A beautiful day, great atmosphere, raucous crowds and a match largely worthy of a final. A fan watches Pakistan’s players and fans take over Lord’s

Gautam Thakar22-Jun-2009Why I picked this match
I wanted to watch tradition versus the future at the Mecca of cricket. I was grudgingly sure Pakistan would win, as Sri Lanka were due to lose after six straight wins.Key performer
An outstanding big-game innings of 54 in 40 balls and a tight spell meant that Shahid Afridi was rightly the Man of the Match. However the unsung impact was by Abdul Razzaq, whose three key early wickets of Sanath Jaysuriya, Mahela Jayawardene and Jehan Mubarak left Sri Lanka reeling at 32 for4 and sealed the game.One thing I’d have changed about the match
I believe Kumar Sangakarra made a tactical error in not giving Lasith Malinga the 18th over with 26 still needed. A wicket or a tight over at that stage would have changed the game, whereas Isuru Udana gave away 19 runs and the game was all over.Face-off I relished
Afridi won the battle with Muttiah Muralitharan when he smashed a six and a four off the first two balls to pillage 14 runs off the 14th over and change the trajectory of the game.Shot of the day
A striking straight drive from Angelo Mathews off Saeed Ajmal rocketed to the boundary. It was as crisp a straight drive as any you’ll ever see, but more important coming from a No. 8 under pressure it inspired confidence that Sri Lanka could make a game of it. They scored 29 runs in the two overs after that.Crowd meter
The sea of green meant that it may well have been the Gaddafi Stadium, and not a packed Lord’s. Constant chanting of “”, “” and “Boom Boom Afridi” reverberated across the ground. Former Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin, his wife Sangeeta Bijlani, and news anchor Rajdeep Sardesai added some star power to my area of the stands.Entertainment
The PA system was pumping up the volume – the Rolling Stones seemed to be a favourite. This was coupled with “The Heat is On” and “”. The fireworks were no comparison to the IPL extravaganza, but thankfully the focus was on cricket and not long speeches by Lalit Modi equivalents.Pakistan’s fans spill out on to the streets•Getty ImagesBanner of the day
There were some wishing their dads a happy Father’s day. However, banners from Pakistanis on the streets of St John’s Wood asked what a billion Indians are asking – “Where are you now, India? Did you watch us win?” There was also a huge protest just outside Lord’s, with hundreds of people demanding the ICC ban Sri Lanka “for Tamil genocide”, adding a political aspect to the final.Marks out of 10

8. A beautiful day, great atmosphere, raucous crowds and, for the most part, the match was worthy of a final. However, if Sri Lanka had managed to get even 10-15 runs more it would have made it a real close game and a 10/10, irrespective of the outcome.OverallThe wild celebration on the streets with thousands of Pakistan fans chanting and creating a traffic jam reinforced the importance of this win for a country where the game has been devastated by security concerns. Hence this result was perhaps an apt outcome. Pakistan did after all beat the two best teams in the tournament – South Africa and Sri Lanka – to win the cup. And of course they are the only team to be finalists in the first two Twenty20 world cups.

West Indies now find themselves in another bilateral ODI series, seeking compensation for a thrashing in the two Tests, both lost by embarrassing margins

Tony Cozier22-May-2009When West Indies were last in England in 2007, they enjoyed the consolation of a 2-1 triumph in the three ODIs that followed their 3-0 defeat in the four Tests.Three years before that, the effect of England’s 4-0 clean sweep of the Tests was assuaged by an unlikely and wildly celebrated victory over England in the ICC Champions Trophy at the end of the season.West Indies now find themselves in a similar position for another bilateral ODI series, seeking compensation for a similar thrashing in the Tests, only two on this occasion, but both lost by embarrassing margins.The second World Twenty20 follows immediately, offering further opportunity to at least take something from a tour for which the players, more especially captain Chris Gayle, were obviously not mentally prepared.After the euphoria of the hard-fought victory in the preceding contest in the Caribbean that reclaimed the Wisden Trophy after nine years in England’s hands, the outcome of the belatedly-arranged, if lucrative, mini-series here has undermined growing confidence.Success now, even at a different level, will be a pick-me-up.The frigid, damp English weather that has darkened West Indies’ mood even further throughout the tour followed them from miserable Chester-le-Street to Leeds, denying them even a chance of kick-starting a revival in the first ODI at Headingley on Thursday.Not a ball was bowled after the kind of downpours overnight and in the morning well known to Trinidadians in rainy season.The downpours left the outfield, recently re-laid for just such an eventuality at a cost of 600,000 pounds six months ago, so sodden the match was abandoned after a 3 pm inspection by the umpires, even after the sky had cleared and bright sunshine bathed the ground.It was a disappointment to the players, as much as the few thousand who had braved the elements in the hope of at least some cricket.There were enthusiastic West Indians even keener than others to get going. Ravi Rampaul, Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo arrived on Monday specially for the ODIs and the Twenty20s. Darren Sammy had waited in the wings through the Tests, knowing his role is as short-game specialist.Bravo is back following the operation on his increasingly painful left ankle eight months ago. His all-round ability and his uninhibited fervour make him as essential to the team, whatever the format, as Gayle, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Fidel Edwards and Ramnaresh Sarwan. He has been sorely missed in nine Tests, 11 ODIs and a couple of Twenty20s.Why he was not in England for the two Tests but could be simultaneously doing his thing for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL in South Africa remains the kind of mystery now commonplace in West Indies cricket.Why Runako Morton is here is another. His long record of indiscipline stretches back to his expulsion from the now defunct academy eight years ago through myths about deceased grandmothers to his most recent episode of violence that led to his suspension by the Leewards for fighting with a team-mate last season.His days as an international cricketer were at an end in any case. To recall him now, as a late replacement for the injured Dale Richards, perpetuates the modern impression in West Indies cricket that discipline doesn’t matter.The remaining two ODIs are scheduled for Bristol on Sunday and Edgbaston on Monday in what forecasters promise will be sunny, warmer weather. That, and a couple of corresponding victories, would cheer everyone up.

