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New Delhi, (IANS) Corey, the eldest of former England skipper Andrew Flintoff, has signed a two-year rookie contract with Kent. Corey, a fast-bowling all-rounder just like his father, follows his younger brother Rocky into playing county cricket in England. The 19-year-old had made waves by representing Lancashire’s age groups and Academy teams, as well as representing the North at the Bunbury cricket festival in 2021 and featuring for Lancashire’s Second XI last year. But his progress was halted by a stress fracture in his back. With his deal at Lancashire expiring, Flintoff was seen training with Kent’s first-team this week and bowled four overs in the club’s latest two-day warm-up match against Essex at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence on Friday. “I’m delighted to be joining Kent to continue my development as a player under Adam Hollioake and the excellent coaching staff here. The lads in the dressing room have been so welcoming to me this week and there’s a great atmosphere here. “I’m excited for what’s next for me and I know that Kent is the right place for me to make the step up to first-team cricket,” said Corey in a statement issued by the club on Monday. The deal with Kent will also allow Corey to play for the county around his University studies for at least the next two seasons. “Corey is an extremely exciting young player and has great all-round ability to score runs and take wickets. “He is a very hard worker and I know that he is extremely determined to make a name for himself in professional cricket. We’re delighted that he feels that he can do this as a Kent cricketer,” said Simon Cook, Kent’s Director of Cricket. Flintoff made 227 appearances for England across all three formats between 1998 and 2009 and was widely regarded as one of their best ever all-rounders to have ever played international cricket.In the last few years, he has been in various coaching set-ups and was head coach of England Lions, where Rocky, who signed a deal with Lancashire, scored a hundred against a Cricket Australia XI in Brisbane in January. Andrew Flintoff’s eldest son Corey signs two-year rookie contract with Kent | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com |
Cricket chiefs recommend fines for players in Yorkshire racism scandal (2024-04-01T12:21:00+05:30)
 England cricket chiefs on Wednesday recommended fines totalling £37,000 ($46,000) for players charged in connection with the explosive Yorkshire racism scandal. LONDON - England cricket chiefs on Wednesday recommended fines totalling £37,000 ($46,000) for players charged in connection with the explosive Yorkshire racism scandal. Pakistan-born bowler Azeem Rafiq, 32, went public with allegations of racism and bullying in September 2020, related to his two spells at the county. A Cricket Discipline Commission panel in March upheld charges against five former Yorkshire players relating to the case, including retired England Test stars Tim Bresnan and Matthew Hoggard. Ex-England international Gary Ballance, who subsequently played for his native Zimbabwe, had admitted using racist language prior to the hearing in London. Former England captain Michael Vaughan was the only one of the seven players initially charged to appear at the hearing, and was cleared of using racist language "on the balance of probabilities". The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said Ballance, who retired from cricket last month, should be fined £8,000 and requested an eight-week suspension. The ECB took into account the fact the 33-year-old had admitted the charge, and apologised, as it gave its recommendations to the panel. "We understand there has been a significant impact on Mr Ballance's mental health, and that in April 2023, Mr Ballance announced his retirement from professional cricket," said ECB lawyer Jane Mulcahy. "So the ECB therefore suggests there be a reprimand, and Mr Ballance be fined £8,000, reduced from £12,500 to take in effect of his admissions." The ECB also recommended the former Test batter attend a racism and discrimination course. Ballance's lawyer, Craig Harris, argued the financial penalty should be reduced due to the cost of being involved in the proceedings -- he lost his job as a player at Yorkshire, lost a sponsorship contract, and was not considered for England selection. - Dressing room culture - Harris also pointed to the established culture in the Yorkshire dressing room, including widespread use of a racial slur, and said Zimbabwe-born Ballance was himself the subject of discriminatory remarks. He said: "This is not a case where Mr Ballance says the words were not discriminatory, or that he has some sort of intellectual deficit. It is accepted he ought to have known better. "But they (rules) were breached by someone living and playing within a culture in which the use of such language had become normalised." The ECB recommended a range of punishments