SUNDAY, JULY 27, 2014 SPORTS

Preview England seek self-respect against India

SOUTHAMPTON: England won’t just be looking to plight the only player who was actually dropped tional run-scorer. But if bringing back Pietersen tally tired, with Anderson not helped by a row with end a sequence of 10 Tests without a win when from the squad for the third Test was left-arm spin- won’t be a cure-all for England’s ills, what the pre- India’s Ravindra Jadeja during the drawn first Test they face India in the third Test at Southampton ner Simon Kerrigan, who didn’t play at Lord’s. ceding 1-0 series defeat at home to Sri Lanka and in Nottingham. today, they will be aiming to restore their pride. By then, experienced wicketkeeper Matt Prior the ongoing campaign with India have both Friday saw Jadeja fined but not banned for his Monday’s 95-run defeat in the second Test at had withdrawn, citing quad, Achilles and right demonstrated is that he is not the sole source of part in the alleged incident by the International Lord’s, a result that put the tourists 1-0 up in the hand injuries, to be replaced by 23-year-old Jos their woes. Council, while Anderson could yet miss the five-match series, came after England had won the Buttler, uncapped at Test level but already Cook and , the two senior batsmen in an final two Tests of this series if a separate August 1 toss on a pitch that might have been made to cap- England’s limited overs gloveman. otherwise inexperienced top-order are both in the hearing finds against him. tain ’s specific instructions and Given England’s extensive backroom staff, how middle of a run-drought. Yet the man most likely to be dropped from the against an India side who had not won away from was it that Prior, who dropped six catches of vary- Left-handed opener Cook has gone 27 innings team is Ben Stokes, one of the infamous ‘happy home in 16 previous Tests. Whether it was ing difficulty this season, had been selected to be without adding to his England record of 25 Test hookers’ at Lord’s, who has six ducks in his last 10 Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowling like a classic seamer behind the stumps for four straight Tests-with only hundreds, while it is 19 innings since Bell last international innings. or opener Murali Vijay’s invaluable second-innings one Championship match as a keeper behind him reached three figures at this level. Cook, for all that Fellow all-rounders Chris Jordan and Chris 95, India excelled in disciplines that were once this season-when he was so clearly unfit? His inclu- several ex-England skippers have told him to Woakes will be eyeing Stokes’ spot. For India cap- common to every county, let alone England, team. sion revived accusations the England set-up was a resign the captaincy, is determined to carry on. “I tain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the unexpected but And then compounding the ‘role reversal’ was ‘cosy club’ where even basic fitness issues could be haven’t had any tougher times in my career than at welcome problem is how to guard against compla- the way the match ended, when several England overlooked. the moment,” said Cook. “It gets harder and harder cency. batsmen succumbed to a bouncer-trap baited by Significantly, the only player who was told there the longer it goes on. “But I don’t think walking “We don’t have too many experienced players Ishant Sharma who promptly took seven for 74 as was no way back at international level after away from it would be the way to go,” he said. but it is important to seize our chances and put the India won only their sixth Test in England. England’s 5-0 Ashes thrashing in Australia was Meanwhile new-ball duo James Anderson and opposition away, said Dhoni. “Being humble in It was somehow typical of England’s present Kevin Pietersen, England’s all-time leading interna- Stuart Broad have both looked physically and men- cricket is very important.” — AFP Sri Lanka on top despite Amla ton

COLOMBO: Captain Hashim Amla struck a gritty 139 but failed to stop Sri Lanka from taking the driver’s seat in the second and final Test against South Africa yesterday. Amla, 31, batted for more than eight hours to frustrate the Sri Lankan spinners who shared nine between them to bowl out South Africa for 282 in their first innings. Sri Lanka, who made 421 in their first essay, were 11-0 at stumps in their second innings on the third day for an over- all lead of 150. Off-spinner Dilruwan Perera (5-69) grabbed a five- haul, his second in five Tests, while left-armer Rangana Herath chipped in with 4-71. South Africa’s weaknesses against spin were exposed as none of the batsmen, barring Amla, could even make a half- century despite the fact the wicket was no minefield. “There were phases when the runs dried up, it was tough scoring runs,” said South African coach Russell Domingo after the day’s play. “It wasn’t easy for us because of the consistency of their spinners. It would have been great if we had scored 100 more runs. 140-odd is a big lead, it’s a substantial lead. Sri Lanka are obviously in a very good position,” he said. For Amla, it was his first century as South Africa’s Test cap- tain. He faced 382 balls and hit 12 fours in his marathon England’s Captain Alastair Cook effort. It was also the first by a South African captain in Sri Lanka, and proved crucial to help the visitors avoid the embarrassment of a follow-on. Cook brushes aside The South