Can Kallis make a U-turn?

He may have hit one of the roughest patches in his career, but Jacques Kallis, in the past, has shown he can recover spectacularly

Cullinan: Kallis should assess where his career is

At Mark Boucher's tribute dinner recently, he wished his best friend Jacques Kallis "best of luck for the next 20 years of your international cricket career". Amid laughter Kallis responded he would either stop enjoying it or stop contributing if he keeps playing to offer some reassurance to the audience. Those people may revisit that evening and wonder what Kallis thinks about that quip now.

A golden duck at the Wanderers - only the second of his career - is not a reason to condemn the man widely acknowledged as the best cricketer South Africa has ever produced to retirement. But because it's part of a streak in which he has only gone into double figures only once in the last six Test innings, it is an indication of something worrying.

Kallis has had the leanest Test year in 2013, for years in which he has played more than one match. In seven Tests, he's managed only 160 runs at an average of 16.00. He has not scored a century for the first time in a calendar year since 1997. In the three years preceding this one, he has averaged over 50.00.

More alarming than the sudden dip will be the manner in which he has been dismissed. In the five of his last six Test innings, including today Kallis has been out lbw to deliveries that have come into him, even if only slightly. On every occasion, he has played across the line and been late on the shot.

No example of that was clearer than today. Ishant, having bowled Hashim Amla the ball before, follow-up perfectly. He kept it full and directed it straight. Kallis looked a little slow on the shot, played across and knew he was out as soon as the ball struck the pad.

The method of dismissal could be a reflection of Kallis battling to judge the line quickly enough or simply a sign that he is short on confidence early on in his innings. As one of the most technically correct batsman around, it's likelier it is the second. That would not be too surprising considering the year Kallis has had.

He has been betwixt and between in terms of how he wants to manage what he admits are the twilight years of his career. Having said he wants to play one-day cricket, with the eventual aim of turning in the 2015 World Cup, Kallis initially made himself available for the Champions Trophy. He withdrew on the eve of the squad announcement citing a need for a break.

Since then, he has recommitted to the ODI team but his comeback has not been as successful as he would have liked. After being absent from the fifty-over squad for 19 months from March 2012, he scored a half-century on his comeback against Pakistan, but managed just 26 runs in the three innings after that.

South Africa rested him as soon as the series against both Pakistan and India were decided. While missing out on the Pakistan game with the series lost appeared a genuine attempt in managing Kallis workload, leaving him out of the India game could have been the selectors way of kindly nudging him to the exit sign in that format.

But if Kallis' career needs clipping, that should be the extent for now because Kallis still has plenty to offer in the longest format. He has had lean patches in Tests before - most recently at the end of 2011 when he scored just one half-century in seven innings - and recovered spectacularly. So there is reason to believe he will do it again.

Then, there were also concerns about his reaction times as well, particularly because he was being peppered with short balls by a young, quick Australian pack. Matters came to a head when Kallis recorded his first pair against Sri Lanka in Durban, some said his shelf life was over. Kallis responded with a double hundred in Cape Town and centuries on all three of the tours that followed.

The fourth visit - to the UAE a year later - did not bring the same success. With three single-figure scores and no wickets, statistically Kallis had the worst outing of his career. When Graeme Smith was asked if it was cause for concern, he brushed it off, adamant that the desire to continue playing at the highest level was still high for Kallis. No-one can doubt the hunger remains and the second innings may be the perfect opportunity to begin satiating the appetite.


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SSC, NCC, Colts and Ragama in semis

Sinhalese Sports Club, Colts Cricket Club, Nondescripts Cricket Club and Ragama Cricket Club will contest the semi-finals of the Premier Limited Overs competition, after finishing in the top two of their groups at the end of the round-robin phase. Both semi-finals will be played at the Premadasa Stadium with Colts taking on NCC on December 21, before SSC face Ragama on December 23.

Group B


Opening the batting in his first match of the tournament, Mahela Jayawardene hit 90 from 83 for SSC, who moved to the top of their group with a 38-run Duckworth-Lewis win over Moors Sports Club. His 133-run opening stand with Danushka Gunathilaka, who scored an unbeaten 75, effectively set up the victory. SSC had been chasing 277, but their innings was cut short by bad weather at 38 overs. Having lost only two wickets at that stage, their 215 runs comfortably secured the match.

Allrounder Chaturanga de Silva's 71 from 67 balls and Isham Ghouse's 57 had provided the substance in Moors' innings, as they amassed what was a commanding score of 276 for 8 by this season's standards. Seam bowlers Dhammika Prasad and Charith Jayampathi struck at various stages of the innings to take five wickets between them. In the end, SSC's bowlers had done enough to ensure a top order strengthened by Jayawardene's arrival would secure their place atop the table.

