BCCI invites fresh applications for India coach role

In the wake of Anil Kumble’s withdrawal from the race, the BCCI has decided to invite fresh applications to pick India’s next head coach. The advertisement is likely to be out on Saturday. The new candidates will join the five already shortlisted candidates comprising Virender Sehwag, Tom Moody, Lalchand Rajput, Richard Pybus and Dodda Ganesh. The last date for submission of applications has been extended to July 9.The final shortlist will be then sent to the three-man cricket advisory committee comprising Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman, who will conduct interviews before sending their final choice to the BCCI. It is understood that the BCCI would ideally want the new coach to be in place in time for India’s tour of Sri Lanka, which his likely to start from July 19. But if the CAC is unable to make a choice by then, the BCCI is willing to wait longer.According to a BCCI official the main reason behind inviting fresh applications was the thought that a number of eligible candidates may not have applied since Kumble himself had re-applied for the post when the BCCI opened the process on May 25. Kumble, who had been recommended and finalised as the best choice last year by the CAC, enjoyed a highly successful run in his one-year term.He was once again the favourite from the six-man shortlist and the CAC endorsed his name to the BCCI subject to the widening rift between Kumble and Indian captain Virat Kohli being resolved. The CAC members met Kohli individually to ascertain the differences he had with Kumble’s style of coaching. The CAC conveyed to the BCCI that, in the best interest of Indian cricket, the differences needed to be sorted out before moving forward.The BCCI top brass – Amitabh Choudhary (secretary), Rahul Johri (CEO) and MV Sridhar (manager, cricket operations) – met Kohli and Kumble separately as well as together. Despite multiple meetings no solution was in sight. Kohli maintained his stance during his last meeting with the BCCI before heading to the Caribbean on Monday. Kumble, too, met the BCCI trio on the same day and felt he was not at fault. Kumble tendered his resignation the next morning and posted on Twitter that he had decided to step down since the “partnership” with Kohli had become “untenable”.

Broad and Fletcher condemn Gloucestershire to follow-on

ScorecardLuke Fletcher was among the wickets as Gloucestershire folded•Getty Images

Nottinghamshire seized the initiative on the second day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Gloucestershire at Trent Bridge.The unbeaten Division Two leaders reached 430 for 9 before declaring and then unleashing their potent attack upon the visitors.With Luke Fletcher taking 3 for 32, and England’s Stuart Broad bagging 3 for 40, Gloucestershire were skittled out for only 149 in just 44.1 overs.For the third match in a row Notts enforced the follow-on and reduced Gloucestershire to 37 for one in their second innings, still 244 runs behind.The morning had begun with Nottinghamshire resuming their first innings on 375 for 5 and the home county quickly sped to maximum batting points as Chris Read and Riki Wessels plundered 55 runs from the first 13 overs of the day.Read was dropped on 29 as Graeme van Buuren spilled a regulation offering at backward point as the Nottinghamshire skipper sliced Chris Liddle to backward point.Gloucestershire’s second bowling point was gifted to them as Wessels miscued Matt Taylor high to mid-off for 37. A decent short delivery from the same bowler then accounted for Read, who had made 36.The batsman had been hurried into taking evasive action but the ball brushed the bat face and carried through to the diving Phil Mustard.Craig Miles, who claimed 4 for 123, picked up his last wicket as an ugly swish from Brett Hutton ballooned straight up in the air for a regulation caught and bowled.Broad made just 5 and the declaration came moments after he’d sliced Kieran Noema-Barnett high to point.Gloucestershire’s hopes of a solid foundation were torn to shreds as Fletcher’s second delivery had Cameron Bancroft caught behind, giving Read his 900th first class catch for his county and an eventful first session was brought to a premature close as Broad bellowed a successful lbw appeal against Will Tavare.The first full over of the afternoon session brought the downfall of Chris Dent as the left-hander nicked Fletcher behind, for just a single.Bowling with good rhythm, despite the gusty conditions, Fletcher then reduced the visitors to 43 for four as he knocked over van Buuren’s middle and off stumps for 15.George Hankins also reached 15 before falling to Harry Gurney, with Read snaffling up his third catch of the innings.Phil Mustard, playing his 200th first class match, had a life on 17 when Wessels, at first slip, grassed an edge off Gurney.The Gloucestershire skipper advanced to 53 but then mistimed a pull off Broad and saw Fletcher take a fine diving catch at mid-on.Steven Mullaney enhanced his reputation as a partnership breaker by snaring two quick wickets. Noema-Barnett assisted the bowler by shouldering arms and losing his off stump for 14 and then Miles was caught behind for four.Chris Liddle was the last man to depart, slashing wildly at Broad and seeing the ball sail all the way into the hands of Cheteshwar Pujara at third man.Batting for a second time, in gloomy conditions with the floodlights burning brightly, Notts could afford to spill Dent on nought before Fletcher removed him for 2.The third stoppage of the day, at around 6.10pm, brought proceedings to a halt, with 15.3 overs still remaining.

