardly by the camera while Donald advised Sreesanth not to lose his cool on the field. Painful to watch, it reminded one of a teacher reprimanding a student while the rest of the class listened in. More painful was Harsha Bhogle’s claim that the best reality tv is that which is spontaneous. There have been worse moments this year, but nothing so cringe-worthy.

Sambit Bal

Best: Return of the sporting ODI
South Africa’s chase of 434 at Johannesburg was breathlessly described by many, including Cricinfo, as the greatest one-day match ever. But I must admit that it made me queasy. It was, without doubt, the most incredible chase and a spectacle. But it was hardly a match. On that pitch and with those short boundaries, the bowlers didn’t have a chance.This year’s Champion’s Trophy somewhat restored my faith in one-day cricket. It wasn’t by design, but the pitches prepared by the Indian curators brought bowlers back in to the game. Mohali provided bounce, Jaipur seam, and Brabourne spin. Batsmen were forced to buckle down, apply themselves and choose the right balls to hit. Most matches were low scoring, but almost each of them was a contest. One-day cricket has suffered grievously because of misplaced notion that big runs equals big excitement; to see the balance redressed, that too in India where plus-300 scores are boringly routine, was refreshing.Worst: Viru walks on eggshellsI write this on the second of the Boxing day Test between India and South Africa and about an hour ago, Virender Sehwag has played the most horrendous of strokes to be out on zero. It was his first ball, wide, and on its way up when Sehwag flailed at it. It was not merely careless; it was the worst of Sehwag in what has been the worst year of his career.To watch a confident player like Sehwag to be reduced to a bundle of confusion has been one of the most distressing sights of 2006. To say bowlers have sorted him out is simplistic. Watch him bat in the first Test innings it’s easy to see that his batting has regressed; from a batsman who could play strokes all around the wicket, he now merely looks for space to free his arms to blast the ball square on the offside, which makes him one-fourth the player. Insouciance is a great virtue when married with common sense, Sehwag’s first-ball swish made him more like a fool on a death wish.

Paul Coupar

Brian Lara can make even the savage demolishers of the Aussies look weak © Getty Images

Best: Aussies look mortal
Perhaps it was the tantalising mirage of the Aussies being made to look
mortal ahead of the Ashes. Perhaps it was because I was puffing on a gym
treadmill at the time and appreciated a distraction – any distraction. But
watching Lara’s front-foot pull for six, during the Champions Trophy clash at Mumbai, to a ball most would have nurdled through third man, was truly electric. More risky than Dravid, more inventive than Ponting, he remains thrilling to watch.Worst: December 16
Every serious Test nation will be playing, with Bangladesh hosting a major
series against Scotland. It’s far, too much cricket. It’s dulling
our appetite and the sharpness of our memories. It’s weakened competition and diluted fine performances. Cricket becomes a meaningless blur.

Anand Vasu

Best: Jubilation at Jo’burg

The win at the Wanderers may not keep the critics at bay for long but for a team often falling frustratingly short of what it’s capable of this was a situation where even Australia couldn’t have done better © AFP

When former Indian cricketers are baying for blood, when newspapers and television channels are shrill in their calls for immediate and brutal reaction, when the batting has failed and when the decisions and comments of administrators are not always what they seem, the Indian cricket team must be the worst possible place to be. And it was exactly the situation when Rahul Dravid courageously chose to bat on a fast pitch with damp spots on it at the Wanderers. Then, batsmen applied themselves, fast bowlers breathed fire from a good line and length, fielders held every catch and snaffled out run outs from half chances. When India won for the first time on foreign soil, it was for many, a vindication of the faith that they had in this team. It was total cricket from a team that frustratingly, often falls well short of what it is capable of. It was one of those rare moments when you don’t think, “what would Australia have done in this situation?” for mighty as they are, even they could have done no better.Worst: Read me a riot
They say subjects get the kings they deserve. But sometimes you are left wondering if India’s cricketers get the fans they deserve – not quantity, but quality wise. One of the more distressing sights is watching Sachin Tendulkar fielding on the fence at an Indian ground and getting booed and barracked for not having made runs in a game. Cowards who yell anonymously from a group are one thing, but in Guwahati, when the appalling side of fan behaviour reached its crescendo. After no play was possible because heavy overnight rains had drenched the ground, even the most desperate attempts of the organisers failed. Angry fans rioted, destroying equipment, breaking down fences and walls, assaulting security personnel. Blood was shed and tear gas cannisters were fired. Riots and violence of this kind remind of all the things that are wrong in this world – communal violence, dictatorial oppression, that sort of thing. It’s the sort of thing I never expected to see at a cricket ground, and hope I never have to write about again.

Sam Collins

Best: Bell tolls
As the vultures hovered over Duncan Fletcher at Perth, Ian Bell’s treatment of Shane Warne in his spunky 87 drew attention to the many positive aspects of the coach’s reign. Bell, for so long the golden-child of English cricket, had been comprehensively worked over by Australia in 2005 and a spell on the sidelines followed. However, rather than join the lost generation of Ramprakash, Hick and Crawley he seized the second chance afforded him by Flintoff’s injury, and three hundreds against Pakistan signalled that in this England set-up players do not wither when dropped, they fight back.Worst: Captaincy conundrums

How well will Flintoff hold up in the Ashes post-mortem? © Getty Images

Just when it seemed English cricket had finally emerged from the dark ages and embraced common sense, the mess following Michael Vaughan’s injury showed that madness can only be hidden, never dispelled. Flintoff’s premature appointment as captain for the summer followed his Mumbai heroics, and his subsequent injury made the whole affair farcical. Strauss then impressed in the role against Pakistan – but the selectors’ hands were tied: Flintoff would captain in Australia. All the while Vaughan was still the official captain. Confused? Cue a media frenzy when Vaughan returned to action with England 2-0 down, only for Fletcher to belatedly rule out his involvement; the same Fletcher who then shoddily threw Flintoff a hospital-pass by blaming selection muddles on his captain. The real pity is the effect on Flintoff. Clearly not fit, the beaming smile of 2005 is a distant memory and we can only hope he retains his love for the game in the wake of the inevitable Ashes post-mortem.

Steven Lynch

One that snaked through – Monty sends back a stunned Younis Khan © Getty Images

Best: Monty python

It’s one thing for a spinner to grab the wicket of an out-of-form batsman,
or a wide-eyed rabbit. But the ball which announced Monty Panesar as a
bowling star of the first magnitude was to a batsman at the top of his
form, fresh from 173 in the first innings at Headingley. The recipient
was Younis Khan, half of Pakistan’s Two Ys batting pairing which
troubled England all summer. Panesar dragged Younis forward, beat his jabbed defensive push, and the ball snaked back from the rough outside
leg, just kissing the top of off stump and flicking the bail. It was a
great delivery – one that should have been played on a continuous loop
in a locked room to the England tour selectors before they made the
ruinous decision to leave Panesar out of the Brisbane and, especially,
Adelaide Tests against Australia.Worst: Adelaide atrocity
Actually I wouldn’t have minded Australia winning the Ashes, as long as it had been a decent series. And when England rolled past 500 in the
second Test at least it looked as if the series would be still alive
come Christmas. That predictable first-up defeat at Brisbane wouldn’t
have looked quite so bad if it had been followed by a strong draw – or
even a surprise victory – at Adelaide. But then came that peculiar
declaration-by-numbers, the expensive drop of Ponting … and the
strokeless collapse on the fifth day that gave Australia the chance of
victory, which they greedily guzzled. If Australia had won the Edgbaston
Test in 2005, and gone two up, it would have ruined the “Greatest Ever”
Ashes series: their victory here killed this one stone dead. There was
never any way back from 2-0.