Sometimes runs and wickets can come a little too easily. It has been the occasional passages of play that have pushed England which have had the most value

Andrew McGlashan at Chester-le-Street17-May-2009This series has been billed as key to England’s Ashes build-up, but the ease with which the home side demolished West Indies at Lord’s and cantered to a huge first-innings total here made it clear that this was far from the test that would be faced when the Australians arrive. Sometimes runs and wickets can come a little too easily. It has been the occasional passages of play that have pushed England which have had the most value.As pleasing as it is to see batsman after batsman edging to slip, or half-volley after half-volley being crashed to the boundary there won’t be many gift-wrapped offerings in a few weeks’ time. With that in mind the sterner resistance from West Indies on the third day at Chester-le-Street should be seen as a welcome challenge. Success should always feel more rewarding when it is worked for.”The wicket’s still good. To pick up 10 wickets is a great effort by the bowling and fielding unit,” said Stuart Broad, who played a key part with an aggressive spell towards Ramnaresh Sarwan. “There’s a lot of hard work to do with seven wickets left and how easy it is to score quite quickly. It’s still a pitch you need to stay patient on, but it’s certainly within our sights and we’ve got to be ruthless to take it.”It is true that in 2005 England began their summer with two of the most facile victories imaginable against Bangladesh – they almost won in two days on this ground – but the situation back then was very different. They were a winning unit that had done the hard yards over the previous eighteen months with an away win in West Indies, a string of home successes and, most notably, victory in South Africa. They didn’t need to be tested, they just needed fine-tuning.Andrew Strauss’s side are not in such a confident position after the most difficult of winters and precious little significant success since 2005. Victories are important for them to build form and confidence, but being handed them on a silver platter – however pleasing it feels in the immediate aftermath – won’t have huge benefits down the line.Strauss needs to know how Broad and James Anderson will respond when the pitch goes flat, how Graham Onions follows up from a dream debut and how Graeme Swann responds to different levels of pressure. Strauss, himself, also needs to be made to work, think about bowling changes and stretch his captaincy skills.

“Fidel ups it about seven or eight miles per hour when Jimmy comes in so I don’t think those two will send each other Christmas cards. It’s not nice to see one of your other bowlers getting bombed so it was nice to give a couple back.”Stuart Broad on the Anderson-Edwards rivalry