for the five other players facing charges, including fines and suspensions. Yorkshire have admitted to four charges including a "failure to address systemic use of racist and/or discriminatory language over a prolonged period". The sanctions against the club are expected to be announced next month. CDC chairman Tim O'Gorman said it would take several weeks before the full decisions were made. Former Scotland international John Blain, one of the players charged, described the outcome of proceedings against him as a "depressingly predictable and wholly unjust decision" as he launched a GoFundMe page in a bid to clear his name through legal action. "Despite being entirely innocent of these allegations, I was advised by my lawyers to withdraw from the inadequate ECB process, due to its many fundamental flaws," he said in a statement."The evidence given was one-sided, partial and in some areas, simply untrue -- I have never used such language." Cricket chiefs recommend fines for players in Yorkshire racism scandal
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Cricket chiefs recommend fines for players in Yorkshire racism scandal (2024-03-04T14:53:00+05:30)
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England cricket chiefs on Wednesday recommended fines totalling £37,000 ($46,000) for players charged in connection with the explosive Yorkshire racism scandal. LONDON - England cricket chiefs on Wednesday recommended fines totalling £37,000 ($46,000) for players charged in connection with the explosive Yorkshire racism scandal. Pakistan-born bowler Azeem Rafiq, 32, went public with allegations of racism and bullying in September 2020, related to his two spells at the county. A Cricket Discipline Commission panel in March upheld charges against five former Yorkshire players relating to the case, including retired England Test stars Tim Bresnan and Matthew Hoggard. Ex-England international Gary Ballance, who subsequently played for his native Zimbabwe, had admitted using racist language prior to the hearing in London. Former England captain Michael Vaughan was the only one of the seven players initially charged to appear at the hearing, and was cleared of using racist language "on the balance of probabilities". The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said Ballance, who retired from cricket last month, should be fined £8,000 and requested an eight-week suspension. The ECB took into account the fact the 33-year-old had admitted the charge, and apologised, as it gave its recommendations to the panel. "We understand there has been a significant impact on Mr Ballance's mental health, and that in April 2023, Mr Ballance announced his retirement from professional cricket," said ECB lawyer Jane Mulcahy. "So the ECB therefore suggests there be a reprimand, and Mr Ballance be fined £8,000, reduced from £12,500 to take in effect of his admissions." The ECB also recommended the former Test batter attend a racism and discrimination course. Ballance's lawyer, Craig Harris, argued the financial penalty should be reduced due to the cost of being involved in the proceedings -- he lost his job as a player at Yorkshire, lost a sponsorship contract, and was not considered for England selection. - Dressing room culture - Harris also pointed to the established culture in the Yorkshire dressing room, including widespread use of a racial slur, and said Zimbabwe-born Ballance was himself the subject of discriminatory remarks. He said: "This is not a case where Mr Ballance says the words were not discriminatory, or that he has some sort of intellectual deficit. It is accepted he ought to have known better. "But they (rules) were breached by someone living and playing within a culture in which the use of such language had become normalised." The ECB recommended a range of punishments for the five other players facing charges, including fines and suspensions. Yorkshire have admitted to four charges including a "failure to address systemic use of racist and/or discriminatory language over a prolonged period". The sanctions against the club are expected to be announced next month. CDC chairman Tim O'Gorman said it would take several weeks before the full decisions were made. Former Scotland international John Blain, one of the players charged, described the outcome of proceedings against him as a "depressingly predictable and wholly unjust decision" as he launched a GoFundMe page in a bid to clear his name through legal action. "Despite being entirely innocent of these allegations, I was advised by my lawyers to withdraw from the inadequate ECB process, due to its many fundamental flaws," he said in a statement."The evidence given was one-sided, partial and in some areas, simply untrue -- I have never used such language." Cricket chiefs recommend fines for players in Yorkshire racism scandal
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Off to Lancashire for book talks (2016-11-13T07:19:00+05:30)