Debutant Tye's five-for fashions Lions' first win

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details5:25

Hogg: McCullum took the game away from Pune

Gujarat Lions had picked up only one wicket in two matches this season. But Andrew Tye took five times as many – including a hat-trick, the second of the day – to record the best figures by an IPL debutant. His 5 for 17 was then followed by a typically brutal display of batting from the top order to ensure a perfect record against Rising Pune Supergiant after three matches so far.Good length = bad length
In the space of this past week, Lions have put on their two worst performances in the Poweplay. They leaked 73 runs in the season opener against Kolkata Knight Riders last Friday and now they gave up 64 to Rising Pune Supergiant. Their bowling attack largely consists of medium-pacers who, unless there is some sideways movement, can be lined up. All seven fours in the first six overs came off length balls. Two of the three sixes came off length balls. Praveen Kumar was carted for 25 runs in the fifth over. It had been 10 years since he had been that expensive in the IPL.The change up
Pune had just recorded their fastest fifty of the tournament – in 27 balls. They had to be slowed down and so Lions turned to the bowler with the best slower ball. A batsman can read the offcutter when the bowler’s wrist breaks. Ditto the legcutter. The back-of-the-hand slower ball is difficult largely because of the way it misbehaves off the pitch. But the knuckle ball is slightly different for much of its potency lies in making sure the batsman doesn’t pick it.As a batsman, 22 yards in front, it is hard to read the change in Tye’s grip and he doesn’t give anything away in his run up. He took four of his five wickets with that knuckle ball, including the one that sealed his second hat-trick of 2017.Tye’s introduction brought Lions back from the brink. They allowed only five of the 48 deliveries that followed the Powerplay to get to the boundary and in the 14th over the returning Ravindra Jadeja dismissed MS Dhoni for the second time in the IPL. The wicketkeeper-batsman fell for 5 off eight balls, his third successive innings at a strike-rate below 100.From 120 for 5, even a solid partnership of 47 runs in 29 balls between Manoj Tiwary and Ankit Sharma – one of six changes to the XI – could only take Pune to 171.The top-order threatLions’ specialist openers made 762 runs in 2016 – that’s 30% of the team’s total runs. Stopping them had to be Pune’s best chance to defend 171. But, on a slow pitch, they fed Brendon McCullum and Dwayne Smith with fast bowling. It proved a costly mistake. Both of them were set by the time Imran Tahir came on to bowl and the legspinnner was smashed for 15 runs in his first over. He would be hit for 10 boundaries in his spell – the most he has conceded in all the matches he has played in the IPL and for South Africa.With the main threat decimated, all Lions had to do was trust in their batting depth. They had pushed Aaron Finch down the order because among their four overseas openers he handles spin best – averaging 27.73 and striking at 129. He and Raina, the first man to play 150 IPL games, saw this one through to the finish.