There aren’t many tougher batsmen to bowl at in world cricket than Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul or a free-flowing Chris Gayle. Double failures such as they suffered at Lord’s don’t come along very often and Australia’s middle order won’t provide any easy pickings, either. So the fact that England had to work for the key wickets was time well spent.Anderson tested them with swing, but it was the hostility of Broad that stood out. His dismissal of Chanderpaul showed mature thinking as he switched to around the wicket. However, the peppering he gave Sarwan was even more impressive. “With Chanderpaul round the wicket I found throughout the winter that I managed to tie him up a little,” Broad said. “When the ball’s not swinging it’s a plan to mix up a few things.”When Sarwan got into the 90s he was playing really well and it was quite hard to unsettle him, so Straussy and I had a chat and he said play a bit of bouncer warfare with him. We thought he might want to get his hundred quickly and play a few shots. He got his hundred, but luckily enough the ball just kissed off and bounced a little more.”Sarwan was full of praise for how the England attack used home advantage. “They have worked well in terms of a unit,” he said. “The attack seems well balanced at the moment. Jimmy Anderson especially bowled in really good areas and always seemed like he would get a wicket. He was outstanding, not only here but in the Caribbean as well.”The strength and depth of England’s pace unit will be a vital part of the Ashes contest. The odds of them remaining injury-free as they did for four of the 2005 Tests is slim, but suddenly there are some options emerging. Andrew Flintoff’s fitness, as always, will be monitored in minute detail, but Ryan Sidebottom is determined to show he isn’t a busted flush and now there’s Onions as well.”As a bowling unit we are delighted with our day’s work,” Broad said. “We’ve bowled in partnerships together and shared the wickets out. Jimmy’s five-for was fantastic but I thought the boys supported him really.”When Edwards walked in with the second new ball primed, Broad and Anderson teamed up against the West Indies quick to give him a taste of his own medicine with Broad clanging one straight on Edwards’ grille. The fielders backed them up with plenty of chirping after yesterday’s latest instalment of the Anderson verses Edwards show. It was a little reminiscent of how England formed a pack mentality four years ago, which was started by Matthew Hayden’s confrontation with Simon Jones at Edgbaston.”Fidel ups it about seven or eight miles per hour when Jimmy comes in so I don’t think those two will send each other Christmas cards,” Broad said. “It’s not nice to see one of your other bowlers getting bombed so it was nice to give a couple back.”It was certainly a plan to be aggressive towards their tail. We have tried to do that throughout the series. It was difficult in West Indies because the wickets were so slow, but certainly at Lord’s last week I tried execute that on the last day. I got a couple right, but it was more pleasing when he nicked one to slip.”This series should be secured 2-0, weather permitting, at some point on the final day but, while the players might not agree, it would be perfect if the victory wasn’t handed to them on a plate. It’s these tough, hard-won mini-battles that will serve England well because the team they’ll face in July never give up something for nothing.

Daryl Harper talks about Tendulkar lbw decision from 1999, the worst thing a bowler’s said to him, and whether the ICC’s Umpire of the Year award is rigged

Interview by Nagraj Gollapudi21-Oct-2009Have you ever been hit by a batsman’s shot?
The worst hit I took was in the West Indies from a Sanath Jayasuriya square cut. The umpires were standing on the off side to accommodate the television cameras as they had only popping-crease run-out cameras on one side. I had no chance to get out of the way of the fierce shot and it hit me fair and square in the middle of the chest. After the batsmen ran for the single they walked up to me and all Sanath could say was, “You cost me four runs”. I said, “You got a single out of it.” I wore that wound for the next month.We hear you are taking a Hindi course?
Yes, I have the material here. ” [don’t ask me again].” I picked that up from a television advertisement in India.What is the longest flight you have taken?
Recently it took 50 hours from Australia to Sri Lanka, but that was several flights actually, because I detoured to Boston to watch my favourite baseball team, the Red Sox. Luckily they won all their games. And I used my frequent-flyer points for half of the journey.What has been your most embarrassing moment during a cricket match?
Probably at the WACA during the 1996-97 tri-series. I was talking too much to Pakistan captain Wasim Akram. Ijaz Ahmed had just been run out. The ball was returned to me. The bowler, Patterson Thompson, went back to his bowling mark. I gave Moin Khan his guard and went to my normal position, stood there and waited for the bowler to come charging up. I was focussed, prepared to look at his feet, and all of a sudden he called, “No ball, maan.” I thought, what’s he talking about, I’m the one that judges if it is a no-ball. As I went to signal dead ball, all of a sudden I felt a rather large, spherical object in my pocket. I hadn’t given the bowler the ball back. Thankfully the commentators never realised it.Have you ever complimented a batsman or bowler on a shot or ball?
The closest I came was on the last ball of the Chennai Test in December 2008, when Sachin [Tendulkar] turned the ball down to fine leg to get his 41st Test century, which helped India beat England, a fortnight after the Mumbai terror attacks. That was one shot I will always remember.What’s the worst thing a bowler has ever said to you?
One Australian legspin bowler [Stuart MacGill] did suggest that I should be using my brain more often. I had just knocked back a couple of lbw appeals against two West Indies batsmen who weren’t offering a shot.Name one thing you do that Dickie Bird couldn’t?
I’ve done more Tests and ODIs than Dickie.Is there an umpiring record you would like to achieve?
I must admit, doing 100 Tests is something I’m interested in. Only two people have done that so far [Steve Bucknor and Rudi Koertzen], and I don’t mind being the third.Do you think the ICC’s Umpire of the Year award is rigged, considering Simon Taufel has won it five times?
Apparently I’m in the top 12. I’ll almost be disappointed if I win it because I’m not a person who always gives the predictable answers. I don’t mind asking difficult questions of people who are casting the votes. Some umpires are less critical than I am. But Taufel is an outstanding umpire, full stop.Does Taufel still enjoy looking at his hair in the mirror, as you mentioned once?
He has a little hair at the crown, and I’ve suggested to him that he do a Harsha Bhogle treatment and have a transplant. At this stage he is only thinking about it.Why don’t you get one?
Because I’m not so vain that I’m concerned about it – if you look at the crown, it is all growing there. I’ve always told my daughter and son that I have a big forehead.