 Later this week I will be heading for the delights of Lancashire for a couple of nights of cricket talks and chat. On Wednesday I will be in Southport, where I will be talking to the West Lancashire Cricket Society that evening, while on Thursday I will be in Liverpool speaking to the Merseyside Cricket Society at Sefton Park Cricket Club. I am always happy to do such talks and if you have any ideas for an evening and require an experienced speaker, drop me an email to the usual address, which you will find in the left hand bar as you scroll down the page. I will be talking about the blog and my two books. I am delighted to have received so many positive reviews and comments about both and if you have not already picked up a copy of In Their Own Words: Derbyshire Cricketers in Conversation then it will make a nice Christmas gift for the cricket fan in your life. You can order it from me, priced £15 plus postage, which matches the price it is selling on Amazon. I will happily sign or inscribe it if you wish. You can also order it from Amazon or from any book shop. Source: http://derbyshirecricket.blogspot.com |
John Wright 'comes home' as new T20 coach (2016-11-05T14:05:00+05:30)
 I had a feeling that something would be announced today, when the membership packages for 2017 are announced. Perhaps a player but, as it turns out, the news that one of the biggest coaches in cricket is returning to a club that was his cricketing home for many years. John Wright is a giant of the game. First as a player, one who rightly stakes a claim as one of the best in the club's history. He did it on the international stage too, averaging just under forty in an era when opening batsmen faced genuine fast bowling, whoever the opposition. All of it - well, nearly all of it - with a smile on his face and a genial manner that made him hugely popular with supporters. It was the same when Wright became New Zealand coach and then the first non-Indian coach of their national side. He had previously enjoyed a county stint in charge at Kent and quickly became established as an outstanding coach at international level. Of course, having the likes of Tendulkar, Sehwag, Dravid, Ganguly and Laxman in the batting line up never does any harm, but Wright stressed to them all the role that they were expected to play in winning matches. He explained this well - shameless plug time - in an interview for my recent book In Their Own Words: Derbyshire Cricketers in Conversation, which gave an insight into the man and the way that he worked as a player and subsequently as a coach. That same interview also clearly showed how important Derbyshire was and remains for John. He has made regular trips over here and has remained on very good terms with the club. He is also an unashamed fan of the area, which he loves. He was in charge of India for five years, in which time they beat Australia at home for the first time, drew a series in that country, won a fiercely competed series against their arch rivals, Pakistan and reached the final of the 2003 World Cup. At the end of his tenure - and five years is a long time in a role that rarely carries a suggestion of longevity, even with success - Wright became a successful coach in the IPL, leading Mumbai Indians to that title and the Champions League T20 double in 2013. Since then he has been a talent scout for that side, a role well-explained in this Cricinfo article. It was Wright who spotted the raw, unorthodox but precocious talent of Jasprit Bumrah, as well as that of Hardik Pandya, both of who have gone on to greater things. That Wright has the coaching credentials is undeniable, but he also brings a huge network of contacts. As was explained recently by Kim Barnett, the T20 coach will recruit his overseas players and work solely on that format. Might that see another return, this time for Martin Guptill? I won't attempt to second-guess, but John could go in any number of directions and will doubtless know a lot about what he has in the squad already and how that might best be complemented. For my money, a powerhouse batsman and either a quick bowler or spinner of class would do nicely. If either offer a second string to their bow, so much the better, but we are in very good hands with John Wright. If you are considering coaches who have made a reputation and a contribution to a dynasty, his work in making India more 'professional' is acknowledged across the world. That he is now bringing those talents back to the county that gave him his first major opportunity in the game constitutes a pretty major coup by Kim Barnett. If this is the standard we are aiming at this winter, only the most churlish will find something to moan about. Of course, we all want to know who is coming to play here next summer. With a man of this stature in charge, it could be absolutely anyone. Welcome back to Derbyshire, John. It will be a pleasure to see you again. Source: http://derbyshirecricket.blogspot.com/ |