Bangladesh reject invitation to tour Pakistan

Bangladesh have refused to tour Pakistan for a proposed two-match T20I series sometime before July this year.In a bid to bring international cricket back to the country, the Pakistan Cricket Board had extended an invitation to their counterparts in the Bangladesh Cricket Board after they had successfully hosted the PSL final in Lahore three weeks ago. Among the people who were present at that game was Major AKM Anisud Dowla, a BCB representative.On Friday, Jalal Younis, the BCB’s media and communication committee chairman, told that, “the reports were not satisfactory enough due to which we had to pull back.”PSL chairman Najam Sethi was adamant about hosting the final in Lahore on March 5 and had taken extensive measures to ensure its security. There were bulletproof buses for the teams and five tiers of security extending 2 km from the Gaddafi stadium. Paramilitary forces and local policemen were on hand to monitor the situation as well. The ICC security advisor Sean Norris, who also attended the PSL final, is expected to submit his report of the night at the ICC board meeting in April.Pakistan are scheduled to tour Bangladesh in July and the PCB is seeking a part of the revenue generated from the series. They believe they are owed compensation for the BCB rejecting invitations to play in Pakistan for the last six years.”We want to host Bangladesh but its chances are not bright,” PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan had said recently. “Some of our friends think they may tour but I feel they will not because of political concerns more than security concerns. But during ICC meeting I will speak to my Bangladesh counterpart and may re-negotiate our tour to Bangladesh this year and ask them to compensate us for not touring Pakistan.”On their last visit to Bangladesh in 2015, the PCB had reportedly taken USD 325,000 and justified it by saying the series had “technically” been Pakistan’s home series. This year the BCB has rejected all proposals to share revenue although they were open to playing at a neutral venue if necessary.The PCB, however, are not keen on that option. It is understood that they feel hosting teams like Bangladesh and Zimbabwe in the UAE – their adopted home – is not financially viable.Relations between the Pakistan and Bangladesh boards have been sour in the past. During the Zaka Ashraf regime, the PCB had stopped communications with the BCB and barred its cricketers – who had already been auctioned to various teams – from featuring in the Bangladesh Premier League.Bangladesh are the fourth team – after West Indies, Ireland and Sri Lanka – to reject travelling to Pakistan in the last two years. Nevertheless, the PCB is looking to build on hosting an incident-free PSL final by inviting a team of international cricketers to play a T20 series in September. Their ultimate goal, however, is to have a Full Member nation tour Pakistan. Zimbabwe, who were the first team to play international cricket in the country since the 2009 Lahore attacks, had hinted at their willingness to tour again. But the PCB are hoping for more high-profile options.

Northants bring Taylor into coaching set-up

Northamptonshire have confirmed the signing of former England batsman James Taylor as part of their coaching team. Taylor, who was forced to retire from a playing career at 26 when he was diagnosed with a heart condition known as ARVC (Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy) at the beginning of the 2016 season, will work as a consultant throughout the club’s Royal London One-Day Cup campaign.Since his enforced retirement, Taylor has worked as a pundit on television and radio, alongside various coaching commitments, which have included regular sessions with the academies at Nottinghamshire, his former club, and Yorkshire. Last October, he was invited to a training camp at the ECB’s National Cricket Performance Centre in Loughborough to share his expertise with England’s most promising talents as part of the Young Lions programme.”I’m excited,” Taylor said of his role with Northants. “They are a skilful side who have clearly done well in one-day cricket in the past. I spent a bit of time commentating at the County Ground last season and am keen to offer up my expertise to the squad. Whilst my focus will no doubt be on the batsmen, I will be on hand to assist across all areas. I can’t wait to get started”In the limited-overs formats, Taylor’s ability to assess conditions, analyse risk and play to the situation saw him excel as a captain and batsman. He averaged 43.23 in a 27-match ODI career, which included scoring a match-winning century against Australia in the summer of 2015, batting smartly on an Old Trafford pitch on which only three others passed 50 and no one else passed 63. On his last appearance for England, against South Africa A, he scored 116 (only two others passed fifty). He was unlucky not to register a century against Australia at the 2015 World Cup after a botched umpiring decision left him stranded on 98 not out.Domestically, there were few better. Taylor, who came through at Leicestershire, averaged above 50 in all but one of his eight English summers – the exception coming in 2009, when he averaged 46 – and he was a vital cog in a dynamic Nottinghamshire side that won the YB40 in 2013, contributing 585 runs at 73.12. Taylor’s List A career average of 53.11 from 131 innings, which included 15 centuries and five fifties, is the fourth highest of all time.Northamptonshire captain Alex Wakely was effusive in his praise for Taylor. “He’s played all around the world and is one of the best players there is,” Wakely told ESPNcricinfo. Many of the Northants squad are familiar with Taylor, having played with and against him. Wakely also captained Taylor at England Under-19 level.James Taylor averaged 43.23 for England in ODIs•Getty Images