“I’ll almost be disappointed if I win the Umpire of the Year award, because I’m not a person who always gives the predictable answers”

Name one decision you would like to forget.
One that I would like the world to forget is the Sachin [Tendulkar] one, when he ducked a [Glenn] McGrath bouncer, in Adelaide in 1999. I’ve got the video clip on my laptop still, and you can see it is still out! What I didn’t like was, when I left the ground, a lot of friends were expressing their disappointment. “Hey Daryl, we came to see Sachin bat, not to see you umpire.” So I said, “Sorry, I was just doing my job.” Sunil Gavaskar was the commentator and he agreed, saying it would’ve been out lbw if the stumps were six inches taller. Sachin was the captain and he didn’t mention it in his report – always fair play with Sachin, and he is still a wonderful sportsperson.Have you ever apologised to a player?
No, I’ve never apologised. I’ve made mistakes but there was nothing deliberate about any errors that I ever made. Replays find you out in these times, unlike in the old days, where umpires got away with anything.Why do you take so much time to bring that finger up?
It’s not as slow as some – not as slow as Rudi Koertzen. I did field in the slips when I played cricket and I was quite a good catcher, so I can react reasonably quickly.What’s the best compliment you have got from a player?
I do feature in the opening chapter in Adam Gilchrist’s autobiography, where he recorded a comment I made to him about the manner in which he played the game. I was standing in his final Test, and I said, “When you see your parents next, tell them they got it right, they shouldn’t have done anything different.” In other words, that he turned out to be an outstanding person. He used that in his book.On another occasion, in an ODI at home, I called a wide down leg side and Gilly protested the decision momentarily, as he thought the ball had deflected off the pads. Then he looked up at the replay and as he passed me at the end of the over, he said, “Sorry about that. I guess that’s why you are a world-class umpire and I’m a player.” Do you like guys like him, who walked?
I love the guys who walk. But I don’t blame anyone who doesn’t walk.One question the media should not be allowed to ask you?
“Do you think you should retire?” What’s your most treasured cricketing possession?
I have about a dozen autographs from Sir Don Bradman.

Shahid Afridi was banned for two Twenty20s after being caught on camera biting the ball during the final ODI in Perth. Disbelief and jokes followed

Cricinfo staff03-Feb-2010″No I just was trying to smell it, [to see] how it was feeling.”

“There is no team in the world that doesn’t tamper with the ball. My methods were wrong. I am embarrassed, I shouldn’t have done it. I just wanted to win us a game but this was the wrong way to do it.”

“I’m just watching like you. If he did that it is not a good image for Pakistan. He can tell you better.”

“Shahid’s desire to win today was there for all to see.”

“He would have had all sorts of things going through his mind for the last couple of overs and as captain you have enough going through your head without worrying about things like that.”

“There must have been a bet, or perhaps he was drunk.”

“Perhaps he didn’t appreciate the lunch he was given in Australia.”

“Whatever justification or excuse … cannot justify the act because in the laws of cricket it is illegal … He’s so talented and you can see the [good] body language when the team is playing under him. All this is going his way. It is so foolish.”

“It’s no secret that everyone wants to change the condition of the ball but that’s through shining the ball and things like that.”

“I don’t think there was any malice in what he did, but given his track record he probably got off lightly. I think five-six matches should have been the minimum.”