Brydon Coverdale

Michael Hussey – Sir Don’s statistical twin (almost) © Getty Images

Best: A champion arrives
Michael Hussey is not Don Bradman. Statistically, however, he is pretty
darn close. Few players have taken to Test cricket as quickly and
impressively as Hussey, who Australia have discovered can plug any hole
in the top six. Sadly, there is only one of him, because there could be
a few leaks soon if any more batsmen call it a day. After 14 Tests, he
averages 86.33 – Bradman averaged 94.45 at the same point in his career.
Hussey’s average will almost certainly decline but Australia’s No. 4
spot is definitely in safe hands. Suggestions have even been made that
Australia might not have lost the Ashes in 2005 had he played. That
might be drawing a long bow, but his class and composure has been
patently obvious in 2006.Worst: Losing a legend
Australian cricket fans considered losing the Ashes in 2005 a calamity.
They probably should be thankful, however, because it postponed for just
over a year the moment they would regard as an even bigger tragedy –
Shane Warne’s retirement. He would have quit had Australia retained the
Ashes last year but his total commitment to regaining the urn pushed him
on to 2006-07. Warne’s departure was a desperately sad moment for world
cricket because his complete mastery of legspin is as unlikely to be
replicated as a Jason Gillespie double-century. There have been plenty
of stars in world cricket in the past 20 years but few towering legends
of the game. Warne is unquestionably one of them.

Vaneisa Baksh

Best: Lara’s opera

Brian Lara was in his element at Multan © AFP

If Danish Kaneria had been bowling badly, it would have dimmed the sparkle somewhat. He hadn’t been; and despite the two sixes Brian Lara had already taken off him, he couldn’t have been more shell-shocked than at the end of over number 83 in the second Test
at Multan. Stepping out, Lara dispatched the first ball, straight and true, with one bounce to the fence. He subsided for the next, but leant back to pull the short third ball outside leg stump clear over the mid-wicket boundary.The fourth met a dancer’s footwork, as Lara sashayed forward and lofted a powerful arc to long on. Like reaching a crescendo, the third six was the biggest, over the sight screen. Last ball was like waiting for the climax of a symphonic piece, and the full toss got a baton wave over mid-wicket. Three consecutive sixes and two fours, just two runs short of his record 28. Perhaps it was the second six, but the over had suddenly become musical, and Lara was composing an opera full of tragedy, drama, and enthralling conquest.Worst: Windies’ bumbling board
West Indies sank to the debacle between Allen Stanford and the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) over the clash between fixtures for his Super Star tournament (Nov 10-12) and the West Indies tour of Pakistan. Discussions began early in the year between the parties, but somewhere wires got crossed and what was represented as a hardline position from the Pakistan board turned out to be flexible, but only after the tournament had been called off by an irate Stanford. A possible five million US dollars to South Africa was lost in the rush, while the WICB claimed that Stanford had backed out of a promised US $2 million donation.The WICB President had refused to name the team for Pakistan on Brian Lara’s advice, he said, which made it impossible for Stanford to select a team. Michael Holding, incensed that Lara’s advice was the rationale offered by the WICB for not naming players, resigned from the Cricket Committee on the grounds that it had been sidestepped. He accused the WICB President of being economical with the truth after the Board issued a rebuttal, and with Clive Lloyd drawn in, things got even more unseemly.

Siddhartha Vaidyanathan

Sabina went bonkers and Dwayne Bravo’s celebration was the symbol of Windies’ one-day revival © AFP

Best: Slow death at Sabina
This was the one-day version
of Steve Harmison’s short ball to Michael Kasprowicz at Edgbaston. Ten needed off the last five, Bravo to Yuvraj, and Sabina Park is going delirious. A top-edged four sends down shivers and a blistering cover-drive that follows induces a sense of utter hopelessness. In a couple of minutes, a cheering arena was turned into a morgue. Two off three was too easy. India were going 2-0 up in a five match series and Windies were all but buried.And then it arrived, ever so slowly. Rising from the adrenalin pool, Bravo resorted to guile when everyone expected force, delivering a quite audacious slower yorker. Yuvraj’s attempted sweep around the corner was complete as the ball passed him and before he realised, the stumps were rattled. To a man, Sabina went bonkers, electricity pierced the concrete, and the pillars quaked under the mountain of noise. It was also an inflexion point for the two teams – West Indies won 11 of their next 17 games; India lost 12 of their next 16.Worst: Runs and ruins
Strangely the Iqbal Stadium was full, on a the fifth day of a quite meaningless Test.
A grand total of 1702 runs were scored in five days and chances of a result were as remote as Shoaib Akhtar embracing Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Then Afridi entered and, after an innings lasting three balls, edged to the keeper. And then, in one mighty wave, Iqbal was empty. Barring two sessions on the third day, nobody needed have turned up for this batting orgy. Six centuries, five half-centuries, eight bowlers conceding more than 100, 200 fours, 27 sixes … On a tar road masquerading as a pitch, cricket wept, wailed and finally died.

Anil Nair

Best: Freddie at Alamo

Flintoff carried the torch for England at the Gabba till he was forced off the field with a sore ankle © Getty Images

Andrew Flintoff in the first innings at the Gabba will remain a sight to cherish despite the ignominy of the Ashes surrender. As the other English bowlers reduced themselves to pie-chuckers, Flintoff, wearing his size like a cloak and chewing gum, ran in over, after desperate over, with the mercury rising and the humidity touching 88%. He was the only one with the pace, accuracy and menace to hurry the Australians on a belter. In just his second over he had Ponting hopping around with a steepler, and, even if momentarily, reliving the nightmare of Ashes 2005. Finally, as Flintoff hobbled off with a sore ankle and an air of the knacker’s yard about him, the enduring image was less the Charge of the Light Brigade than of Alamo – of martyrdom gilded and redeemed by the victories that preceded it.Worst: KP and IQ

Kevin Pietersen’s continuing tirade against alleged racism in the land of his birth is a blot on his otherwise remarkable story of courage and adaptability. South Africa does have a skewed quota system in cricket, official protestations notwithstanding, and Pietersen obviously was a victim of it. But there is the larger reality and his phenomenal success as an England player ought to have made Pietersen realise that what goes around comes around too. In the new South Africa, violent crime and rape is rampant but it is also a great experiment in multiculturalism, where the unity is willed, still not quite on strong foundations but not a facade either: the power is with the blacks, the money largely white and the balance between empowerment and exploitation is ever so steadily shifting towards the former. To call such historical redress racism is simply diabolical, but in this case it appears more a matter of a challenged IQ.

Will Luke

Best: KP takes on Warne
Some have numbed Shane Warne’s spitting legbreak but precious few have silenced his venomous tongue. Kevin Pietersen’s direct, planned attack on Warne has been this series’ mesmerising sideshow. He smashed him for six fours and a six – 59 out of his masterful 158 at Adelaide – leaving Warne bemused and becalmed. Warne got his revenge in the second innings, bowling him around his legs – but his and Australia’s euphoric celebration said plenty. Finally, an Englishman who could match Warne’s ability as a cricketer – and with verbals, too.Worst: Selection shocker
It was so depressingly inevitable. Wrongly chosen for the first Test, we hoped, a little naively, that Ashley Giles would be joined by Monty Panesar for the second at Adelaide. He wasn’t. Giles dropped Ricky Ponting on 35 (he made 142); scratched around at Duncan Fletcher’s precious No.8 position and bowled haplessly. Monty finally made his belated Ashes debut at Perth, took eight wickets and showed promising class and ability with the bat. Too late.