African innings was wrapped up in the final session with Herath having Dale Steyn (30) caught by Kumar Sangakkara and Imran Tahir (15) by Upul Tharanga at deep mid-off. Perera then sent back Morne Morkel for a duck to Pietersen quit call bowl out the Proteas with five overs remaining in the day. Sri Lankan openers Kaushal Silva (five) and Upul Tharanga COLOMBO: South African cricket captain Hashim Amla (six) saw off the overs without any hiccups. raises his bat in celebration after scoring a century (100 SOUTHAMPTON: Alastair Cook shrugged off calls from lost to Australia, have England failed to win either of their South Africa lost Jean-Paul Duminy and Vernon Philander runs) during the third day of the second cricket Test Kevin Pietersen to resign as England captain ahead of the series in a home season. (nine) to spin in the second session that saw them put on 71 match against Sri Lanka. — AFP third Test against India at Southampton. Cook insisted England could recover against runs at less than three runs an over. Pietersen used his Daily Telegraph column published India.”The good news in a five Test match series is you’ve Duminy (three) fiddled around for more than an hour Saturday to say he was only still in the job because it got a chance to bounce back.” before he was by Niroshan Dickwella off Herath SCOREBOARD would be “yet another PR disaster” for the England and “The frustrating thing has been that we’ve been get- while Philander was bowled by Perera. Wales Cricket Board to sack him now. Cook has faced ting ourselves into situations, especially in the four Test Perera said the defensive approach by the South Africans COLOMBO: Scoreboard at the close of the third day of the repeated calls to resign the captaincy from the likes of matches where we’ve been ahead of the game by quite a had boomeranged on them. “We thought they were trying second test between Sri Lanka and South Africa yesterday. Michael Vaughan and Nasser Hussain during a run that long way and haven’t been able to force that result. to play for a draw. We managed to get a good lead because Sri Lanka first innings 421 has seen England go 10 Tests without a win. “It’s bubbling under but the longer it goes without a they batted defensively. South Africa first innings (overnight 98-3) Meanwhile Cook’s form with the bat has also declined. win, it becomes harder and harder.” Pietersen, despite “At the moment, we do not have a target in mind. But if A. Petersen c and b Herath 2 It is now 27 innings since he scored the last of his being England’s all-time leading run scorer and their top we get about 200 runs more, we will be in a very good posi- D. Elgar c Silva b Perera 1 England record 25 Test hundreds, and the left-handed contributor with the bat during their 5-0 Ashes thrashing tion,” he said. F. de Plessis c Dickwella b Lakmal 36 opener’s last nine Test innings have yielded just 129 runs. in Australia, was the only player to be axed by England Amla, dropped on 93 at short cover by Silva, completed H. Amla not out 139 But Cook speaking at Southampton, where England after their return home in February. At the time, the ECB his 22nd Test hundred with a single off Herath, a fitting AB de Villiers lbw b Perera 37 will start Sunday’s match 1-0 down in the five-Test series, cited the need to support Cook’s captaincy as a reason reward for his lonely toil on the crease. Q de Kock b Perera 0 following India’s 95-run win at Lord’s on Monday, insisted for ditching Pietersen. The bearded batting wizard is leading the side for the JP Duminy st Dickwella b Herath 3 once again he would not resign. And South Africa-born Pietersen said “At the moment first time in this two-Test series after being named skipper V. Philander b Perera 9 “The last three or four weeks, everyone’s been saying only politics are keeping Cook in a job because the last month following the retirement of Graeme Smith. D. Steyn c Sangakkara b Herath 30 that. It is no different who else says it,” Cook told England and Wales Cricket Board backed him so much The first session saw Herath get rid of AB de Villiers (37) I. Tahir c Tharanga b Herath 15 reporters at Southampton on Saturday when asked that it would be yet another PR disaster if it sacked him and Quinton de Kock for a duck in the space of three balls M. Morkel c Silva b Perera 0 about Pietersen’s comments. now. after South Africa had resumed at their overnight 98-3. Extras (lb-3, nb-6, w-1) 10 “I’ve just got to stay true to myself and say how good “But the ECB needs his runs back more than anything Amla and De Villiers had started off positively and saw off Total (all out, 134.5 overs) 282 it would be if I could get through this as a person, as a else so a big decision has to be made,” he added.”He the first hour without harm. Amla broke the shackles with Fall of wickets: 1-3 2-13 3-71 4-150 5-150 6-175 7-204 8- player, as a leader and take huge strides from it,” the 29- (Cook) should do what is right for England and resign the two consecutive fours off unorthodox spinner Ajantha 251 9-279 year-old added. captaincy. He has shown he does not have the tactical Mendis and De Villiers followed suit, hitting paceman Bowling: Lakmal 23-7-54-1 (4nb, 1w), Herath 45-17-71-4, “I’m desperate to carry on because I love being brain to lead the side,” Pietersen insisted. Suranga Lakmal (1-54) for three boundaries in the same over. Perera 41.5-11-69-5, Mendis 21-1-68-0 (2nb), Vithanage 