Ports Authority Cricket Club finished just outside the reckoning for the semi-finals in their group, despite a low-scoring three-wicket win over Bloomfield Cricket Club, at Bloomfield's ground. Seam-bowler Isuru Udana did not open the bowling, but it was he who sparked a Bloomfield collapse that would see them sink to 58 for 5, before finishing at 127 all out in the 34th over. Udana took 3 for 33 and left-arm spinner Anuk de Alwis also claimed three wickets, for 37 runs.

Ports Authority wobbled early in their chase, losing both openers in the fourth over to Suraj Randiv's offspin. However they regrouped through Sachithra Serasingha's 45 lower down the order. Ports Authority lost two wickets when tied with Bloomfield, making the result seem closer than it was, but they completed the chase in the 32nd over.

Tamil Union Cricket Club ended a disappointing tournament with a 196-run victory over the group's bottom team, Chilaw Marians, at the P Sara Oval. The victory was Tamil Union's second in the competition, and was set up by a opener Pabasara Waduge's 120 from 122 balls - an innings that featured 17 fours. Several other Tamil Union batsmen got starts but none crossed 40, as they strode to 300 for 9 from 50 overs. Seam bowler Saliya Saman took 3 for 54 for Chilaw.

Legspinner Jeevan Mendis collected five wickets for 12 as Chilaw unraveled quickly during their reply. The visitors had been 50 for 2 in the 15th over before Mendis began to strike, and he wrapped up Chilaw innings for 104 in the 34th over with some help for Ramith Rambukwella, who claimed two scalps.

Group A

Air Force Sports Club recorded a 40-run victory over Badureliya Sports Club, in a match in which neither team could hope to qualify for the semi-finals. Left-arm seam bowler Ruvinda Shamen took 5 for 32 for Badureliya after they had asked the opposition to bat first, but Sajith Kalumpriya struck 68 to help propel Air Force to 194 all out in the 47th over.

Badureliya lost both openers for ducks, inside the first two overs of their reply, and continued to stumble against seam bowler Lasanda Rukmal, who took 4 wickets for 58. Andy Solomons walloped 90 from 60 bakks and put on a 78-run stand with Leven Helambage for the fifth wicket, but it was not enough to save Badureliya, who finished bottom of the group.


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Hurting Philander eases South Africa's pain

Vernon Philander was suffering from a toothache last night but he was incisive with the ball, before shoring up a South Africa collapse with a defiant innings

'Philander ran in with purpose today'

Close to midnight after the first day of the Test, something was bothering Vernon Philander. "Toothache … you are starting to annoy the shit out of me now," he tweeted as the hour approached. "24 hour dentist, where are you? Sandton."

By the morning, Philander was ready to take his irritation out on someone. It showed in the first ball he delivered: short, outside off, seaming in a touch and drawing a careful push from Ajinkya Rahane. It showed even more the next delivery, which reared up and jagged away, forcing Rahane to play. It set the tone - as Allan Donald had asked his quicks to do - for the morning.

With a covering of cloud, moisture heavy in the air and a pain in his tooth, Philander beat MS Dhoni's bat, squared him up, and attacked the stumps more than any of the South African bowlers had on the first day. Although he was not the man who claimed the Indian captain's wicket, his rewards rolled in after that.

Rahane was dismissed in typical Philander fashion - poking at one outside off stump that nipped away at the last second. Zaheer Khan was comically caught on the back foot as he tried to do something that resembled playing at one that wobbled in the densely damp air. Ishant Sharma's defences were breached by a ball that was perfectly directed at the top of off stump.

All three dismissals paid homage to the consistency of Philander's bowling, the subtlety of movement he produces and the uncertainty he creates in batsmen's minds. After dismissing Ishant, Philander stood one wicket away from collecting his 100th Test scalp. But for a Morne Morkel no-ball in the over that followed, he would have had a chance to reach the landmark, but the extra delivery Morkel bowled accounted for India's last batsman.

Philander still has the second innings and the smart money will be on him to claim his 100th. If he gets there, he will become the fastest South African to the landmark, reaching it in 19 Tests, one fewer than Dale Steyn.

Philander is already the joint second-fastest to 50 Test wickets. The rate at which he has racked up those numbers could easily conjure up an image of a snarling speedster who juggles the ball as he delivers it. Philander is not that. He succeeds through consistency. The first day of this Test aside, he rarely offers width or bowls what batsmen may call a 'hit-me' delivery. He is tireless in his ability to maintain a line on or just outside off and a good length. He may sometimes have a few things to say but nothing as hostile as his opening partner Steyn.

His success has literally been achieved through hard work and the 100th wicket will be another illustration of that. Before he gets there, Philander will concentrate on batting South Africa towards safety, which he has already set about doing. He regards himself as a genuine allrounder, and with two first-class hundreds and two Test fifties to his name, few will argue with that. This is another opportunity to show it.