Jenny Thompson

Best: When Claire soared

An out-of-form Steve Harmison could not prevent the Aussies from regaining the Ashes before Christmas © Getty Images

It was an innings fit to grace any stage, let alone the home of cricket. Claire Taylor’s silky 156 from 151 balls eclipsed Viv Richard’s record of fastest one-day hundred at Lord’s, and she was immediately rewarded with an honours board at the ground. But the true value of that innings – and indeed of both England and India’s immaculate conduct – will be measured when discussions are held as to whether to hold another women’s match there. Taylor couldn’t have done more to help the cause and hopefully the women will be back before long.Worst: Wide, wider, widest
From the sublime to the ridiculed… England took fewer than 16 months to lose the Ashes they’d taken 16 years to regain – and poor Steve Harmison’s first ball in the first Test at Brisbane set the tone. wide was so wide it flew to Andrew Flintoff at second slip and at that point the England captain must have thought the urn could easily slip from their grasp. So it proved, with an out-of-sorts Harmison typifying England’s woes. They did play well in parts, but not the vital ones, and Ponting had the Ashes all wrapped up for Christmas.

Sidharth Monga

Best: Uttar Pradesh find their Gary Pratt
Ali Hamid Zaidi had had nothing to do with Uttar Pradesh’s Ranji campaign till the final, where he fielded as a substitute. The whole innings went without him having to do anything significant. Until Bengal were nine down and needed 15 runs to gain the first innings lead that would, in all probability, decide the Ranji Trophy final. For three days and a bit, the game had meandered towards this climax. The lack of action and pace could have been a good excuse for missing the defining moment when it came your way. Not for Zaidi.Top-scorer Lakshmi Ratan Shukla swept Piyush Chawla, all fielders, except the slip, were at the boundary. The ball took the top-edge and flew towards square-leg. Zaidi ran in 15 yards from the boundary, knowing if he missed it could go for four (more than one-fourths of the required runs), dived and did not let the ball touch the ground. Nothing else mattered then; the whole team mobbed him. There was another innings to be played, but that could be negotiated with reasonable batting. The Ranji Trophy was won.Zaidi later said he hadn’t the time to think about the four runs he could have given away in going for the catch. This was the closest they had ever come to the title, and a miss could have cost them the Ranji Trophy. And he didn’t have time to think such thoughts. Ah, for such absence of cobwebs.Worst: I swear
Walking off after being bowled by Monty Panesar at the WACA, Justin Langer’s attention was attracted by somebody from the crowd. To his credit Langer didn’t say anything, didn’t scream, but his look said it all. A disrespectful word from who could be a loser but thinks he is a hero, hiding in the crowd, is the last thing you would want to hear when you are walking back.The year saw worse. After the South Africans last year, the Australian crowds reportedly racially abused the Sri Lankan players in this year’s VB series. And Australia is not the only place where spectators abuse players. And the abuse is not limited to only the opposition players, as Langer’s case showed. Aakash Chopra, playing a Duleep Trophy game, got his share of abuse from the crowd just because he was the most known face on the field.The ICC have done their bit to try and stop players swearing at each other, but a player would rather deal with a man-to-man swearathon than a faceless drunk, whose kids, ironically, perhaps look upto the abused party.

Charlie Austin

Best: Mahela’s rearguard

A series-draw in England turned Sri Lanka’s bad year into a new beginning under the leadership of Mahela Jayawardene © AFP

During the first seven sessions of the first Test at Lord’s Sri Lanka were abject. Even diehard Sri Lanka fans agreed with Geoff Boycott: “My granny could provide better practice for the Pakistan series.” But during the next eight sessions the team salvaged their pride with one of the greatest rearguard’s in the game’s long history: Sri Lanka’s very own Dunkirk. At the centre was Mahela Jayawardene, a captain under the microscope and extreme pressure. His splendid 119, an innings of beautiful touch and unbending determination was the innings that turned a bad year into a landmark tour and a new beginning.Worst: A blot on the spirit

Call me old fashioned if you must, but I cherish cricket’s long-held commitment to sportsmanship. The “Spirit of the Game” is a woolly concept, but it enshrines values of great importance. Brendon McCullum’s run out of Murali during the first Test in Christchurch may have been lawfully correct, but it was wholly at odds with the spirit of the game.Kumar Sangakkara had just completed a magnificent century and Murali was overeager to congratulate him. Yes, he was foolish in the extreme to leave his crease before the ball was in McCullum’s gloves, but he was not attempting a run in the context his excitement in his close friend’s achievement was understandable. In the Champions Trophy, just a few weeks before, Sangakkara could have run out Nathan Astle, who was patting down the pitch, but he choose instead to give him a gentle warning.Even if McCullum’s natural instinct as a wicketkeeper was to break the stumps, Stephen Fleming, an international captain of high regard who has a responsibility to protect cricket’s ethics, could have called Murali back. It was an opportunity to do the right thing; to set an example for thousands of young cricketers around the world. Sadly, instead, the match was soured and cricket was hurt.

Jamie Alter

Best: Monty!

Monty Panesar: Comical spinner to bona fide match-winner © Getty Images

The sight of a turbaned, Asian spin bowler bringing English crowds to their feet, waving flags, chanting his name, cheering his every move, was especially endearing. Monty Panesar, the first Sikh to play for England, shot up from comical spinner to cult hero to bona fide matchwinner – heck, he’s even had football players copying his enthusiastic, unabashed wicket-taking histrionics – and will prove an inspiration to many others like him. For an Asian to establish himself in England, where British Asians feel misrepresented, was something very, very special. England’s cricket make-up, seen for decades as institutionally racist, has hopefully woken up to an opportunity.Worst: Dope, undope

The lifting of the bans on Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif, they had tested positive for banned steroid nandrolone. How a three-member panel was allowed to decide the verdict for a matter as serious as doping, and for a national federation such as the Pakistan board, to tell an international federation what rules it is going to apply for the controversial case, was shocking and unacceptable. The PCB-appointed tribunal acquitted Akhtar and Asif with the reasoning that they had not been warned about dietary supplements blamed for their positive tests. The bottom line is that they tested . Enough said, case closed. International athletes must be aware of the risks involved and a lack of knowledge was no excuse.

Andrew Miller

Best: The M&H show

It looked like a vision of a glorious future when Steve Harmison and Monty Panesar combined their mercurial talents to deliver a remarkable innings-and-120-run victory against Pakistan at Old Trafford. England’s odd couple thrived on a trampoline pitch to share 19 wickets between them – 50 years to the week since Jim Laker had managed that number all by himself, on the same ground. Teasing tweakers and menacing lift. It had a nation in raptures, in anticipation of similar conditions Down Under. Oh well …

launches a scathing attack on England’s dismal one-day form © The Mirror

Worst: Nightmare in pyjamas

Where do we start with this one? That dismal 5-1 drubbing against India? That dismal 5-0 drubbing against Sri Lanka? That dismal and hollow victory over a hopeless Irish team at Stormont? That dismal capitulation against Australia at Jaipur. Dismal, dismal, dismal. England couldn’t give a toss about one-day cricket this year. The Ashes (past and present) was all that mattered. Which is rather ironic, seeing as the disciplines and momentum that Australia carried over from their Champions Trophy triumph were precisely what seized that decisive final day at Adelaide.