Peakfan's blog: Future bright for Knight and White (2016-09-27T12:46:00+05:30)
I wasn't going to miss out on a potential headline like that now, was I? The engagement of Tom Knight (pictured) and Harry White on one-year deals is one of those that might slip under the radar on a busy news day, but be assured that both have the potential to be big players for Derbyshire. Cynics will point to the fact that neither played much senior cricket last season and Knight, one of our bijou collection of spinners, barely turned his arm over in club or county cricket. Yet such comment belies the fact that people who know the game far better than any of us feel that he has what it takes to be a serious player. His destructive ability with a bat in his hands is well known to local cricket fans and if the coaching team have changed his bowling in a positive manner, he could be a very good all-round asset. As I have written before, Tom was formerly a spin bowler with good control but with insufficient flight and turn to dismiss good batsmen on anything other than a helpful track. If I play devil's advocate for a moment, that might have been enough to make him a useful one-day cricketer, in a similar way to Stephen Parry is at Lancashire. The latter has played only nine one-day games in eight summers, yet is a key member of their one-day side. Yet I don't think we have the resources at Derbyshire to employ single format players and it is in both the player's and our interests to take time to mould him into something more at a formative stage of his career. In doing so there is, of course, a danger that he could fail to recapture the bowling skills of his teenage years, but also the possibility that he could be transformed from a decent cricketer to one who is quite special. Given the dearth of English spin bowlers at present, I'd suggest it was a 'gamble' worth taking. Read More At: http://derbyshirecricket.blogspot.com/
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Another day, another win - another convincing argument (2016-06-14T13:23:00+05:30)
By Peakfan: Although the rules of the two-day game against Worcestershire changed as it progressed, Derbyshire were declared winners today and produced another fine day of cricket. After our 276-3 in two sessions on day one, Worcestershire struggled to 237-7 in their two sessions. Curiously, all the wickets today fell to left-arm bowlers - with two to Harry White and one each to Greg Cork, Chesney Hughes and Tom Knight. All will have enjoyed their success but Hughes and Knight have each come a long way to get to this stage. Chesney hardly bowled a ball last year as he fought back from a serious shoulder injury and was missed. While his left arm spin could hardly be deemed slow (he's quicker than me off my long run...) it is a potent weapon, especially in the one-day game. As for Knight, his action has been remodelled and grooved better than a flower power classic. A proper bowl will have done him the world of good and the wicket will be a timely boost of confidence. In the Worcestershire one session second innings, they reached 126-3, with wickets to the Hughes boys and one to Shiv Thakor, leaving Derbyshire 88 to 'win'. They did this with some ease, making 114-4, largely thanks to an unbeaten 67 from Ben Slater. There were early dismissals for Chesney, Alex Hughes and Tom Poynton, but all have runs under their belt and Wayne White got a few in the middle of the bat today. Slater continued the good impression made at the end of last season and looks increasingly like a potential county opener for years to come. I have watched him bat several times and like his uncomplicated method. He is a busy little player who could become a good one-day bat, as well as a lynchpin in the longer game. One to watch, that's for sureSource: Derbyshire Cricket, Read More<<<
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Murali Kartik retires from all forms of cricket (2016-01-21T15:33:00+05:30)
By: Express News Service | New Delhi | Updated: June 14, 2014 7:55 pm, Veteran left-arm spinner Murali Kartik on Saturday retired from competitive crickethaving played eight Tests and 37 ODIs for India between 1999 and 2007 taking 24 and 37 wickets respectively. However it was first-class cricket where Kartik was always a force to reckon with 644 wickets from 203 games which also included stints with English county sides like Middlesex, Surrey and Somerset. “I have decided to hang up my boots from all forms of competitive cricket but will honour my commitments for Kings XI Punjab during this year’s Champions League T20. I want to thank everyone for their support and felt that it is the right time to go. I have enjoyed playing this game and it has given me a lot,” Kartik said in a press conference in New Delhi on Saturday. “I would like to thank my parents and wife Shweta for their support, my coaches MP Singh, Gurcharan Singh and the greatest motivator of all Bishan Singh Bedi. Not to forget the influence that Maninder