Philander has batted with the maturity of a senior batsman, despite not being the specialist at the crease. He walked out with his team on 146 for 6 and needing consolidation. Faf du Plessis, who has not scored a half-century in seven Test innings, was with him.

Philander was greeted with an outswinger, one that came back in and a short ball, and negotiated all three with ease. While du Plessis spent time trying to get in, Philander kept the score moving to avoid a build up of pressure. He took risks - an expansive drive off Ishant that he inside-edged for four - and he showed off his prowess when he pulled Mohammad Shami, punched Ishant through point and flicked Zaheer Khan.

Because of Philander, du Plessis had the time to gain his confidence and South Africa remained alive in the match. Philander got the balance between caution and aggression right, treated the bowling with respect but punished it when he had the chance. "Having Faf and Vernon there has been a major help for us," Hashim Amla said. "If you think back to Lord's, Vernon batted really well and he did so here again on a wicket that has done a bit."

Against England last August, Philander had joined JP Duminy at the crease with South Africa on 163 for 6. Both batsmen scored 61 and their partnership gave South Africa a decent total. Philander's last day five-for also played a major part in South Africa winning the Test, the series and the coveted mace. "He has proven his worth as a bowler and batsman for us," Amla said.

His team-mates seemed to know little about the discomfort Philander was in today, with Amla saying he wasn't aware of the toothache. "I didn't know but he did pretty well. I don't think it's affected him too badly," he said. Philander was only due to see the dentist at the end of play today. Given the way he performed with the pain so far, Amla hinted his team-mates may not be too unhappy if he wasn't cured completely by the morning.


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Tenacious India seamers rewrite script

The team has slipped from promising positions in overseas Tests in the past, but the Zaheer Khan-led bowling attack helped India maintain a firm grip on the second day

Manjrekar: India batsmen had better footwork than SA

The first session of the second day had a bad old feeling for India. A movie seen before. A movie fresh in the mind.

In the first Test of their tour of Australia in 2011-12, India were 214 for 2 just before stumps on day two. Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid got two beauties either side of stumps, and India collapsed. India still came back in the match - they had Australia effectively at 78 for 4 in the second innings - but bowled poorly to Michael Hussey and Ricky Ponting. Never to come back in the series.

In the first Test of their tour of England, India troubled the hosts on day one but lost Zaheer Khan to injury. On the second day they had England at 62 for 5, but when they came back from lunch with a win still a remote possibility, India bowled Suresh Raina instead of an on-fire Ishant Sharma, and another big moment was lost. Two more big moments were lost in the next Test - the Stuart Broad-Graeme Swann partnership, and then a collapse with a big first-innings lead in sight. It all spiralled out of control after that.

On both tours, with those big moments lost, India didn't have the intensity, at times the fitness, and at others the skill, to come back. Days in the field became longer, batting innings passed in a blink of the eye, and India just kept running on the treadmill of defeat. After giving a good account of themselves on the first day - better than was expected but only good enough to keep the match in balance - India collapsed to a mix of good bowling and meek batting, in Zaheer's case. Zaheer came back well with the ball, almost had who is believed to be his bunny, Graeme Smith, but the catch was dropped. When they went into tea, India had only 162 runs in the bank, and were looking at a long South Africa batting line-up.

It was natural to be put in mind of the previous two tours. The two big moments were lost. Except that this time the 118 for 1 at tea did disservice to how well India had bowled. They had learned the lesson from the South Africa quicks, who bowled too short on day one and got all the wickets with fuller lengths on day two. Just that they had been unlucky at times. It would be a test of character, and also skill, to come back in the final session and keep the game alive.

The big difference here was that India still had a fit and intense three-man pace attack - the spinner not required so far might play a part in the final innings - and a lively pitch to work with. The last time Zaheer bowled more than 20 overs in a day's play was at MCG in 2010, when India lost those big moments. Even then his fitness and intensity were not quite in the clear. Today, after India had batted for more than an hour at the start of the day, Zaheer sent down 22 overs, the last as intense as the first, despite all the plays and misses and the drop catch. He was finally rewarded with Smith's wicket, 49 runs later than he should have been.

The rudder this attack badly needed had been provided by this new and fit Zaheer. He was not that great in the field, but the man has to pace himself. Zaheer has earned the right to such small allowances in an imperfect attack. Ishant and Mohammed Shami were no less intense. They kept bowling up, and not just floating it. There was a lot of emphasis on "right areas" in press conferences from India, but South African pitches need more. The more came from them. It took tenacity to keep at it despite being denied the results in the middle sessions. As it happens with Ishant, albeit not frequently enough, once he gets on a roll, things keep falling in place. Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis in two balls is as good as it gets in Test cricket. Shami delivered JP Duminy and AB de Villiers in the same over. India had come back from having lost the big moment. Those horrible memories were now being put back in the filing drawer.