Kanishkaa Balachandran

Rahul Dravid gave the cricket world a batting lesson at Sabina Park © AFP

Best: The Wall stands

Rahul Dravid’s twin half centuries on a minefield of a pitch in Jamaica highlighted the gulf between the good and the great. Dravid’s impeccable technique and unfazed concentration combined to guide India to its Holy Grail – a Test series victory abroad against a credible opposition, which took 20 years of waiting. The innings was a throwback to an earlier era, as Dravid gritted it out on a two-paced pitch, cutting down on flamboyance and playing the ball on its merit. The fact that he faced more number of deliveries in his first-innings 81 than the West Indians did in their first-innings capitulation was an indication that it was one man against the rest.Worst: Mumbai mania

India’s hapless surrender for 100 in the final day of the final Test against England at Mumbai would rank high among the Test cricket’s meek capitulations. The injury-hit Johnny-Cash inspired England side led by Andrew Flintoff were treated like royalty, as the Indians gifted away wickets at a frenetic pace, courtesy some diabolical shot selection. Relative unknowns and newcomers in international cricket had their moments under the sun, as did a certain Monty Panesar, who was given a second chance in the deep after dropping a sitter just two balls before. India renounced their stranglehold in the series, settling for a 1-1 draw after 49 overs of madness. Gracious hosts? Well done India…

Jayaditya Gupta

‘Remember us?’ – Zaheer Khan and Sourav Ganguly were back at their best © AFP

Best: Roaring back in style
This was the year of the fightback. It happened with players – Zaheer
Khan, Sourav Ganguly, Chamara Silva (whose match-winning century and
half-century in Wellington came after a pair in Christchurch) – who defied the odds,
conventional wisdom and the crushing weight of expectation to record personal landmarks. It happened with teams in a match situation; most famously, South Africa, who chased down Australia’s 434 at the Wanderers; Australia themselves, who fashioned a victory out of sheer self-belief at Adelaide; Pakistan, recovering from Irfan Pathan’s first-over hat-trick at Karachi. And in the context of a tradition: Australia again, for so emphatically winning back the Ashes.The Worst: India’s leviathan board

The BCCI, like Topsy, just grow’d. And grow’d. And somewhere along the
way the pounds, dollars, rupees and whatever other currency they were
raking in, stopped making sense. Full credit to all those manning the
bean counters but the list of things left undone is far too long:
Rotting stadiums, a shoddily-run domestic structure, an overpowering
stench of ad-hocism…and, above all, the belief that big bucks alone
can change everything. It’s a monopolist leviathan thriving in a free-market
economy. Not much room for cricket there.

Dan Brigham

THAT shot again – Pietersen reverse-sweeps Muralitharan for a six © Getty Images

Best: KP goes gonzo

The crowd’s gasp was as loud as it was revealing. Pietersen had just fallen
after a breathtaking 142, and the crowd knew that some of the greatest, most
creative hitting ever seen in a Test arena was at an end. Once regarded with
suspicion by the English for his South African-ness and his love of
celebrity, this magical innings famous for the left-handed sweep for six
over point off Muralitharan changed all that.Worst: Flights of madness

England’s preparations for retaining the Ashes were bad enough. Then someone
took the ridiculous decision to fly the team home from India following their
inept Champions Trophy showing rather than heading straight to Australia to
prepare for the Ashes. There was everyone thinking this was the most
important series since, well, Ashes 2005, and yet England were flying
half-way around the world to spend a couple days at home before again flying
half-way around the world. Was it vindicated? Was it hell?

Neil Manthorp

‘That will cost you five bucks…sorry…runs gentlemen’ – Darrell Hair at The Oval © Getty Images

Best: Mick takes the mickey
Mick Lewis (10-0-113-0): “It’s not like I bowled a heap of pies. I actually
bowled quite well. It was just one of those freaky games.
I wouldn’t have
bowled 10 overs if I was bowling a heap of crap. I’m not a selector, but
they’re in the job for a reason, they’re smart and I’m sure they don’t just
look at one game and say ‘He’s not up to it’.” The game needs its comedians
and delusionists.Worst: Hair’s Ovalgate

The moment Darrell Hair’s superiority complex and ‘sense of theatre’
over-ruled common sense and persuaded him to signal five penalty runs
against Pakistan at the Oval. If only he had considered the consequences –
or, at the very least, caught Inzamam with a pen knife and a bottle top in
his pocket.

Andrew McGlashan

Best: Shaggy! You beauty
Every dog has its day and for Shaun ‘Shaggy’ Udal it couldn’t have come much sweeter than the third Test against India at Mumbai. It was his last chance to make a mark in international cricket after being overlooked for the first two Tests following a poor tour of Pakistan. Shortly after lunch on the final day, Sachin Tendulkar propped forward and an inside edge popped to short leg and an hour later he’d help to wrap up a famous England victory. One to tell the grand kids about.Worst: Harmy the scatter-gun
There has been plenty to bemoan about England’s one-day cricket over the last 12 months, but Harmison’s scatter-gun spells are up there with the worst moments – and they have infected his Test form. His mauling at the hands of Sanath Jayasuriya and Upul Tharanga at Headingley was the most damaging to his figures (0 for 97), but for his mental state his performance against Australia at the Champions Trophy had longer side-effects. It is time for him to leave the white ball behind.

Osman Samiuddin

Mohammad Asif goes one step above cricket’s pop idol © Getty Images

Best: Asif the snake

There existed few reasons for cheer during the summer tour to England. Through the series their batsmen battered Pakistan’s bowlers. Kevin Pietersen wasn’t the most successful but he went about it with a more brutal relish than any. He is, as Australia found out, a batsman designed to dominate. But where McGrath and Warne failed, Mohammad Asif prospered. In four matches after his belated return, Asif tormented Pietersen. Twice, he fell first ball and every other time cricket’s pop idol was taunted, teased, set up and chicken-danced at before being sent back. Nobody has done it to him before or since. It was but an isolated symbol of resistance for Pakistan’s bowling, but what a symbol.Worst: Pakistan’s Jonty? You wish

Even by Pakistan’s standards, this was a particularly shambolic fielding year. And slap, bang in the middle of it was Imran Farhat, the man Jonty Rhodes had tipped as the best catcher during a futile two-week stint as fielding consultant. The first thing Farhat did after Rhodes’s tips was to drop three catches during the Lord’s Test. The last thing he did before it was to drop chances in Sri Lanka. At slip, at point, at crucial stages, at irrelevant junctures, anywhere, anytime, Farhat spent the year shelling chance after chance, easy or difficult. At one point, it seemed he had dropped more catches than he had scored runs and if there was a record kept of these things, Pakistan would have had another record-breaker in their ranks. Jonty what were you thinking?