Northants’ white-ball success has primarily come in Twenty20 cricket, with the club winning the NatWest T20 Blast in 2013 and 2016, and finishing as losing finalists in 2015. While they did reach the quarter-final of the Royal London Cup last year, losing to Surrey off the final ball by one wicket, they have struggled to translate their 20-over form into 50-over success.But with the Royal London Cup now in a block at the beginning of the season – the group matches will be played between April 27 and May 17, with the knockout stages taking place at the beginning of June and the final on July 1 – Northants are keen to give the competition their undivided attention. They hope Taylor’s nous, added to an already vibrant and effective white-ball squad, can help win their first piece of List A silverware since the 1992 NatWest Trophy.”One of the things we, as a club, want to get better at is our 50-over cricket,” Wakely said. “Our record over the last 10 years is not great. We believe now we’ve got decent depth in all departments to be successful in all three formats.”Taylor will be with the club for most of their Royal London Cup programme and will work alongside former Northants stalwart David Sales, who took on a role as batting coach over the winter. Sales, who spent almost 20 years at the county as a player and is regarded by many as one of the finest English batsmen to never win an international cap, will work on a part-time basis over the summer alongside his commitments as coach at Wellingborough school.Northamptonshire’s head coach, David Ripley, said: “James has a fantastic 50-over record, averaging over 50 which is obviously outstanding. It’s very unfortunate for James not to be playing anymore, but it’s great to see his desire to still be involved with the game. I believe he can offer good advice, and relay his one-day cricket experiences on to our batsmen.”David has been working part-time with the batters since January focusing on improving more of the technical aspects of their game. I believe his cricket brain and experience are a real positive for the squad and will go a long way to improving their overall game.”

Libby carries Notts – and almost carries bat

ScorecardJake Libby almost carried his bat [file picture]•Getty Images

Jake Libby went close to carrying his bat for Nottinghamshire in their Specsavers County Championship match against Durham at Chester-le-Street.But after batting for three full sessions to make 144 the 23-year-old opener was last out with the total on 313, a lead of 69.The Durham openers then put on 67 but they ended the day on 83 for three, only 14 ahead, with Keaton Jennings unbeaten on 34.Mark Stoneman edged Steven Mullaney to slip for 39, then Scott Borthwick fell for nought when he padded up to a straight one from Harry Gurney.With three overs left Imran Tahir came on and skidded a quicker one through an attempted pull to bowl Jack Burnham for three.Libby’s progress has stuttered, partly through injury last year, since he made a century on debut at the end of the 2014 season. This was only his second hundred since, but easily beat his previous best of 108.Durham were guilty of feeding his strength as he scored the vast majority of his runs through the leg side, with the most memorable of his 11 fours being a back-foot punch through mid-on.Having reached 50 off yesterday’s penultimate ball, he completed his 191-ball century just before lunch and was lbw to Paul Coughlin in the last over before tea.Libby was badly missed on 87 by Michael Richardson, who had just been posted at leg gully, and survived a more difficult chance to Borthwick at slip on 116.Otherwise he looked well capable of becoming the solid opener Nottinghamshire have craved, and they would have been in trouble without him, despite Michael Lumb’s fluent 82.Lumb edged a drive to second slip when Graham Onions went round the wicket, then Brendan Taylor sliced to backward point before Libby and Samit Patel set out to build steadily.They had put on 82 in 32 overs when Jennings came on for a couple of overs before the new ball and his fifth ball skidded through low to bowl Patel for 37.That sparked the loss of the last six wickets for 45 as Chris Read and the two Lukes, Wood and Fletcher, all fell to the new ball.Imran Tahir saw off Onions and Chris Rushworth, who finished with three wickets each, only to drive Borthwick to extra cover. Libby departed in the next over.