Cricinfo presents the Plays of the day of the IPL final

Cricinfo staff25-Apr-2010Old Father Time: By any standards, it was a terrible innings from Matthew Hayden. There was one stroke, a shuffle down the track to Harbhajan followed by a loft over wide long-on that reminded those watching of the glory years, but otherwise his 17 from 31 balls was akin to seeing a boxer trying to throw punches he once had. When he skied one straight up in the air, even his team-mates must have heaved a sigh of relief. He was a solid slip fielder for Australia, but today he floundered there as well, failing to take a leading edge of Abhishek Nayar at first slip. It might be the last we see of him on a cricket field.Raina doubts himself: Not sure if Suresh Raina had a hunch. When Kieron Pollard charged in to bowl the first ball to Raina, the batsman squatted and ducked as though expecting a short delivery. Pollard, though, failed to deliver the ball and was surprised to see Raina react in such a dramatic fashion. Perhaps, Raina was fighting his own ghosts.Dumb and dumber: Finding it hard to gain the upper hand against some disciplined bowling Raina went for the slog against Zaheer Khan and the leading edge looped towards short third man. It was an easy catch for either of the two fielders – Abhishek Nayar moving back from point and the steadily advancing Dilhara Fernando from deep third man. But both played “After you, after you” and watched the ball drop between them. Zaheer, shocked, spat out a mouthful of curses towards the duo.Raina was on 13 when the Nayar-Fernando fiasco happened. But on 28 a similar miscue went high in Zaheer’s direction. He swayed and stumbled under it, managed to stretch and get both hands to it and then saw the ball slip out. Raina carved the next ball over cover for six, and finished with an unbeaten 57.Look ma, one hand: MS Dhoni has hit some awesome sixes in his career, and this one was close to his best. Full from Pollard, and Dhoni heaved so hard that the bottom hand came off the bat handle. No matter. The ball went nearly 100m over midwicket.Mahi gets Pollard: Yes, the card will reveal Hayden caught him off Albie Morkel. But the dismissal was plotted by Dhoni. As Pollard took 22 runs off Doug Bollinger in the 18th over and threatened Chennai, Dhoni moved Hayden from mid-on to an unorthodox straight mid-off, anticipating that Pollard would go for the straight boundary. So when Morkel bowled a fuller length in the channel, Pollard scooped a straight and low catch to Hayden, who finally had his first smile of the evening.

Middlesex’s 16-year veteran says goodbye to the home of cricket with a century and some pointed celebrations

Lizzy Ammon10-Sep-2010The game

Day three of Middlesex’s last game of the season vs Worcestershire. Nothing in it for Middlesex except pride, but Worcestershire needed to win to have a very slim chance of promotion. Middlesex started the day 244 for 5 in reply to Worcestershire’s 313 with Neil Dexter and Owais Shah at the crease. The day ended with Middlesex having been bowled out for 392 and Worcestershire 195 for 7 which they will be disappointed with.Team supported
I’m Middlesex through and through but I do have a big soft spot for Worcestershire, who are a young side with no really big names, and have exceeded all expectations this year.One thing I’d have changed
With the glorious sunshine and a typical Lord’s pitch, there wasn’t much of a contest between bat and ball in the morning session. There’s nowhere like Lord’s when the sun is shining. Then shortly after lunch, the heavens opened but we were only off for less than an hour. Lord’s verges on the depressing when it rains. The seats get all wet and everyone sits at the back of the stands where the seats are dry. I wish the person in charge of the weather was a cricket fan.Accessories
No need for a packed lunch or flask when I go to Lord’,s but I rely on my iPhone to enhance my viewing so I can tweet updates during the day and to listen to the excellent Kevin Hand on BBC’s live coverage, although the commentary is about seven seconds behind the live action which is a little surreal.Key performer
It was the Shah show today. One of the best tons I’ve seen him score. A real display of his undoubted class.Interplay I enjoyed most
Not much facing off on the pitch as you would expect in a Division 2 match but Shah v the pavilion was a talking point. Shah was recently released from Middlesex under somewhat controversial circumstances. He got his ton at midday and made his point by raising his bat to the Warner Stand and Mound Stand but not to the pavilion. Although a little childish, after 16 years service he clearly felt aggrieved at both being released and the manner in which he found about it. His wicket fell straight after lunch to Moeem Ali. There was a touching moment at the start of Worcestershire’s second innings as Shah was applauded onto the field by his team-mates. He went on to take the wicket of Vikram Solanki.Filling the gaps
As a Middlesex member, I have the privilege of being able to sit in the pavilion so the lunch and tea breaks are filled with some of the best food on the county circuit plus chatting with the regulars.Village moment
Division two cricket normally provides a few hilarious village moments. Among the disappointingly few on day three was the moment when Al Richardson didn’t go for an admittedly quite tricky catch on the square-leg boundary while Shah was in the 90s – perhaps a gentleman’s agreement?Player watch

With all eyes on Shah in his last game for Middlesex, it would have been easy to forget the batsman at the other end – Dexter, who for my money, is precisely the sort of player any county would want. He quietly went about his business, outscoring Shah in the morning session, and playing some glorious shots albeit in good batting conditions and against some slightly average bowling. He fell on 97 just after lunch but it was a fine innings.And it would be remiss of me not to mention the five wickets and two half-centuries by part-time spinner Moeen Ali – a great way for him to mark the festival of Eid.Shot of the day