It was not just the intensity. There was skill involved. On an outfield that had taken a lot of rain - fielders were slipping at its edge - India did something South Africa couldn't: reverse the ball. That added to the doubt for the batsmen. The ball was maintained superbly. The series was alive. This was reassurance that Virat Kohli's hundred on day one was not just a flicker. Even when Vernon Philander and Faf du Plessis got into a partnership, the field didn't spread out as was the case on those two previous two tours. The bowlers' intensity and fitness played a big part in it as did the fact that the pitch was offering some movement even with a 60-over-old ball.

That catch dropped by Rohit Sharma might still prove to be a big moment lost. Through that 67-run partnership between Philander and du Plessis, India will know beating South Africa - a 13-man team through the all-round roles of Kallis and de Villiers - in a Test is an incredibly difficult task. An extra batsman or an extra bowler pop out of nowhere to make you fight that extra fight. However, India have already not only exceeded expectations, they have done more than their bit to make this a classical Test.


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Ramdin, Chanderpaul halt collapse

Tea West Indies 142 for 5 (Chanderpaul 30*, Ramdin 30*) v New Zealand
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details

West Indies showed they could collapse regardless of the pitch, conditions or bowling. Put in on a slow surface that was nowhere close to being difficult for batting, they went from 77 for 1 to 86 for 5 in the space of 34 deliveries. On a day they could have dominated for once in the series, they consigned themselves to recovery mode. At tea, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Denesh Ramdin were doing a fine job, having added 56 for the sixth wicket.

The way the pitch played, New Zealand seemed to have made the wrong decision. The quick bowlers were hampered by the slowness, and some solid defensive batting from West Indies. Although there was swing available, there was much less bite in the pitch compared to Wellington.

Kraigg Brathwaite, playing his first Test since April 2012, helped the visitors navigate the first session for the loss of only Kieran Powell. Brathwaite and Powell survived for more than an hour without too many alarms and put on 41 before the latter departed, edging an attempted upper cut to the wicketkeeper off a Neil Wagner bouncer.

Most of the batsmen were to fall attempting strokes. It was Tim Southee who kickstarted the drama soon after lunch. Brathwaite had been tentative often but had survived through some pluck and some fortune. But when Southee dug it in short, Brathwaite's awkward style conspired to send the ball to gully.

Southee was bowling some big outswingers now, and Kirk Edwards feathered one of them behind while trying to leave it, and was given out after New Zealand reviewed.

Marlon Samuels flayed irresponsibly at his ninth delivery to edge to gully for a duck and Narsingh Deonarine missed a clip to be caught in front.

Yet again, it was down to Chanderpaul, and while he had a couple of close shaves against the legspinner Ish Sodhi, he wasn't going to throw it away easily on such a pitch. Refreshingly, even Denesh Ramdin wasn't willing to. The pair scored at a decent rate given the situation but West Indies had ceded too much advantage too soon, and there was a lot of catching up to do.


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South African quicks aim to refocus radar

Just as they did at The Oval last July, South Africa's quicks bowled too wide on the first day. Allan Donald hopes they can stage an Oval-style turnaround

Cullinan: 'Smith could've managed bowlers better'

M Vijay vigilantly watched half of the first over of this Test match sail past him. Dale Steyn was steaming in, swinging the ball away, and although he beat Vijay's outside edge once, he also provided enough room outside off stump to ensure the opener was not forced into a shot on three occasions. Eighty overs later, with Steyn taking hold of the second new ball, MS Dhoni watched four out of six balls carry through to AB de Villiers. Sandwiched between those two overs was the reason South Africa did not have more success on the opening day of this series: they did not make the Indian batsmen play enough and did not show enough discipline.

They bowled too wide of off stump and the unexpectedly stoic attitude from India's batsmen left the first day delicately balanced. It also highlighted South Africa's occasional lapses into lethargy, otherwise known as 'starting slowly.'

South Africa, by their own admission, sometimes stutter in their attempt to get off the blocks, especially if they have been on a break. They took half a Test to get into their groove in the UAE after a seven-month layoff, by which time the first match was all but lost. Then, they could not adjust to conditions quickly enough. Today, at the Wanderers, their showing was reminiscent of their display at The Oval last July.

England finished the first day 267 for 3, with Alastair Cook scoring a century. England had been allowed a free pass, as South Africa bowled without the attacking intent they had built their reputation on. Even though Allan Donald said then that they knew width was not an option, they persisted with a line outside the off stump and England's batsmen could settle.