Edward Craig

That just a dream – Jubilation at the Wanderers © Getty Images

Best: Wanderers’ wonder

South Africa and Australia’s record-breaking ODI
at Johannesburg. It was gruesome, dirty, unfair cricket but completely absorbing. This was not the greatest game ever, not even close, but it was as exciting a spectacle as the sport can produce – the noise of the crowd, the buzz in the press box, the look of shock on people’s faces as they left the ground. And the world champions lost. Brilliant.Worst: Good tournament, wrong name

The Champions Trophy – not because it was a superfluous tournament, an ICC cash cow clogging up the international fixture list – but because it wasn’t the World Cup. This is the format and time-scale the World Cup should be played over. I’d even argue that these are the type of wickets the World Cup should be played on. Low-scoring ODIs are, on balance, more exciting than run-fests – a Johannesburg-type match every game (which is what the ICC want) would be very dull.

John Stern

Andrew Flintoff: inspired by Johnny Cash at Mumbai © Getty Images

Best : Freddie fires in the ring

We know now that this Flintoff-fuelled comeback victory was not a turning
point in England’s mixed post-Ashes fortunes but a joyous blip in a
miserable year. Inspired by their larger-than-life stand-in captain and his choice in
music (Johnny Cash’s Ring of Fire) England drew the three-match rubber by
bowling India out for 100 on the final day. It was a day to be remembered
for Monty holding a steepler to dismiss Dhoni two balls after he’d
completely missed a similar chance and for the never-to-be-repeated
scorecard entry: Tendulkar c Bell b Udal.Worst: Curioser and curioser

The departure of Marcus Trescothick from the England team (twice in eight
months) has been a desperately sad affair. Sad for him and his family, sad
for team-mates and supporters who harboured hopes of retaining the Ashes.
But also sad because it has shown the ECB in its worst obfuscatory light.Privacy is one thing but to stage-manage a TV interview in which
Trescothick claimed he had a virus was an insult to people’s intelligence.
To think that a month off to miss the Champions Trophy would see him right
for the biggest tour of his career when he had been having treatment for
his “stress-related illness” for most of the year was naïve not to say
unprofessional.

George Binoy

Sreesanth does his thing © Getty Images

Best: Pump up the volume

It’s the second innings of the Johannesburg Test between South Africa and India. Andre Nel steams in to bowl his first ball at Sreesanth. He lets loose a bouncer and spouts his usual dose of verbal diarrhoea at Sreesanth who had hurried out of the way. We didn’t have a clue to the scenes that would follow for Sreesanth’s body language indicated nothing. Nel runs in to bowl his second ball. This time it isn’t a bouncer, Sreesanth backs away again but flat-bats an astonishing six over long-off, an ungainly slog. His riposte doesn’t end there for as he reaches the bowler’s end he does something that is best viewed and not described. I hope more batsmen give as good as they get from Nel.Worst: Robbed at Fatullah

Not many will remember that 2006 was also the year that Bangladesh nearly derailed the Australian juggernaut. And it wasn’t just a sliver of a chance. Bangladesh piled up 427 in the first innings and then secured a lead of 158. At one stage during the run-chase, Australia needed 76 with four wickets in hand. They were close to suffering the most humiliating defeat in history. And that prospect of seeing Goliath felled by David’s little brother was mouth-watering. For who doesn’t love supporting the underdog? Beating Australia in a one-day at Cardiff was surreal enough, but a Test win would have been … But Ricky Ponting played spoilsport to millions of hopefuls like myself and scored a matchwinning hundred under circumstances where the humiliation of defeat weighed more heavily than the task at hand. Glorious uncertainty of sport? Bah humbug.

Will Luke talks to the West Indian fast bowler, Daren Powell

Will Luke in Dublin12-Jul-2007

Daren Powell: putting a spring back into West Indies’ step © Getty Images
Watching West Indies celebrate their win over England in the one-day series was special, and marked a remarkable transformation in fortunes for such a brittle side. And for Daren Powell, their fast bowler who suffered during the preceding Tests, the win was a relief as much as anything else. For once, his team could walk tall on this tour.”It was a big relief because we’d been losing, and we didn’t want to be going home with our heads down,” Powell told Cricinfo after West Indies’ thumping win over Netherlands in Dublin on Monday, “For the past year or so, I’ve been saying that I really want to come home from a series with my head up, smiling – and it’s so good that we beat England, you know, it was a real good one.”When we travelled down on the bus to London, I spent some time looking at everyone on the bus…and it was just completely changed, a different bunch of players. Happy, joking, laughing and having a nice time. It’s good to see everyone smiling, happy about what we did, and how we felt.”For a team whose decline in the past 10 years has been as stark as it has been depressing, the victory was a timely fillip, especially as they now have to pit their wits against some of the lesser teams of the world. The squad has decamped to Ireland for a Quadrangular tournament that also involves Netherlands and Scotland, and the onus is on them to maintain the same intensity they showed against England.”It’s pretty hard when you’re playing a team that’s less competitive,” said Powell. “But we haven’t been winning much cricket, and then had a really good series in the one-dayers against England. And after those one-dayers, we just forget everything that happened in the [preceding] Tests.”It just showed that it’s good to win,” he said. “And whatever happens here, we just have to remember how good it is to win. Winning gives you confidence, and then you know how to carry on in other games, when you reach tougher opposition. [In the past] West Indies haven’t pulled off the victory when we should.”Why has it been a tour of two halves, though? West Indies were so dismal during the Test series that few gave them much hope of even challenging England in the one-dayers. Yet they lifted themselves to a new, thrilling level – and, crucially for them, they were clearly enjoying it all so much. Powell, too, was a man reborn, consistently bowling in excess of 90mph and showing excellent control, picking up six wickets at 21.83. Could it have had anything to do with the identity of his captain, Chris Gayle?

Chris Gayle: ‘The whole team has changed since the day he took over’ © Getty Images
“Chris really is tremendous you know,” Powell, a good friend of Gayle’s, said. “Maybe people will take this the wrong way, because we’re from the same country [Jamaica], but really, I’ve played under so many other captains in the past. He doesn’t say much, but he knows how to gel the team together – to spark off your plugs and stuff – and it’s very pleasing to see someone like him generating this team spirit.”He’s a funny guy – always jovial around the team, not like what you see on TV when he probably has a serious face. He’s a jovial kind of guy and often in team meetings, he’ll just say ‘believe in yourself’. He just has a way with people. To me, the whole team has changed since the day he took over.”That’s quite some statement. Who, honestly, would have thought Gayle – as laid back as a flattened deckchair – could inspire so much from his troops? Gayle himself has been very quick to maintain that he’s keeping the seat warm for Ramnaresh Sarwan, who left their tour of England through injury. But inspiration, fortune and success can manifest themselves from the most unlikely of sources and people.Gayle to captain the Test side, then? A broad smile and a revealingly guffawing laugh from Powell suggests he’s already given it some thought. But why the laugh? “Well, because of the name Sarwan! [cue even more laughter].”Sarwan is also good, but it’s up to what the selectors want to do now,” said Powell. “To me, if they want to have different captains for the one-day side and the Test side, that would be nice. And if they pick Sarwan again, that too would be tremendous, you know, as long as the guys can keep up the same momentum as with Chris.”And the impression you get from Powell – a character almost as hynotically relaxed as Gayle – is that West Indies are in no mood to let up the pressure on Ireland, Scotland – or anyone else. Maybe Gayle is the man for the job, after all.