Take your pick from any of Shah’s. One particular cover drive off the bowling of Daryl Mitchell just before lunch sticks in my mind. Straight from the coaching manual. Remember how we all used to rave about Vaughan’s cover drive? It was like that.Crowd meter
A midweek Division two Championship game isn’t going to attract an enormous crowd but I would estimate just under 1000. There was a good smattering of people in the Compton, Mound and Warner stands, a pretty full pavilion and the Allen Stand where the Middlesex members’ room is situated.Entertainment
The only lunch-time entertainment was provided by Mick Hunt and his excellent ground staff. I retreated to the long room bar for a hot roast beef sandwich and a gin and tonic which is as much entertainment as I can handle these days.Championship v Twenty20

I’m a red-ball purist. Twenty20 has its place and you can’t argue with the revenue and crowds it brings in, but championship cricket is my love; played in whites, with a red ball like cricket should be.Marks out of 10
9. A very good day’s cricket tinged with the sadness that it was my last day at Lord’s this summer. A run fest in the morning and a wicket fest in the afternoon. Not a good day for Worcestershire but a good day for me. It was wonderful to witness Shah’s ton and to continue to see the progress of Mo Ali whom I’ve kept an eye on all season. The winter always seems excruciatingly long.Season review

I think inconsistent is the best word to describe Middlesex’s performances over the season. It’s been a disappointing campaign in all three forms of the game, hampered a little by injuries and having three players regularly in the England side. But a successful county has the depth to account for such problems. The future at Lord’s is looking brighter with some good youngsters in the squad but there are issues to be resolved over the winter, particularly around top-order batting for next year.

Kandy is a nature lover’s delight, and though it’s rugby country, the cricket’s not half-bad either

Trevor Chesterfield17-Nov-2010These days when travelling to Kandy, the last of the island’s royal capitals, the road from the coast traverses some wonderful countryside. So many shades of green you cannot believe: from the deep, rich leaf colour to that adorning the cricket pavilions, and then something lighter than lime. They make the journey soft on the eyes as the sun streams from the deep cerulean sky.Gazing into the hundreds of valleys, gorges and grey rocky ravines also brings one an awareness of why the first European colonists, the Portuguese, failed to capture this part of the island’s hilly heartland. To master the Sri Lankan hill country, one of high cliffs, deep plunging waterfalls and thick jungle, by ascending Kandy proved to be a little too much even for those early intrepid colonialists.From the time they first played Tests at Asgiriya, there was always the anticipation of how heading early in the morning for this inland venue was fun. It made the journey into the breathtaking scenery pass even quicker, helping one forgive even the cheeky roadhogs squeezing past in their own rush, on near-precipitous hairpin bends.Towards the end of this tortuous climb, as you close in on the city, is the impressive world-famed Peradeniya Botanical Gardens, which Lord Louis Mountbatten used during World War Two as headquarters for his South-East Asia command. Stretched as it is across vast acres of land, this tranquil natural sanctuary is a wonderful introduction to Kandy and its environs. A place of wild, exotic charm, maybe half an hour from the heart of the city, it is little wonder that so many botanists arrive on the island solely to visit this amazing collection of fauna and flora. Chief among the attractions is the giant Javan fig tree, estimated at about 1600 square metres in size. Anyone who has spent time at Kew Gardens in London has an idea of what to expect at Peradeniya.Unlike Colombo, where you regularly come across mixed aged groups, from small boys to young adults indulging in a game of cricket on an open patch of field, in a street or alley, Kandy is not the sort of region where lunchtime or tea-break indulgences of this nature are too often held. You are reminded this is rugby territory. Yet when passing a school ground you do catch a glimpse of boys bowling in the nets, and a mock appeal and the laughter that goes with it. After all, this is Muttiah Muralitharan country, his birthplace, where the great bowler was educated and where he set out to hone his skills.

Kandy is not the sort of region where lunchtime or tea-break games of cricket by the road are too often held. You are reminded this is rugby territory