Singh had on my career,” said one of the premier left-arm spinners in the world. Kartik also thanked BCCI’s president-in-exile N Srinivasan as he first got a chance toplay competitive cricket for India Cements. “I would like to thank N Srinivasan sir and Kasi sir (Kashi Viswanthan) for giving a chance to play Buchi Babu as a teenager for Vijay Sports Club. My first captain VB Chandrasekhar who gave me a lot of confidence.” Asked about his high point in international cricket, Kartik said, “The Mumbai Test (match haul of 7/76) where I won the man-of-the-match award will always be special as we were able to restrict an Australian side to 103, chasing 107. Also when Sachin presented me with my India Test cap and Kapil Paaji (then coach) presented the Indiahat.” Talking about his best captain, he said,”It’s got to be Azzu bhai (Mohammed Azharuddin), who would tell you that as a bowler, you should be knowing what to do rather than me telling you.” He profusely thanked Indian Railways as a team that had a lot of intent despite limitations. “Winning the Ranji Trophy in 2001 gave us a lot of joy. We beat teams like West Bengal and Tamil Nadu before beating Baroda in the final. We were defending a first-innings score of 270-odd and Baroda were over 100 for no loss. We won it from there and it was a special feeling. “In Railways, we never had the facilities but we believed in each other and stood by one and another. Probably that’s an ingredient that a learned man like Sanjay (Bangar) carried in his job when he decided to take up the Kings XI assignment,” said Kartik, who will be seen more as a media pundit rather than getting into full fledged coaching role after the retirement. Source: The Indian Express, Image: http://photobucket.com......
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Lou Vincent opens up on match-fixing involvement (2015-08-17T14:19:00+05:30)
By: Associated Press | Wellington | Published on:July 2, 2014 1:59 pm, Disgraced former New Zealand batsman Lou Vincent says he’s “a good lad” whose participation in match-fixing – for which he is banned from cricket for life – was like “being dragged into a thick spider web.” In an interview with the New Zealand Herald on Wednesday, Vincent said he doesn’t want sympathy but hopes for understanding of how he succumbed to the temptation to fix matches. Vincent said he was motivated by greed when he first became involved in fixing while playing in the unsanctioned Indian Cricket League. He was approached by a bookmaker who offered him $15,000 and the services of a prostitute to manipulate the outcome of games. Vincent reported the approach to a fellow player who he trusted, but found that player was already a match fixer. “Being around this person who oozed self-confidence and self-esteem was uplifting,” he was quoted as saying. “I went to this person’s room, explained my situation, then he paused, looked up and said ‘that’s great, a good cover because now you’re working for me and we’re going to be fixing matches.” “Try saying no to that. He said the ICL was unsanctioned, like backyard cricket, exhibition stuff, so fixing was OK and he’d pay me $50,000 per game.” Vincent variously refers to the player involved as “The Don” or “My Hero.” He said the player threatened him with a cricket bat when a fix failed because of his mistakes. Vincent said he renewed his arrangement with the player involved when he went on to play for Lancashire in English county cricket. He admits approaching his Lancashire teammate, England player Mal Loye and offering him money to fix matches. Loye refused and reported the approach to the England and Wales Cricket Board. On Tuesday the ECB banned Vincent for life from all involvement in cricket after he pleaded guilty to 18 fixing chargers relating to county matches. Vincent describes the intricate system under which payments for his services were made. “One time I was given an address at an industrial site in Birmingham,” he said. “I went to a pre-instructed street number and knocked. I heard a latch and then the door opened and I walk into a small laundry. An elderly Indian couple in their 60s or 70s welcomed me. I’d been rung to say pick out any 20 pound note, and text the barcode to a bookie. I passed it on to these guys to verify my entrance. They said ‘there’s your bag of cash’ and off I went.” Source: The Indian Express
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Giles not shy of taking 'strong' coaching decisions despite 'nice guy' reputation (2015-08-12T19:04:00+05:30)
London (ANI): England's limited overs coach Ashley Giles has claimed that he is not afraid of making tough coaching decisions despite his 'nice guy' reputation if he is appointed as the team's new head coach. Giles said that while coaching Warwickshire County Cricket Club for five years, he had to make some tough decisions and he went ahead with them. According to the BBC, the limited-overs coach said that people say a lot about his style of coaching, whether he is tough enough, but he claims that he can make 'strong decisions'. Giles also said that if does not make those tough calls, his superiors will make judgements about his style of coaching, the report added. (ANI) Source: Article, Image: photobucket.com