Donald, South Africa's bowling coach, recognised the similarities between that day and this one immediately. "I went back to the day we had at The Oval where we asked the right questions to start with but at the same time, we were slightly wide and a little bit too short," he said.

India's openers left almost half of the first ten overs - 27 deliveries out of 60. Vijay spent 41 balls being watchful. He ignored anything he had to reach for, for more than an hour. He only faltered after being given a working over by Morne Morkel, who, as he did at The Oval, delivered the most impressive of South Africa's opening acts.

Morkel extracted steep bounce and used the short ball to good effect, directing it at the batsmen's bodies in the hope of getting them to fend to short leg. It almost worked. After Vijay was dropped at short leg, Morkel sensed he would be vulnerable and dished up the fuller one, which Vijay could not stop fishing at.

Mistakes like that were what South Africa were waiting for. At 24 for 2, with both India batsmen falling to a plan and the evidence of the one-day series still fresh in their minds, they could hardly be faulted for expecting more of the same. Cheteshwar Pujara only offered one chance - when he edged Morkel short of first slip - and even though Virat Kohli initially looked uncertain, especially against Morkel, he soon showed his prowess on the back foot.

With Pujara's determination and Kohli's strokeplay, the frustrators became the frustrated. Kohli had time to ease in and sensed it would get easier for him if he rode out the initial test. "I don't think they were threatening at all," he said. "It was all about respecting the conditions. After that, you have to respect yourself. You have to respect the good balls that are thrown at you and use your opportunity to hit when you could. Later on, they started bowling on fifth, sixth stump."

That was after lunch and it was when South Africa's day threatened to unravel. The usually impeccable line of Vernon Philander veered much wider than usual and the spinners, on a first-day Wanderers pitch, were ineffective and expensive. Imran Tahir's mash-up of long-hops and full tosses provided relief and runs for India, proving that patience pays.

Still, Donald said South Africa never felt India took the game away. "They fired down," he said. The run-out of Pujara and Kohli's soft dismissal kept South Africa on a fairly even keel. Despite Ajinkya Rahane being handed the same leeway, with South Africa offering as much, if not more, width at the end of the day as they did at the beginning, Donald was largely satisfied. "I will say I will take it. It was a mixture of asking the right questions but then being a bit sloppy in patches. There's no doubt we have to make a big play tomorrow."

For that, Donald will ask them to remember The Oval. South Africa surged back on the second day with much more conviction and purpose. The chat Donald had with them may have had something to do with it. "I went to bowlers individually and spoke to them," he said. "I chatted with Dale especially about setting the tone."

Led by a fired-up Steyn, South Africa took the last seven England wickets for 114 runs. "We locked in so well and didn't give England anything," Donald said. "That's what we have to do tomorrow. There is a lot riding on tomorrow's first session and how the bowlers set the tone."

In recent months, South Africa have not stacked up bad days and Donald is convinced that won't change, especially if he has something to do with it. "When we have a rusty day, we get back into things and we pride ourselves on how we find a way. We have done that successfully against teams all around the world. Tomorrow is another one of those days where we have to do it."


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Don't think SA quicks were threatening - Kohli

'Kohli showed tremendous adjustment'

After scoring a hundred in his first Test innings in South Africa, a knock that reminded Allan Donald of Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli displayed a sense of occasion befitting an elder statesman, and some anger at host broadcasters. Both motivate him, and should not be overly frowned upon. It was at Wanderers that Kohli was hit by a short ball in the ribcage - he was early on the pull - a clip that was shown during the third ODI with a caption that said "Virat Kotli - softened up." It was by all accounts a harmless piece of television to accompany a commentary discussion about getting hit on the body and then coming back, but it obviously rubbed India the wrong way.

At Wanderers again, Kohli pulled Dale Steyn for two fours, and Jacques Kallis for one. The third of these pulls was sumptuous, but not as spicy as Kohli's description of it. "Apparently I was pretty soft after the first ODI," Kohli said. "I always had it in mind that we were all going to get short stuff unless you attack them. So rather get out playing your shots than fishing outside the off stump. I was prepared and I was watching the ball closely. Later on they started bowling at the fifth-sixth [stump], so I don't know where that bodyline bowling went. It is all about dictating terms when you bat. You can't always play under pressure. Let them know you are here to compete. We have shown we have learnt from mistakes, we have practised hard. We stuck to plans, and you will see us improving as we play next."

Dictating the terms remained the refrain of the Kohli press conference. "I have been waiting for this opportunity to bat up the order," Kohli said. "It's something that I badly wanted to do in Test cricket because I am so used to going in at No. 3 in ODIs. I like to be in the action early on and get in while conditions are tough and then dictate terms. I had a plan in mind that I wanted to stick to, and wasn't thinking about bowling, conditions, or the wicket. I just wanted to execute my plan."