While not quite as famous perhaps as the Seven Hills of Rome, those around Kandy do have hotels of a variety of descriptions, sizes and shapes. Dining on the fancy local cuisine can be quite an adventure. Some of it is so spicy you may need to advise the chef at the well-prepared buffet accordingly if you want to ensure you will at least taste what you are eating.Imagine a sunny morning, sitting on a terrace overlooking part of the city, dining on a breakfast of fruit, eggs the way you like them, and a mix of local and European concoctions. For those who want a traditional Sri Lankan (Sinhalese) breakfast, be prepared for a feast of rice in the form of dishes like string-hoppers (a type of vermicelli steamed over a low fire). There is also the hopper – a crispy cup pancake which is at times served with a fried egg on top of it.Remember, too, Kandy is the heart of the island’s Buddhist community with its Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Tooth), overlooking the lake. A two-week festival is held during carnival time. The problem is, there is usually a lot of rain associated with this July or August event, known locally as the Esala Perahera Pageant (procession). It is an internationally famous event: one where elephants parade the Lord Buddha’s tooth in a golden casket and drummers and dancers perform.In 2006 a good friend from my South Africa days, the now late Bob Woolmer, wanted to sample a local watering hole, so we went to The Pub, a location not too far from the tree-lined Asgiriya, where if you see mist descending when you look north at what they call “the knuckles”, there is little chance of play.String-hoppers: a traditional Sinhalese breakfast•AFPThe Pub is a good tourist hangout, though it depends on your mood and how long you want to stay to dine and drink with friends. It was here during a quiet chat that Woolmer talked about how the pace of the game had progressed since he had retired as South Africa coach after the 1999 World Cup. He agreed with the Powerplay format but not the player substitution (Supersub), calling it a clumsy device that disturbed the 11-man tactical thinking.”Cricket is a game for 11 players, not one where substitutes are needed,” he grinned. “Remember the disaster of the 13-man experiment they had in South Africa [1989-90]? They never learn.”As always, when among those he had known for a decade or more, he would loosen a little and his bright blue eyes would twinkle. It became his trademark when cracking jokes or making prophesies.A day later we visited Pallekele, mired as it was at the time in financial controversy. Now one of three new venues developed on the island for the World Cup 2011, it is remarkable to see how its design is based on that magnificent venue on the tree-lined Hennops River in Centurion. That ground was created with a vision by a man with a dream and it went on to become a world-class venue. The same can hopefully be said for Pallekele. A day after his Test retirement Muttiah Muralitharan learnt that it was to carry his name: a fitting tribute to a fine sportsman.

Captain and vice-captain made a combined total of two runs for the home side and with the leaders removed Australia stumbled badly

Peter English at Adelaide03-Dec-2010In times of crisis teams look to their leaders for calm direction, but Australia’s two most senior officers are contributing to many of the spiralling problems. Ricky Ponting is a man distracted by issues everywhere he peers and Michael Clarke isn’t sure whether it’s his form, his back or both that are causing his worsening troubles.Together the confusion helped create Australia’s worst opening to a Test innings in 60 years as they lost their first three wickets for two runs. Shane Watson called it “a horrendous start” and blamed himself for setting up the chain of devastating events by running out Simon Katich. Following that brutal accident, the captain and vice-captain joined the damage and were out just 13 balls and 11 minutes after the start.Losing one leader so early was sloppy and not uncommon – it was Ponting’s fifth first-ball duck in 150 Tests – but watching two drop so suddenly was disturbing. In such a tight series those handful of minutes could cost Australia the urn.Having been controlled by England for the second half of the opening Test, Ponting satisfied himself with the fact the series was still 0-0 and his unit could strike back in Adelaide. After winning the toss, Ponting failed immediately in achieving his ambition, leaving the side two-down after five deliveries.On Adelaide’s pitch, a total of 500 is no guarantee of safety and Australia finished well short at 245, their smallest first-innings total here since 1991-92. The score was the most visible example of a team in disarray, although the mix-up run-outs of Katich and Xavier Doherty were also prominent lowlights.Ponting is a captain hoping to avoid his third Ashes loss while trying to regain form and hold together a squad on the verge of imploding. He seems to blame the selectors for dropping Mitchell Johnson, the side’s ailing spearhead, and losing his say on the make-up of side. The off-field pressures wouldn’t matter as much if Ponting was posting centuries but despite being fitter and leaner than ever, his batting powers are waning noticeably.Over the past year, Ponting has found various strange ways of being removed, from misjudging singles to retiring hurt and glancing behind. Today his dismissal came from a more familiar flaw as he walked at James Anderson’s delivery as it curled away. With his team in desperate need of stability, Ponting pushed forward tentatively instead of purposefully, hitting his pad on the way through.At 35, Ponting can no longer overcome the extra early movement and his edge went to second slip, where Graeme Swann dived to his left for an excellent take. A good ball was played unsatisfactorily and Ponting was second in the long line of disappointed local batsmen.Clarke, who was next to depart, has been a great Ashes batsman in the past two series, but hasn’t provided anything convincing in his opening two outings of this campaign. Since he moved to No.4 in July he has averaged 18.5 in 10 bats, with his 2 in this innings sitting uncomfortably with his 9 in Brisbane. One spot in the order has made a huge difference.After his side’s painful double-loss, Clarke stepped out on a ground on which he has three Test hundreds. A player in his vital position needs to decide whether to hang on or take off, but he was bound by the insecurity of his stroke-play and could do neither. In six deliveries he glanced a single to fine leg and played and missed twice to Stuart Broad, who then forced him to turn his head from a short ball. Clarke’s awkward fend ended in his final single and more lengthy discussions about his fitness.Clarke doesn’t deliver public excuses and said on Wednesday that his back injury, which flared two weeks before the opening Test, is not causing him any restrictions. He didn’t blame it on his stuttering in Brisbane and won’t for this brief display. Yet something is seriously wrong.Ponting spent a long time with his deputy in the nets the day before the game, but that one-on-one tutorial didn’t cause a turnaround. When he edged another Anderson ball that was moving away, Clarke was off balance, lunging forward at a danger which needed to be defended.As the leader in waiting, Clarke could be installed as captain by early next year if Ponting fails to win back the urn. The looming pressure is another weight dragging down Ponting and Clarke, along with all the other fitness and form concerns of their group. Both men have company in this crisis, with damage occurring from top to bottom.