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Players believe pink ball isn’t yet ready for Test cricket: ACA (2015-04-20T14:28:00+05:30)
By: Reuters | Published on:July 1, 2014 3:25 pm The Australian Cricketers’ Association says the pink ball is not ready for day-night Tests and have cautioned administrators not to rush into the concept. Australia trialled night sessions using the pink ball during the domestic Sheffield Shield season and has mooted hosting a first day-night Test against New Zealand in November 2015. “The overwhelming majority of players believe the pink Kookaburra ball isn’t yet ready for Test cricket,” ACA chief executive Paul Marsh said in a statement on the association’s website on Tuesday (www.auscricket.com.au). “They’ve told us that it went soft very quickly, didn’t swing, didn’t seam and didn’t reverse swing. As such it is a ball that is very difficult to get batsmen out with, but also difficult to score runs against because it gets soft quickly.” “Only 11 percent of players rated last season’s Sheffield Shield trial a success and just a quarter felt it provided a fair contest between bat and ball.” “These stats are significant because they challenge the notion that Day/ Night Tests are a fait accompli.” “The enthusiasm some have for the concept is understandable, however, in the ACA’s view the possibility of improved short-term commercial outcomes should not be enough to force this on the game prematurely.” Cricket Australia and other administrations have weighed the concept for a number of years, hoping to tap into the possibility of broadcast dollars from bigger television audiences at home and abroad. Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen is among those far from bowled over by the innovation. “Day/night Test cricket – what a joke! Hope all statistics start again then!” the South Africa-born player who was controversially dumped in the wake of England’s Ashes debacle earlier this year, said on his Twitter page. “Public don’t watch cos there is too much cricket! And it’s expensive! Play less & public will be more interested!” wrote the 104-test veteran, whose crowd-pulling aggressive batting is now confined to 20/20 leagues and county cricket. Source: Article
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Book Review - Lost in the Long Grass by John Barclay (2015-03-29T13:46:00+05:30)
By Peakfan: John Barclay was a teenage prodigy who perhaps never lived up to that early promise. He first played for Sussex at the age of 16 and played for England Young Cricketers in the same side as our own Geoff Miller. Both went on to give sterling service to their counties, although Miller's off spin developed more and he had the international career that never came Barclay's way. The latter developed into a gritty opening batsman and bowled his off spin well enough to take over 300 first-class wickets. The self-doubt that perhaps acted as a barrier to progress runs through this book, as does an endearing, self-deprecating style that sees him never take his life too seriously, though hinting at bouts of depression that have been more commonly acknowledged in recent years. Barclay's strength was as a captain of considerable flair and skill, who got the best out of his team and was prepared to be unconventional and innovative to do so. He was, in short, a cricketer of considerable intelligence, who went on to become a respected administrator of the game; all of which makes the quality of this book no real surprise. Source: Derbyshire Cricket, Read More<<<<
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Dilshan signs for Derbyshire (2015-03-27T13:33:00+05:30)
By Peakfan: 161 not out, 44, 62 and 104...That's the last four Word Cup innings played by Tillakaratne Dilshan. And he's coming to Derbyshire... One of the giants of the modern game, Dilshan will play all formats for the club in two stays during 2015, news that will doubtless excite all supporters. At 38, the player's recent scores suggest that he is still at the height of his considerable powers and his presence, especially in one-day cricket, will add considerably to the batting firepower. Dilshan has over a hundred centuries to his name in all cricket and has earned a reputation as one of the finest and most destructive opening batsmen in the world game. Anyone who saw him demolish Mitchell Johnson with six successive fours in an over a couple of weeks back will be well aware that this is not a star living off past glories, but a player who can make a big difference to our one-day ambitions, especially in T20. A typically wristy batsman from the east, blessed with the crucial gift of timing, he will be well worth the admission fee. Failure to fully utilise the early power plays in an innings has cost us dear in T20 and too often we have limped along at six an over. losing wickets in the process, while our opponents have raced away with ten an over or more. If we can find the 'death bowler' alluded to by Graeme Welch a month or two back, T20 afternoons and nights could be quite special down Derby way. Source: Derbyshire Cricket, Image, Read More: <<<<, Image: http://photobucket.com