That does sound a bit like Ricky Ponting. There was more to come, without being disrespectful or obnoxious. "I don't think they were threatening at all," Kohli said of South Africa's attack. "They are quality bowlers, but it was about respecting the conditions early on when you went in and the kind of bowling you were facing after that. You have got to get in and back yourself throughout. If they are good enough to play at this level, so are you. I had that belief, but had to respect the good balls that are being thrown at you. At the same time, you have got to be aware of cashing in on opportunities that are presented. That was key to my knock today, I latched on to whatever chances came my way, putting them away for boundaries."

The press conference wasn't all about sledging, though. Kohli displayed his mellow side too. "Funny because even during the ODIs versus Australia, I was thinking about getting a Test hundred in South Africa," he said. "That was all that was on my mind. I wasn't even focussing on those ODIs or any other games we played against West Indies. Every training session we had I was motivating myself to do something like this. Because I know how special it has been for players to get a hundred in South Africa, it was very pleasing to do so. It is probably the best I have batted in Test cricket till now. It is just about building on to it and it feels nice when you plan something and it comes together, especially against a world-class bowling attack."

Kohli expressed disappointment at not having batted through the day, but was not thinking twice about the shot he played, a wide ball that he chased, which stopped on him and lobbed for a catch to short cover.

"If you are batting at 120 and don't got for your shots, you can never go for your shots."


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Ryder recalled to one-day squad

Jesse Ryder has been recalled to New Zealand colours for the first time since February 2012 as part of a 13-man squad for the one-day series against West Indies.

Elsewhere in the squad, Martin Guptill has returned from injury and will partner Ryder at the top of the order, meaning that Tom Latham misses out. Tim Southee will miss the first two matches of the series to have a toe problem dealt with, but is expected to return for the third ODI in Queenstown.

Ryder has not played at international level after being dropped for disciplinary issues during the one-day series against South Africa. He has since had to serve a six-month suspension for taking banned stimulants, a period which coincided with his recovery from the serious assault he suffered in Christchurch earlier this year.

Since returning to domestic cricket for Otago, following a move away from Wellington, he has scored 454 runs at 64.85 in four Plunket Shield matches. There has been understandable caution about Ryder's return to the New Zealand fold, but Ryder is now ready to put a tough period behind him.

"I set the goal to make it back earlier this year and it is a great end to a tough year for me," Ryder said. "I'm more motivated than ever to perform for the Blackcaps."

Bruce Edgar, the national selector, said: "Jesse gives us added firepower at the top of the order and he has a proven international record.

"We know Martin is a quality player at this level," Edgar added. "You only need to look at his dominance in the one-day series in England during the year where he scored 189 not out and 103 not out. His dynamic fielding is also a valuable asset for the team."

It has also been confirmed that Luke Ronchi will have the wicketkeeping gloves throughout the series. Last week Mike Hesson, the New Zealand coach, confirmed that Brendon McCullum's days as a wicketkeeper were over due to his back problems.

Adam Milne, the 21-year-old Central Districts pace bowler, who was part of the squad in Sri Lanka has been retained despite not taking a wicket in those three matches.

Squad: Brendon McCullum (capt), Corey Anderson, Martin Guptill, Mitchell McClenaghan, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, James Neesham, Luke Ronchi, Jesse Ryder, Ross Taylor, Kane Williamson


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Can England's senior players fight back?

It used to be said that a player never recovers from the disappointment of a poor Ashes tour. What are the prospects for the senior England players who failed to deliver?

It used to be said that a player never recovers from the disappointment of a poor Ashes tour.

There is plentiful evidence in this England side to suggest otherwise: Alastair Cook, Ian Bell, James Anderson and Kevin Pietersen were all part of the grim 2006-07 Ashes campaign yet have gone on to enjoy distinguished careers.

But when a man as reserved as Cook starts to talk about senior figures in the England side "playing for their futures" then you know something has gone seriously amiss.

England, for the first time since 2009, do not hold the Ashes and several of the senior players on which they built their hopes have failed to deliver.

Ashes defeats - particularly overwhelming Ashes defeats - tend to mark watershed moments in careers. There will be calls for resignations, there will be calls for sackings and calls for players to be dropped. It is likely some of those calls will be answered. There may even be a retirement, or at least a partial retirement, in the offing.

It is surely relevant that most of those who have endured disappointing series are those who have been involved in the England set-up for some time. As such, they have played a huge amount of cricket, they have spent around 250 days a year in hotels and they have been in the same high-intensity environment. Somewhere along the line, it appears they have become jaded.

The case of Jonathan Trott - forced home with mental exhaustion - might be extreme, but there are several other players on this tour who might be not so far from a similar fate.