Variations and adjustments help Chase find success

Roston Chase, the 24-year-old West Indies batting allrounder, had endured an underwhelming debut in the first Test against India in Antigua. He scored 23 and 8, sent down 34 fruitless overs, giving away 102 runs.However, Chase put the disappointment behind and picked up his maiden five-wicket haul on Monday in India’s first innings score of 500 for 9 at Sabina Park. “It is a great feeling to get five wickets in any match, but at Test level, it is a great feeling for me,” he said. “I have just started my Test career and it is a great confidence boost for me that I can do it at this level.”Chase had earned his maiden call-up to the Test side after a good run in the WICB’s regional first-class tournament in which he was fourth on the run-scoring charts with 710 runs at 59.16.In Kingston, West Indies were made to earn every wicket as India’s batsmen mentally wore them down by displaying ample patience and discipline in their defence and shot-making. “Yes, it was hard for me. It’s Test cricket, so you are never taught that it will be easy,” Chase admitted. “But [in] the first game, I found out that my line was a bit too wide. So I adjusted my line and length in this match and the skipper told me to do that – to attack the batsmen more and hold a tighter line, and it worked for me.”Chase, whose wickets included those of Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli, felt that variations helped him improve in this game, and cutting down on pace helped him extract more turn. “As I am 6’4″, I tend to get a lot of bounce, but I found that I wasn’t only getting bounce this time but I was also getting some turn as well, so that helped me a lot,” he said. “I was spinning some balls and straightening some of them as well. I also tried to vary my pace in the game as I found that in the last match, I was a bit too quick. So when I slowed the ball down, I got more results in the match.”Chase turned his arm over for 36.1 overs, the most for his team in India’s first innings, but said he was used to it despite being in the side as a batting allrounder. “I am mainly a batsman, but earlier, in our local first-class season, I wasn’t bowling a lot earlier on. But some of our players left for West Indies duty, so that’s when I got an opportunity to express myself as a bowler. I am a bit accustomed to bowling now.”While there was uncertainty on the weather front due to expected tropical storms, West Indies may have to bat for a significant amount of time, rain interruptions notwithstanding, with two days left in the match. With a 304-run deficit after India’s declaration, Chase admitted that they would need more than the odd spark of brilliance.”We are a bit behind the eight-ball, but I believe that once the team pulls together, we have been seeing glimpses in the first game and this game that we have the ability to compete at this level. But we just need to streamline it a bit more so that we can have a better collective effort. As I said, we have had some glimpses, but we just have to streamline it and we will be fine”.

Nerveless Wheal crushes Sussex run chase

ScorecardRoss Taylor could not get Sussex over the line•Getty Images

A low-scoring classic at Hove saw Sussex Sharks snatch defeat from the jaws of victory as a floundering middler order saw them make a mountain out of a low target set by Hampshire. A simple chase of 135 from 20 overs took a turn when Sussex’s batsmen only managed five runs from three overs, in which they lost the wickets of Matt Machan and Chris Jordan.That meant 23 needed off the final three overs, which soon became 17 off 11 when Dawson caught Craig Cachopa at deep third man off the bowling of Gavin Griffiths. The silver lining of the wicket meant Ross Taylor found himself back on strike. Three fours in the remaining five balls of the penultimate over meant a manageable five off the final six.With three needed from the final two deliveries, Taylor went to lap Brad Wheal around the corner, only for the ball to pass him and leg stump through to the keeper. No wide was signalled and, with a cracking yorker, Wheal sealed a one-run win for Hampshire. Sussex Sharks skipper Luke Wright, while questioning the wide decision did not shy away from the brutal truth that Sussex lost this match through their own inexcusable carelessness.Even Matt Prior, watching on from the stands, could not bite his tongue when Sussex’s middle order woes were put to him, suggesting that he was prepared to help – although stopping short of saying in quite what capacity.While Griffiths returned three figures, it was 19-year-old Wheal that influenced where this game was headed. It was not just his ability to send the ball down consistently above the 85mph mark but his knack of second-guessing the batsmen to return 14 dot balls. Bowling Luke Wright for just nine and then trapping Machan in front just as he looked to steer the game away from Hampshire were marquee wickets.Having chosen to bat, Hampshire posted an under-par target with a batting effort that went some way to explaining why they were rooted to the bottom of the South Group before the match. It makes for unsettling viewing. In an era when the phrase “Moneyball” has been bastardised to the extent that you could get away with applying the phrase to a petrol station meal deal, they were one of the few sides that appreciated the analytics and application of T20 theorems. This will be the first season in the last eight in which they have not made it out of the group stages.Liam Dawson, morphing from one of English cricket’s “most improved” to “most valuable” white ball cricketers, cast as many disapproving looks to teammates as boundaries. Miscommunication with Tom Alsop and Shahid Afridi saw both run out embarrassingly, leaving him to pick up the pieces.Former Barbados under-19 Jofra Archer made his T20 Blast debut and, in his second over, picked up the wicket of Adam Wheater, with Chris Jordan taking the catch. It was Jordan who spotted Archer and recommended that Sussex make use of his British passport and bring him to Hove. Judging by the chain and chunky golden watch, Jordan may accessorise him, too.When he wasn’t encouraging Archer, he was showing him how it’s done. Four overs returned two for 14, as Jordan toyed with the tail when he finished his set with the 17th and 19th overs. His part in the game did not end with the ball, as he made an appearance in the 16th over of the chase, in at No. 6, as Sussex began to get stage fright.Three sixes – Taylor hitting Tino Best into the flats out at midwicket and Machan taking two in a row off Dawson – gave Sussex a degree of insurance. So, too, did Chris Nash’s 32 off the top of the innings. But a game that by Wright’s estimation should have been won in the 18th over slipped through their fingers in embarrassing fashion.It has been a strange season for Sussex: one which started with talk of an all out attack on the sole promotion spot out of Division Two and now, in the midst of the county summer’s own silly season, has them assessing how many eggs to place in each basket. Promotion is still not out of the question. But the uncertain weather and sheer effort needed to win four day games on down-trodden tracks means they will have to embark on an unheard of run in their final 10 matches to take them back to the top division.In the short term, staying in the hunt for T20 success means placing everything on beating Essex Eagles, Surrey and Glamorgan – all of whom sit above them in the group. They are still in control of their own destiny to a point but have lost all wiggle room.