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Kevin Pietersen dumps IPL for England (2015-03-26T19:02:00+05:30)
Kevin Pietersen has been released from the bulk of his Indian Premier League contract and is set to return to county cricket with an aim to play for England again. Pietersen said that he has pulled out of his IPL contract, clearing the first hurdle in his bid to make an international comeback 14 months after he was sacked by the ECB. After two weeks of negotiations with the BCCI and his IPL franchise, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Pietersen has finally been given permission to miss the upcoming IPL-8 season, although a clause has been written in the deal which may require him to return for five days (from May 19) for the knockout stages if Hyderabad get that far, the Telegraph reported. His advisors will now look to tie up a deal with Surrey over the next 48 hours after Pietersen decided to play county cricket in order to give himself a chance of returning to the England set up in the future. “I am hugely grateful for all the support and understanding I have received from everyone at the Sunrisers and the IPL,” said Pietersen. “My focus is now very much on the upcoming season in England and I’m absolutely determined to score as many runs as possible. “I have never made any secret of my overwhelming desire to once again represent England and I’m going to do everything in my power to earn a recall to the international set-up. “To once again put on that England shirt would be a privilege and an honour, but now I have to focus on performing domestically and give myself the best possible chance. “Negotiations have taken longer than expected but Pietersen signed a legally binding contract with the IPL when he was bought in the player auction last month and there was the possibility of legal action if he did not fulfill his commitments,” he added. Source: The Asian Age, Image: http://photobucket.com/
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Nathan Rimmington signs for T20 (2015-03-23T19:33:00+05:30)
By Peakfan: There will doubtless be those who, seeing the name of the player that Derbyshire have engaged as a 'death' bowler for T20, will ask a very short question. Who? On the face of it, Nathan Rimmington, at 32, isn't a household name. He is still five wickets short of a hundred in first-class cricket (though may reach that landmark in the Sheffield Shield final that starts this weekend) and has only 65 wickets in T20. The statistics aren't as impressive as those of, say, Tillakaratne Dilshan, where justification is unnecessary. But they don't tell the full story. That's because the more discerning will have seen Rimmington in action and know what an impressive bowler he is. Indeed, his efforts have led Western Australia to the Sheffield Shield final, taking 32 wickets at just 23 runs each, bowling with accuracy and hostility. His figures are better than both the highly-regarded Nathan Coulter-Nile and Michael Hogan, who has done so well over the past two summers here for Glamorgan. In T20, despite bowling at the start and end of the innings, he has conceded only just over seven runs an over and was the first man in Australian cricket to take a hat trick in both twenty and fifty over cricket. He is a very good and highly-skilled bowler, exactly the sort of man that Derbyshire need. I am surprised we have got him, as Hampshire had high hopes of engaging him for the summer and using the player's British passport to do so. He played one T20 match for them last year, but the southern county's loss is very much Derbyshire's gain. Earlier in his career he had serious injury issues, but has now come through these and become one of several talented and underrated seam bowlers who are just outside the national side but who have mastered the art of seam bowling. I wouldn't have said he was 'fast' - not Footitt fast - but he is quick enough to trouble good players and has enough command of the ball to get them out. There aren't many ahead of him in the Australian national averages and if that's not a recommendation, I don't know what is. There is an interesting T20 bowling tutorial by the player, sporting an impressive beard at the time, here In recent seasons we have largely lacked two things in T20 cricket. A batsman who could lead from the front and maximise the opening overs when the field has to be in, and a bowler who could keep his nerve when the opposition were going for it at the top and tail of their innings. Source: Derbyshire Cricket, Read More<<<<