Equally, it may be no coincidence that, of those to have enjoyed better series, three are relatively new to the set-up. Michael Carberry, Joe Root and Ben Stokes are all relatively fresh to international cricket, are yet to be wearied by the treadmill or worn down by the intensity of the England set-up. All three showed the mental strength to fight just a little harder than their more experienced colleagues.

Here we look at the performance of five senior players and weigh-up their chances of being involved when the Ashes is next contested, in England in 2015.

Alastair Cook: Age 28 Record in the series: 154 runs at 25.66 Chances of being involved in 2015: High

By Cook's high standards, he has endured a poor six months. He has not made a century in any of the eight Tests against Australia and, with ponderous feet and a backlift that appears to bring his bat down at an angle, he has looked an increasingly hesitant, awkward figure at the crease. A propensity to plant his back foot may be the long-term issue: he is reaching and pushing for the ball outside the off stump and over balancing towards the off side when playing off his legs. He has also, simplistic though it may sound, been the unfortunate victim of a couple of very fine deliveries. The best batsmen find ways to deal with such issues, but Cook might consider himself somewhat unfortunate. Weariness may be a factor. No batsman in international cricket has faced as many deliveries as as Cook since the 2010-11 Ashes series - he has actually faced more than 1,000 more than anyone else - and he is also carrying the burden of captaincy. When England fought back to win in India, the responsibility appeared to benefit Cook's game but perhaps the attritional nature of the role has worn him down.

He has struggled technically before. Towards the end of 2010, the Pakistan seamers provoked a crisis of self-confidence, before Cook rediscovered his form in Australia. With a record as good as his - he has already scored more Test centuries than any England player - it seems hard to imagine he will not find a way past his current predicament and it is inconceivable that Cook will step down or be sacked in the near future.

James Anderson: Age 31 Record in the series: 7 wickets at 52.48 apiece Chances of being involved in 2015: Medium

Sometimes it is a mistake to judge simply by returns. Anderson has, for much of this series, bowled far better than his figures suggest. While comparisons with the end of Matthew Hoggard's Test career have been made - Hoggard was dropped having lost just a little of his pace - Anderson has been bowling briskly - he passed 90mph in Perth - and has rarely delivered loose balls. But his failure to find much lateral movement has rendered him worryingly impotent on pitches on which Australia's trio of seamers have proved more adept. Anderson has also suffered through the failure of his batting colleagues: provided with little time to rest between innings, he has invariably been forced into the field in the second innings with Australia's batsmen benefiting from a dominant match position. It would be simplistic to dismiss Anderson as dangerous only in English conditions, too: only a year ago MS Dhoni rated him the difference between the teams in India and he was excellent in Australia three years ago. This is far from the vintage performance that Anderson produced in 2010-11, but his chances of being involved when Australia return to the UK in 2015 remain decent.

Graeme Swann: Age: 34 Record in the series: 7 wicket at 80 apiece. Chances of being involved in 2015: Low.

Swann has bowled better than his figures suggest. On pitches offering him little - he is far from the first spinner to find life tough in Australia - and invariably facing match situations providing the batsmen with a license to attack, he has been given very little opportunity to shine. The relative lack of left-handers in the Australian order has done him few favours, either, while the lack of turn has rendered his arm-ball something of an irrelevance. You could not tell from the figures, but he produced his best bowling of the series in Perth, gaining pleasing dip and beating as good a player of spin as Michael Clarke in the flight in the first innings. He has failed to find much turn, however, and has also not generated the bounce of his opposite number, Nathan Lyon. There have been occasional, though unconfirmed, signs that his right elbow - twice operated upon and an increasing concern - is bothering him again and a nagging suspicion that he is not quite able to sustain the dip and turn he once could through long spells. With many, many miles on the clock and plentiful opportunities in other walks of life beckoning, it would be no surprise if Swann retired from at least one form of the game in the coming weeks.

Kevin Pietersen Age: 33 Record in the series: 165 runs at 27.50 Chances of being involved in 2015: High.

It is the manner of Pietersen's dismissals that provokes such criticism. It can often seem he is getting himself out: twice he has been caught clipping to mid-wicket, twice he has been caught pulling and once he has been caught on the long-on boundary when trying to drive over the fielder positioned for the stroke. But such a view fails to credit the excellence of the Australian bowling against him. Pietersen has been tied down by tight bowling and inventive fields that have led to him looking for release shots. While the redoubtable Peter Siddle has gained the credit for having something of a hold over Pietersen, the truth is less straightforward. Pietersen was often forced to defend for long periods against Johnson and Harris and looked to target Siddle as the weaker member of the seam unit. People may look for easy explanations - his recent knee problems, for example - but there is little evidence of any long-term issue other than his frustration at being tied down by good, accurate bowling. There has been no shortage of fight: his strike-rate for the series - 51.40 - is considerably down on his career rate - 62.01 - and Pietersen has been conspicuous in his efforts to advise and encourage other members of the squad. He has had a disappointing series, certainly, and some will always look to punish him for perceived errors in the past. But Pietersen has recently suggested he intends to continue playing international cricket until 2015 and, whether in decline or not, remains as dangerous a player as England possess. He is far too good to be jettisoned.