Mutumbami out of second T20I with hip injury

Zimbabwe batsman Richmond Mutumbami has been ruled out of the second T20I against India due to a right hip injury, which he picked up during the first T20I.Batting at No. 3, Mutumbami was struck on the right hip by a back-of-a-length delivery from Jaydev Unadkat in the sixth over. The blow left him doubled up in pain for several minutes, before he had to be helped off the field.X-rays in hospital showed that Mutumbami had not suffered a fracture or dislocation, Zimbabwe Cricket said in a release, but he will use crutches to take the strain off his hips during his recovery period. His condition will be re-assessed prior to the third T20I, scheduled for June 22.Wicketkeeper-batsman Peter Moor is likely to take Mutumbami’s place in the XI.Meanwhile, the release also said that batsman Brian Chari was making steady progress in his recovery from a knee injury. He was not yet ready for selection, though.

Vernon Philander eyeing Test allrounder role

Vernon Philander is looking to reinvent himself as a Test allrounder as he seeks to regain his place in the South Africa team. Philander sat out most of the 2015-16 summer after tearing ankle ligaments during the warm-ups before the Bangalore Test in November. The injury kept him out of seven of the eight Tests in the season and all the limited-overs fixtures, and saw him lose ground to a younger crop, including Kagiso Rabada. But Philander is hopeful he can still bring something to the national side.”What I do is unique: I do what I do. When it comes to the batting side of things, that’s a bonus as well,” Philander said at a sponsorship announcement on Wednesday. “We are all different types of bowlers in that set-up. It’s all about combinations at the end of the day. I’ve played a couple of crucial innings towards the back end. Batting at No.8 is just unique. If you have a guy who can bat at 8, that makes a difference. So yes, my all-round ability is something, I would like to see that still being part of the fold. That’s what I bring to the party.”Not only was Philander the fastest South African to 100 Test wickets but he has also scored four fifties in 32 Tests. With South Africa’s Test slide from No.1 to No.6 in the space of five months, it’s easy to see why they might want to recall someone with Philander’s record. However, with Dale Steyn back in the Test frame, Philander will need to replace one of the other pacers, such as Kyle Abbott. South Africa are still searching for an allrounder and they last used Chris Morris in the role but Philander hopes he can claim that spot despite a lack of recent game time.Since his injury, Philander has played only two first-class matches for his franchise but believes he has recovered well enough to be recalled. “The first match was touch-and-go from the mental side of things. The second one was much better,” he said. “I have been working hard in the gym. I am getting tired of the gym actually. The body is feeling good and I am looking forward to the season.”In the two matches, Philander bowled 33 overs and took five wickets at an economy of 2.18, showing signs of his usual miserly self. He also scored 64 runs in three innings. Philander had secured a short county stint, but failed to get a deal and was also not selected for South Africa’s ODI tri-series in the Caribbean next month. Instead, he hopes he will be picked for the A side and then the Test side to play two matches against New Zealand in August.”I know there is an A side tour going to Zimbabwe and I will probably want to play those four-day games before the New Zealand series, if selected. I am probably looking to get ready for that.”

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