Deepti Sharma is the only player not belonging to the two finalists to make the cut

Vishal Dikshit18-Mar-20241 Shafali Verma (Delhi Capitals)
For the second season in a row, Shafali, not surprisingly, finished with the most sixes (20) in the WPL, double that of the second-best. While she continued to target the boundaries to provide Delhi Capitals rapid starts, this season saw a much more consistent Shafali who also took more responsibility towards building a solid opening stand with Meg Lanning. She also finished WPL 2024 with the best batting strike rate (minimum 75 balls faced) and shone in the final too with a 27-ball 44.2 Smriti Mandhana (capt, Royal Challengers Bangalore)
The title-winning captain doubled her run-tally compared to her forgettable WPL 2023 and looked more assured and free in her strokeplay. Her runs at the top meant a lot more to RCB because she didn’t find a stable opening partner in the tournament. She also impressed with her astute captaincy, field settings and use of resources to be named captain of this XI. In the modest chase in the final, she steered her team almost all the way.Related

• Anatomy of champions: How RCB went from 0-5 to WPL winners in a year

• Perry and spinners steer RCB to WPL title

• Mandhana shuns the spotlight as 'Queens 2024' party at the Kotla

• Smart Stats – Deepti Sharma bags impact honours in WPL 2024

3 Meg Lanning (Delhi Capitals)
As imposing and imperious as she has ever been, Lanning was the solid batter at one end with a regular flow of fours while Shafali targeted the sixes. After taking home the orange cap last season, she finished second on the list this time, just behind Ellyse Perry, with another prolific and consistent season. She was as good as ever at finding the gaps on her way to striking more fours than anyone and struck four fifties, also the most, but couldn’t see her side out of a collapse in the final which left her in tears at the end.4 Jemimah Rodrigues (Delhi Capitals)
Barring the two-ball duck in the final, this WPL season saw a different avatar of Rodrigues whose free-flowing strokes were more powerful, more aerial, and more frequent. Otherwise not known for her six-hitting abilities, Rodrigues impressed with her consistency and along-the-ground strokes, especially in the Delhi leg where the lack of bounce suited her natural game. As compared to zero sixes off her bat in WPL 2023, this time she hit eight sixes and played a pivotal role at No. 3 by shooting up her strike rate from 128.57 to 153.59 in the two WPL seasons.ESPNcricinfo Ltd5 Ellyse Perry (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
The Australian hand in winning the trophy, who first confirmed RCB’s knockout berth with a career-best 6 for 15, then lifted them from the pits of 49 for 4 in the eliminator and stayed not out on 35 when Richa Ghosh hit the winning runs on Sunday night. Her four unbeaten knocks gave her a staggering average of 69.40 in the tournament along with the orange cap.6 Richa Ghosh (wk, Royal Challengers Bangalore)
After starting the tournament with a bang – 62 off 37 against UP Warriorz – Ghosh was putting in blitzy performances in the middle order. Then came her stunning 51 off 29 in a high-pressure chase against Capitals to nearly snatch victory. That she led the team almost single-handedly against a top bowling attack in the second half of that chase spoke volumes of her ability to handle pressure-cooker situations. The Indian team management will hope this has prepared the 20-year-old for the big games in the forthcoming World Cups.7 Marizanne Kapp (Delhi Capitals)
A gun new-ball bowler. Powerplay specialist. Swing and seam movement. Dot-ball pressure. Name the skill and she had it this season, impressing at 34 despite battling recent illnesses and injuries. Coming on the back of solid all-round performances in Australia before the WPL, Kapp thrived in different conditions in both Bengaluru and Delhi. She was the main force Capitals used early on to break through before others rallied around her. She was the purple-cap holder until the final, the only game in which she went wicketless.She also set up a victory against RCB by smacking a 16-ball 32 to help Capitals post an imposing 194 before dismissing Mandhana and Ghosh in the chase.Jemimah Rodrigues and Shreyanka Patil were crucial cogs in their teams’ runs to the final•BCCI8 Deepti Sharma (UP Warriorz)
One of the top India allrounders, Deepti showed a new facet to her T20 batting with a high-octane 88 off 60 against Gujarat Giants, her third fifty in a row, which nearly saw Warriorz mow down 67 in the last three overs. She struck four sixes in that innings alone after not managing even one in the last WPL.She was promoted to Nos. 3 and 4 towards the end of the league and did the heavy lifting when some of the other international players didn’t score as much.With the ball, she got breakthroughs in almost all games, highlighted by her match-turning hat-trick against Capitals and frugal figures of 2 for 22 in their last game. She was hence named the MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the tournament.9 Shreyanka Patil (Royal Challengers Bangalore
Picked the most wickets, did the victory on Sunday night, held the glittery purple-cap trophy and lifted the WPL trophy – all with a hairline fracture on her left hand, which earned her praise from captain Mandhana and many others. After a lean Bengaluru leg, her campaign burst to life in Delhi when she bagged 4 for 26 – all big international wickets – against Capitals before stifling the Mumbai Indians openers and dismissing Harmanpreet Kaur late in the eliminator to turn the match on its head. In the final, she pounced on Capitals again after Sophie Molineux’s triple-wicket over, starting with the wicket of Lanning, who fell to Patil twice in three games.10 Shikha Pandey (Delhi Capitals)
The oldest bowler in the Capitals set-up also bowled the most overs for them because of her experience and regularity of picking wickets. If Kapp did it with the new ball, Pandey shone in the death overs, being the only quick bowler among the top wicket-takers in that phase. Her accuracy stifled the opposition and even though she didn’t pick more than two wickets in any game, she struck in all games but one and finished with nine scalps, only behind Kapp and Nat Sciver-Brunt among the fast bowlers.11 Asha Sobhana (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
A woman who wears her heart on her sleeve, Sobhana was among the brightest uncapped stars this WPL along with Tanuja Kanwar, who narrowly missed out in this XI.Sobhana bagged the first five-for of this season – in their opening game – and bowled some ripping legbreaks for an attack that had eight bowling options in the final. She was the most economical spinner for champions RCB and bowled the high-pressure last over ahead of Sophie Devine and Renuka Singh when Mumbai needed 12 runs to win the eliminator. She conceded only six in that over and made a name with her fearless flight and change of pace that also fetched her the wickets of Kapp and Jess Jonaseen in the space of three balls in the final.

da heads bet： Southampton could lose an “exciting young talent” in January, with one Premier League club showing an interest.

Who left Southampton this summer?

da betcris： The Saints and new manager Russell Martin lost a number of players in the summer, bringing in just under £160m through sales.

Big money was brought in for Romeo Lavia, Tino Livramento, James Ward-Prowse and Nathan Tella, with Mohammed Salisu, Moussa Djenepo and Mislav Orsic also bringing in fees.

The club are currently going through an extremely tricky period back in the Championship following a relatively solid opening few weeks. Three wins from the opening four games gave plenty of belief around St Mary’s, however, the Saints have now lost their last four, leaving them in 15th place.

One player who began the campaign as a regular was Carlos Alcaraz, starting three of the first four, but he has been limited to appearances from the bench in recent weeks and was an unused substitute last time out against Middlesbrough on Saturday.

Reports in recent days have suggested that Newcastle United made an enquiry for the Argentine in the summer and are keeping tabs on his situation ahead of the January window.

BBC pundit Carlton Palmer, talking to Football League World, addressed the rumours regarding Alcaraz and Newcastle, suggesting he could leave Southampton in the New Year.

"Newcastle United have made an enquiry about Southampton midfielder Carlos Alcaraz in the summer transfer window and have continued to keep tabs on the player.

"(Eddie) Howe is keen to add to his squad in the January transfer window as they're in four competitions and there's a lot of games ahead of them.