4- England captain, it’s a huge honor. “I said when I first “England badly miss Cook the opening batsman scor- De Villiers had a scare on 30 when he gloved Lakmal to 0-17-0. took over ‘I just want to throw everything into it’ and ing 150 to set games up at the top of the order and, the wicketkeeper but TV replays showed the ball had Sri Lanka second innings until that time where I don’t feel as if I can carry on doing relieved of the captaincy, I don’t think it is too late for him bounced just inches short of Dickwella. U. Tharanga not out 6 it or someone taps me on the shoulder then that’s what to rediscover this form.” But just when the partnership was building up K. Silva not out 5 I’m going to to do.” Pietersen urged Cook to seek advice from one of the between Amla and De Villiers, Perera’s double-strike Total: (no wickets, 5 overs) 11 If England lose the third Test, they will be unable to many former England players now working as a televi- reduced South Africa to 150-5. He first had De Villiers Still to bat: K. Sangakkara, M. Jayawardene, A. Mathews, N. win the series against India, having already been beaten sion pundit. trapped plumb in front off the fourth ball and then Dickwella, K. Vithanage, D. Perera, R. Herath, S. Lakmal, A. 1-0 in a two-Test contest this season at home to Sri “How many ex-international players have England had knocked the off-stump of De Kock off the last ball of the Mendis. Lanka. recently working with them? None. “There is so much over. South Africa lead the series 1-0 after winning the Bowling (to date): Steyn 3-1-7-0, Philander 2-1-4-0. Not since 2001, when they drew with Pakistan and knowledge in English cricket going to waste.” — AFP opener in Galle by 153 runs. — AFP Dhoni slams Jadeja fine

SOUTHAMPTON: India captain Mahendra Singh “Then, when we were going through the members’ India responded to the former Australia batsman’s ver- Dhoni has criticised the “hurtful” decision to fine area, I was ahead of Jadeja, who was a couple of yards dict by saying they reserved their right of appeal Ravindra Jadeja, saying the all-rounder had been the behind me. “Again, something happened. Something although, according to ICC regulations, there can be innocent party in an incident involving England’s was told to him and he turned across to the individual. no appeal against a Level One punishment. “The James Anderson. “After that, he was pushed and he barely gained beauty of Level One is you cannot appeal against it,” Dhoni said Jadeja had been on the receiving end his balance. Then, he turned to see what was happen- Dhoni said. “But the BCCI (Board of Control for of “foul langauge” and physical assault and, although ing. “On the basis of that, he is fined. We were told it Cricket in India) and the legals are working things the India skipper did not name Anderson on Saturday, was against the spirit of the game.” out. “We are definitely not at all happy with the ver- it was clear he was referring to the England paceman “But we can’t ignore whatever has happened...The dict.” India lead the five-match series with England 1- during a news conference in Southampton ahead of bat was under his armpit throughout, and right from 0 after a 95-run win in the second Test at Lord’s on Sunday’s third Test match. the call for lunch till the time he entered the dressing Monday-a match that ended with Jadeja running out Jadeja was fined 50 percent of his match fee, but room, not one word was spoken by him (Jadeja). “I Anderson, after which the two players were pho- not banned, by the International Cricket Council after don’t think there was even a bit of aggression in that tographed shaking hands. being found guilty Friday of “conduct contrary to the and that’s the reason I’m very hurt by the verdict giv- Anderson’s case will be dealt with by ICC code of spirit of the game”, for an incident with Anderson that en.” Wicketkeeper-batsman Dnoni added: “Tomorrow conduct commissioner Gordon Lewis on August 1 — took place when walking off as a batsman during the (Sunday), if I ask one of my players to not say a word, the day after the third Test is due to end. If found lunch break on the second day of the drawn first Test and that we’ll report it to the match referee, he might guilty of a Level Three offence, Anderson faces a ban in Nottingham on July 10. be like: ‘Whatever happens, we’ll get fined 50 percent. of between two to four Tests that could rule him out “To me, it’s a very hurtful decision,” said Dhoni. “If I’m better off abusing the guy’.” of the remainder of the series you see what exactly happened...the umpire called England charged Jadeja with a Level Two offence However, Lewis-like Boon-can downgrade the ‘lunch’, and we started walking. under the ICC’s code of conduct in retaliation for India charge facing Anderson. The row involving Jadeja “I don’t want to take any individual’s name, but bringing a more serious Level Three charge against and Anderson comes after a recent revamp of the one used foul language against Jadeja. “I had to step Anderson for allegedly “abused and pushing” Jadeja. ICC where the ‘Big Three’ nations of India, England in the middle. By that time, we had reached the ropes, However, ICC match referee David Boon, who heard and Australia took charge of the global governing India’s Ravindra Jadeja bowls in this file photo and I thought the thing was defused. Jadeja’s case downgraded the offence to Level One. body. — AFP