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Australian Michael Cranmer impresses in seconds debut (2014-09-09T16:52:00+05:30)
If you were to look for a way to impress a county with a view to gaining a professional contract, then South Australian Michael Cranmer did just that for Derbyshire's second team against Lancashire second eleven today. Cranmer, a professional for Hoylandswaine Cricket Club in the Drakes Huddersfield Cricket League, made a stunning 171 from 221 balls as his side replied to Lancashire's 252 all out with 391-9. Tom Knight made 46 and Harvey Hosein 56. but it was all-rounder Cranmer, who bowls fast-medium, who caught the eye with a stunning display. 25 years old, he qualifies to play in the UK through an ancestral visa and, according to his club side's website, is assessing his future options at present after stunning success over three summers for them. In his first year he scored 667 runs at 33, as well as taking 70 wickets at 17 each. A shorter stint in 2012 saw him score 500 runs at 38, along with 26 wickets at 19, while 2013 saw 335 runs at 33 and 50 wickets at 13. This year he returned as captain and has been in spectacular form, taking his side to the allrounder.com T20 final last week with an extraordinary 138 from just 52 balls, with ten fours and fourteen sixes. His season highest score for the club is 186... Having played for South Australia and Australia Under-19s, the pedigree is there. Hat tricks, five-wicket hauls and centuries litter his career in A Grade and state second eleven cricket and he seems a player of genuine talent. Certainly, I would suggest - and not just on the basis of today's century, but on an excellent track record in two countries so far - he would be a very shrewd addition to the Derbyshire staff. I have no doubt that the Yorkshire connections on our coaching staff have been instrumental in getting him to Derby on trial, John Sadler having played for the same club. The next step would appear to get in for him quickly, before someone else does. A hard-hitting batsman and fast medium bowler. What's not to like? PS If anyone from Hoylandswaine Cricket Club comes across this piece, I'd love to hear from you! Source: Article
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Jonathan Trott stands down again after stress relapse (2014-07-01T15:37:00+05:30)
By: Agence-France Presse | London | Updated: April 19, 2014 4:20 pm, The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Friday confirmed that batsman Jonathan Trott is to take another break from allcricket with immediate effect. Trott, who pulled out of England’s tour of Australia and spent four months out of the game with what the ECB described as a “stress-related illness”, experienced a repeat of the same symptoms after playing for his county Warwickshire against Sussex on Wednesday. A statement released jointly by the ECB and Warwickshire said Trott “will now undergo further treatment to assist with his long-term rehabilitation.” Trott himself said: “It was with the best intentions and hope that I returned to cricketwith Warwickshire this month. Much to my disappointment, since my first game, I have felt the same anxieties that occurred during my time in Australia. “It is not fair on my team-mates or myself to continue when I am unable to function at 100 per cent. In order to play at the highest level you have to be at 100 per cent and be able to concentrate fully at all times. Sadly I am unable to do this. With this in mind I have decided it is best for all involved that I continue my recovery on the sidelines for the time being.” Trott, who turns 33 next week, pulled out of the Ashes tour after the first Test in Brisbane and spent four months away from the game working with a psychologist and the ECB’s medical team in a bid to rebuild his career. The South African-born player later described his Ashes exit as a case of “burn-out” and said he hoped to return to England duty this season, but his comeback with Warwickshire has lasted one game, in which he scored 37 and 26. Trott has played in 49 Tests for England, scoring nine centuries and 18 half-centuries. Trott was twice dismissed cheaply by fast bowler Mitchell Johnson in the first Ashes Test in Brisbane and appeared to struggle with the short ball. Speaking weeks before news of Trott’s relapse, former England captain Michael Vaughan had criticised the batsman for playing down the illness in a television interview. “I feel a little bit conned we were told Jonathan Trott’s problems in Australia were a stress-related illness he had suffered for years,” Vaughan said. “We were allowed to believe he was struggling with a serious mental health issue and treated him with sensitivity and sympathy. He was obviously not in a great place but he was struggling for cricketing reasons and not mental, and there is a massive difference. Source: The Indian Express
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