"Alcaraz could leave Southampton in the January transfer window – certainly in the summer – if Southampton are not promoted and he's not getting game time.

"Alcaraz scored four goals in 18 Premier League games last season after his £12m move from Racing Club, he's certainly an exciting young talent and he's got a lot of praise from former-managers, one being Harry Redknapp – who knows a player or two – who said 'he's got a really bright future ahead of him'".

How good is Southampton’s Carlos Alcaraz?

Alcaraz, a central midfielder who can also play out wide if needed, appears to be a player who could make a big impact in the Championship. Over the past 12 months, as per FBref, Alcaraz has ranked in the top 1% for midfielders when it comes to shot-creating actions, xG, total shot and successful take-ons.

He’s also ranked highly for key passes, passes into the area and progressive passes, showing how he can make an impact on the ball, with plenty of the data recorded during last season's Premier League campaign.

Therefore, statistically, it isn’t a surprise that a team like Newcastle appear to see plenty of potential in the 20-year-old, so a move to St James’ Park from St Mary’s could be one to keep an eye on over the coming months, and it'll be interesting to see if he soon returns to Martin's starting XI.

da bet7k： West Ham United manager David Moyes is personally "determined" to keep one player at the club and talks are "now underway" over an extension.

Freiburg vs West Ham

da betway： It's been a promising start to the new season overall for Moyes' Irons side, who have won four out of their opening seven Premier League games and currently sit seventh in the table. Their two losses have come at the hands of possible title contenders Man City and Liverpool, with West Ham tasting victory over big-spenders Chelsea, newly-promoted Luton Town, in-form Brighton and struggling Sheffield United.

Winger Jarrod Bowen and midfielder Tomas Soucek grabbed the goals in a 2-0 win against the Blades last weekend, and Moyes' men are now gearing up for their second Europa League group game against SC Freiburg tonight in Germany. The Bundesliga side, like West Ham, have started the new campaign very brightly; winning three out of a possible six league matches and sitting eighth in their division.

Moyes, speaking to the press before tonight's encounter, has admitted it will be a tough test: "We’re playing against a really good team who have had excellent success in the Bundesliga in the last couple of years and have also done really well in Europe too," said the Scotsman.

"They have a manager who has been in place for a long time and that stability goes a long way. They’ve certainly shown that at this club, they may not be the biggest household name in Germany but they’ve certainly grown as a football club and got themselves in a really good position."

Latest West Ham news

Off the field, sporting director Mark Noble and club chief Tim Steidten are said to be eyeing up a new striker in January, leading to links with the likes of PSG's Hugo Ekitike and Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy. At Rush Green, new contracts are reportedly in the offing for a few West Ham stars – such as Vladimir Coufal, Tomas Soucek and Pablo Fornals.

Bowen, who has been a revelation this campaign, could also be rewarded fresh terms with talks "now underway" over a new contract. That is according to journalist Pete O'Rourke, who writes for Football Insider that Moyes is "particularly determined" to keep him at the club and avoid another Declan Rice situation.

West Ham are just as keen to tie Bowen down, so much so that they're prepared to make him one of the club's highest earners.

West Ham summer signings

Fee

James Ward-Prowse

£30m

Edson Alvarez

£35.4m

Konstantinos Mavropanos

£20m

Mohammed Kudus

£38m

How good is Jarrod Bowen?

The former Hull City star has already bagged five goals and an assist over West Ham's opening seven league matches this season, highlighting his real quality. Sky pundit Paul Merson, speaking to Sportskeeda recently, also lavished him with praise.

"In fine form," wrote Merson. "I'm a big fan of him and he has shown over the past 12 months that he can step up to the plate in big games, while he works his socks off for his team and is an absolute manager's dream. The only issue for Bowen is that England have too many players in his position, so he might find it hard to break into the side ahead of Euro 2024."

da pinup bet： Arsenal and sporting director Edu Gaspar by extension have been "in contact" to sign one midfielder who's been dubbed "the same" as Barcelona legend Xavi.

Arsenal transfer links – Neto, Toney

da cassino： The Gunners have started this season very brightly, sitting joint-top of the Premier League table and remaining unbeaten over their opening eight matches. Arsenal were forced to work hard, though, with a lot of their six wins coming by narrow one-goal margins. Gabriel Martinelli's deflected effort gifted Mikel Arteta a snatch and grab style victory at home to league champions Man City, just before the international break, and Arsenal's manager may want to see his side win more convincingly from here on in.

Perhaps a solution could lie in the January transfer market. It has been reported that the likes of Brentford star Ivan Toney, who scored 20 league goals last season, are being considered to bolster Arsenal's attacking options. Meanwhile, the likes of Wolves winger Pedro Neto and Kerem Akturkoglu are also said to be targets further forward, with pundit Kevin Campbell recently telling Curtis Shaw TV that both Toney and Neto would be excellent additions to the squad.

"Two players that we know can come in and hit the ground running are Toney and Neto. £60 million. You take Toney all day long. £80 million. If someone says pay that and you win the title, then you pay it, don’t you," said Campbell.

“You get Neto as well. You solve the problem of the [Bukayo] Saka dilemma. And [Gabriel] Martinelli because Neto can play on that side as well. But Toney is the key. He offers that big and strong striker, who can cause Man City problems. We have seen him cause Liverpool problems.”

Arsenal transfer update – Arthur Vermeeren

Now, it is believed that young Royal Antwerp sensation Arthur Vermeeren is of serious interest to Arsenal as well. The 18-year-old, who was recently given the nod by Domenico Tedesco for Belgum's national team squad, is a target for the both Bayern Munich and Barcelona abroad. Arsenal, though, are attempting to move ahead of the charge – and have been "in contact" with Antwerp over a potential move.

Vermeeren, though, is wanted by some league rivals as well as Arsenal. This is according to 90min, who say that the Antwerp "revelation" is now a man in demand and turning many heads. Most interestingly, Vermeeren has drawn lofty comparisons to Barcelona legends Xavi and Andres Iniesta. Footballing icon turned Antwerp sporting director Marc Overmars made the claim in an interview with SER (via Mundo Deportivo).

"I have no doubt that he has a fantastic level," said Overmars. "The first time I saw him he reminded me of Xavi and Iniesta, a footballer of the same profile."

The teenage talent has also been approached by Man City, according to this report by 90min, so it's clear that Vermeeren is a player of vast, vast potential.

da fazobetai： Newcastle United strolled to their sixth win in the last eight games with a 4-0 victory over Crystal Palace this afternoon, as Eddie Howe is finally building up some momentum ahead of a hectic few weeks.

da casino： The Magpies' last two matches before the international break saw them draw with West Ham United in the Premier League just a few days after they secured a stunning 4-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain and the mood around St James Park is buoyant.

A home tie against Palace was seen as a perfect opportunity for Howe’s men to secure another three points in the league and boost them further up the table.

It turned out to be a rather comfortable afternoon for the club, and they now await the challenge of Borussia Dortmund, who travel to Newcastle for a Champions League clash in midweek.

How did Anthony Gordon play against Crystal Palace?

Howe set his side up in a 4-3-3 and his front three were all in excellent form, with Gordon enjoying himself on the left wing.

Indeed, the Englishman managed to get on the scoresheet in the first half while he also missed a big chance, hit the woodwork and had a total of two shots during his time on the pitch, clearly indicating that he may have scored more had he been more clinical.