Mark Boucher’s 55 in the second innings at Newlands was like a lifeboat for his career. He proved he still has the ability to play under pressure that has made him such an important player for South Africa over the years

Firdose Moonda at Newlands05-Jan-2011In August this year, Mark Boucher revealed his hurt about being dropped from the South African one-day team. Many thought he saw the snub as something frivolous, like misplacing a five Rand coin in a pair of jeans with deep pockets. He didn’t. He said he felt as though he had “been fired from his job” and that he would do everything in his power to show that he is good enough to get that job back.As yet, he hasn’t been able to reclaim the position and things almost became even worse when he began flirting with losing his other job, in the Test side. He had scored just 17 runs in three innings in the current series against India and when Boucher came out to bat on Wednesday, there were murmurs around Newlands that it could well be his last Test innings. So began an almighty fight, to prove the detractors wrong, to get South Africa into a comfortable position in the match and to save his own career.The tussle was about as pretty to watch as it is to observe a bulldozer mechanically going about tearing a monstrous building to shreds. That was the size of the doubt that Boucher had to break down. Although it was large and looming, it wasn’t all unfair. Before this match, in the previous six Tests he played, Boucher had averaged 20.00, well below his career average of 30.70. Some of the criticism levelled against him was unwarranted because, just a season ago, against England, Boucher’s three half-centuries earned him the joint man-of-the-series award. Unfortunately, people don’t seem to remember that and care more that his last Test century against a team other than Bangladesh came against West Indies more than seven years ago.The hundreds don’t, and shouldn’t, matter much to Boucher, who comes in to bat after one of the strongest top six in world cricket. It’s when the dry patches start grouping to form a desert and the hoarse cries of people calling for his head get louder, that the anxiety develops. Recently, he has been in fairly barren territory. But, he has shown immense bouncebackability throughout his career and he has had the luxury of time in which to do that.This may have been the first occasion when it might have seemed like time was running out. With the next Test series scheduled for nine months away, Boucher must have felt an internal ticking to the beat of now or never. He came out with South Africa 130 for 6, and had he fallen early and opened the window to the tail, it would have swung the series heavily in India’s favour.Instead, he starred in a partnership that may end up being the one that wins the series. Boucher’s 55 may look like a side-show in comparison to Kallis’ undefeated 109, and it was. The real showstopper wasn’t either of their innings but the century-stand the two great friends put on because it may prove to be South Africa’s saviour. Boucher was geared up for a big task before he even reached the crease. “I came out with an aggressive mindset,” Boucher said. The intent was there but the action took seven balls to kick in as he coped with being beaten once and then spent some time defending.The early stages were the most difficult for Boucher, not because of the conditions, but because of the hostile atmosphere he walked into. “When you get to the crease and the pressure is on and there is a lot of chirping around, it can be quite difficult.” Given Boucher’s usually bullish personality, one would expect that he was the type to soak up the tension and use it as fuel to endure. Boucher admitted that isn’t always the case. “I don’t think there is anyone who loves to bat under pressure. I think there are certain people who handle it better.”He absorbed the anxiety well and after three boundaries upfront settled into a rhythm with Kallis, which not only quietened the field but calmed the batsmen’s nerves. “We managed to turn the strike around a lot, especially against Harbhajan [Singh] who was bowling well and that made things easier for both of us.”Boucher’s elation and relief came only after tea, when he brought up his half-century. At that point the match was edging further in South Africa’s favour, with the lead at 223. Boucher’s career had found a lifeboat. He was being hailed as the one who overcame the rough seas and found calmer water for the South African second innings to stay afloat in. Kallis was the brave captain of the ship, battling through pain; Boucher was the rower with the oar in hand, every pierce of the water guiding them closer to the shore. He ground out runs on a difficult batting track as though he knew it was the only thing that would redeem him.This is the innings that will be remembered when the squad is picked to face Australia later in the year. It’s the character that Boucher showed that will probably see him secure a spot for that series and not that fact that there are doubts over AB de Villiers’ ability to don the wicket-keeping gloves for prolonged periods or that there is no clear successor being groomed for Boucher. It means that he has wrestled back not just his place but the right to call it his place.