The winger linked up well alongside Callum Wilson and Jacob Murphy, and it was perhaps the latter who had the biggest impact for Howe’s side as he was in sensational form against Palace this afternoon.

How good was Jacob Murphy vs Crystal Palace?

Playing on the opposite flank to Gordon, Murphy aimed to create plenty of opportunities for Wilson in a central role, having done so to great effect.

Described as a “thorn in Palace’s side” by journalist Ciaran Kelly for his performance, the winger was in the mood to showcase his talents and he didn’t let Howe down.

The winger ended the match with the best Sofascore rating on the pitch (9/10) and he gained this by excelling across a range of metrics.

Murphy not only scored the opening goal of the game, but he also showed his selfless side by grabbing two assists and this contribution will surely have pleased his manager.

He also created two big chances during the game along with making two key passes, and he was everywhere as the Magpies secured a thumping, routine win.

The winger did lose possession 19 times throughout the match, yet that shouldn’t worry Howe as his attacking qualities shone through in a game which had the potential to be a banana skin for the club.

Wilson eventually got his goal with just over 20 minutes remaining, and it was Murphy who set up him, with there no doubt this performance will solidify his place in the starting XI for the Dortmund clash in a few days.

Newcastle are beginning to put the poor start to their campaign behind them as they look to follow up last season's top-four finish with another Champions League berth and dare I say it, a first trophy in over 50 years.

da pinup bet： Liverpool's summer transfer window was not without its turbulence, but in hindsight, the mass midfield exodus and subsequent influx has reshaped and restored a side in decline.

da pinnacle： Last season, the Reds languished and looked pitiful in the face of some heavy adversity, and the fifth-placed Premier League finish was an apt reflection of a miserable campaign.

Jurgen Klopp even admitted that he could face the sack in April should the terrible form seep into the 2023/24 season, having just slumped to a 4-1 defeat against Manchester City; it would have been an ignominious end to an illustrious reign.

Out with the old, in with the new – or so it goes. The likes of Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Fabinho were shown the door and an exciting new clutch of midfield talent has thus far pumped vitality and quality into the squad to uphold Klopp's system.

The impressive start to the campaign hints at prosperity once again, with the last residual vestiges of enervation wiped away, but it could have been that last term's issues were avoided entirely had transfer business in 2022 not been so myopic.

Arthur Melo was the sole midfield signing – a panic buy, on loan, late into the window – despite obvious signs of wear and tear, and the Brazilian flopped big time, playing just 13 minutes of action.

Klopp and co wanted the perfect addition, and after the pursuit of Aurelien Tchouameni ended fruitless, with the Frenchman joining Real Madrid in a €100m (£85m) transfer, an unadventurous end to the market set the Anfield side up for failure.

Liverpool transfer news – Aurelien Tchouameni

Last year, Liverpool were fighting fiercely to secure Tchouameni's services, with Fabrizio Romano even confirming that they were among the frontrunners for the touted talent.

Carlo Ancelotti's side, however, always looked to have the lead in the race and indeed triumphed, compounding Liverpool's upset after defeating them in the Champions League final.

Now, according to Mundo Deportivo, Anfield remain suitors for the 28-cap France international as Arsenal's budding interest grows, though any move would probably be unlikely in the immediate future.

Regardless, for all Liverpool's success in rebuilding the midfield recently, a specialist No. 6 is still required, with Wataru Endo not considered the long-term, first-choice solution – Tchouameni, it seems, would be the dream option.

The stats that show Tchouameni would be a good signing for Liverpool

Having joined the Santiago Bernabeu side for such an expensive fee, Tchouameni perhaps felt the weight of a move to arguably the world's most prestigious club and didn't quite reach his peak.

The £205k-per-week star made 50 appearances across all competitions and won the Copa del Rey, though was benched throughout the Champions League knockout stage and for both semi-final ties against Barcelona in the cup.

Clearly not quite entrusted with a central role in the biggest moments, Tchouameni has made the improvements to his craft this season and now appears indispensable.

Indeed, in La Liga this term – as per Sofascore – the holding midfielder has completed 93% of his passes, made 1.7 tackles and 3.6 ball recoveries per game and won an incredible 80% of his dribbles and 70% of his duels – Manchester City's Rodri, in comparison, has won 63% of his duels in the Premier League this season.

Aurelien Tchouameni: Similar Players

#

Player

Club

1

Frenkie de Jong

Barcelona

2

Federico Valverde

Real Madrid

3

Pedri

Barcelona

4

Joshua Kimmich

Bayern Munich

5

Nicolo Barella

Inter Milan

*Statistics sourced via Football Transfers

As per FBref, the 23-year-old ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 7% for passes attempted, the top 5% for interceptions, the top 7% for aerial wins, the top 10% for clearances and the top 18% for tackles per 90.

He's a superlative defensive force in the centre, considered "world-class" by Transfermarkt's Stefan Bienkowski, having now made 14 appearances this season for his high-flying outfit.

He has recently sustained a foot injury that will likely rule him out of action for the remainder of 2023, and whether Madrid can maintain their impressive form in his absence remains to be seen.

It feels like he's getting better with every performance on the pitch, and should Liverpool pull off a transfer that would possibly eclipse anything in recent years, Klopp's team would thrive at the forefront for years to come.

An acquisition could even surpass the impact of Dominik Szoboszlai, who has been positively incredible in the centre of the park since joining the Premier League side this summer.

How Aurelien Tchouameni compares to Szoboszlai

There may have been a few half-hearted claims of the tougher competition in the Premier League after Szoboszlai joined Liverpool from RB Leipzig in a £60m deal in July, but the innate technical ability surpasses Europe's majority.

Last season, the 36-cap Hungary captain had posted ten goals and 13 assists across all competitions for his German side as they claimed a second successive DFB Pokal trophy, with his exploits leading journalist Marcel Moeller to describe him as a "generational talent."

Prolific and potent, energetic and elegant, Szoboszlai has been at the heart of Liverpool's revival and he looks set to dominate at the centre of the Anfield pitch for years to come.

Having scored two goals and assists apiece from 13 matches, the 22-year-old is dazzling under Klopp's wing. He has completed 88% of his passes in the Premier League, averaging 2.5 key passes, 1.4 tackles and 7.6 ball recoveries per game, as per Sofascore.

For comparison, Tottenham Hotspur's James Maddison – arguably the "signing of the summer", according to TNT pundit Joe Cole – has completed 85% of his passes, creating 3.2 key passes per game but winning 1.4 tackles and 2.2 ball recoveries per outing.

Similar players, Szoboszlai is thriving as the engine in the middle, far more robust and energetic – for all Maddison's might, you would find few Liverpool supporters eager to trade.

It's rather staggering to think that if Merseysiders were to pull off the elusive deal for Tchouameni, Klopp might boast a midfield ace of greater quality than the Hungarian.

Tchouameni is, of course, a different kind of midfielder, and comparisons should not be drawn from the pairs' contrasting metrics, but the presence that the former Monaco man has on the pitch is profound.

His recent injury is a massive blow to Real Madrid's season, with Ancelotti's side undefeated when he has started, and if he was deployed as the Liverpool anchor the club would be propelled to new heights.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig once lauded the player as "out of this world", and a midfield pairing of Tchouameni and Szoboszlai really would have Liverpool soaring in the skies.

Klopp will fervently hope that one day an opportunity to sign the Los Blancos man presents itself, completing his flourishing crop.