Matt Prior Age: 31 Record in the series: 107 runs at 17.83 Chances of being involved in 2015: Low.

From the moment in May that Prior was presented with England's player of the year award for the previous 12 months, his form has deteriorated. At first it was just his batting - Prior has made only one half-century in 19 subsequent innings - but of late his keeping has started to suffer, too. As a player who likes to counter-attack, part of the problem is that Prior has been brought to the crease too early against a hard ball and fresh bowlers. But he has also shown some faulty shot selection, failing to show the requisite patience and judgement about which balls to leave and defend. And, as his run of low scores increased, so his confidence has fallen. He has been another victim of some fine, disciplined bowling from Australia. The fact that his challengers - the likes of Jos Buttler, Steve Davies or Jonny Bairstow - are deemed either not to be ready or not to be in the best of form, might win him some more time, but Prior has already been the beneficiary of the selectors' faith. Time is running out for him.


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NZ aim to bury brittle Windies

Match Facts

December 19-23, 2013, Hamilton
Start time 10.30am (2130GMT previous day)

The Big Picture

It was always suspected that New Zealand would be too good against West Indies in home conditions. Then came the Dunedin fightback. Perhaps the visitors could offer a sterner challenge. Then came Wellington. No they couldn't, at least over those three days.

There is nothing to be ashamed about in losing against swing, seam and a hint of bounce, but West Indies didn't look up for the fight on the third day at the Basin save for the second-innings opening stand. That is what has frustrated Ottis Gibson the most. He wants the fight back. If you then lose to a better team, fair enough.

New Zealand are the better team in these conditions (the return series in the Caribbean next year may be different) but that gives them the added pressure of not slipping up in Hamilton. There was such a vast margin between the teams last week it's barely possible to see it happening, but it only takes one batting collapse although they are becoming rare at home for New Zealand.

Against England they went into the final Test at 0-0 and dominated the match from start to finish only to be denied at the end. This time, they have a lead they are desperate not to surrender but it is not Brendon McCullum's way to play defensive cricket - this is also a West Indies team on the back foot and ripe for the taking.

Form guide


(Most recent first)

New Zealand WDDDL
West Indies LDLLWW

Watch out for

The only New Zealand batsman to make hundreds in three consecutive Tests is Mark Burgess - spread over nearly three years from 1969 to 1972 against three teams; Pakistan, England and West Indies. Given the form Ross Taylor has shown in this series, and the doses of fortune that have gone his way, don't bet against him achieving that feat. If Taylor can score 38 runs in this Test he will become only the third New Zealand batsman, after Andrew Jones and Glenn Turner, to make 400 runs in a three-Test series.

With Shane Shillingford suspended from bowling, Sunil Narine will make his return to the Test team. A record of 15 wickets in five matches at 48.06 does not shout out matchwinner, but at least he'll bring is tricky set of deliveries. In one-day, the skid he generates is a significant weapon and on a grassy surface that could be something in his favour. However, he has not bowled in a first-class match (of which he has still only played 12) since March of this year when he took 10 wickets in the match against Guyana.

Team news

Brendon McCullum confirmed an unchanged XI. Corey Anderson was the one minor doubt but his shin problem isn't major. Neil Wagner is under some pressure, but an injury to Doug Bracewell and his second-innings spell in Wellington means he will keep his place.

New Zealand (probable) 1 Hamish Rutherford, 2 Peter Fulton, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Brendon McCullum (capt), 6 Corey Anderson, 7 BJ Watling (wk), 8 Ish Sodhi, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Neil Wagner, 11 Trent Boult

Options a few-and-far between for West Indies. Narine will replace Shillingford, while Sheldron Cottrell for Shannon Gabriel is one possible switch. If they wanted to take a gamble they could still play two frontline spinners, calling in left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul.

West Indies (probable) 1 Kieran Powell, 2 Kirk Edwards, 3 Darren Bravo, 4 Marlon Samuels, 5 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 6 Narsingh Deonarine, 7 Denesh Ramdin (wk), 8 Darren Sammy (capt), 9 Sunil Narine, 10 Tino Best, 11 Shannon Gabriel

Pitch and conditions

Five of New Zealand's likely team play their domestic cricket for Northern Districts so will know what to expect. BJ Watling, one of those, said a couple of types of surfaces have been tried this year; a drier pitch which proved pretty flat and one with more grass where the opposition were bowled out for less than 100. Perhaps something in the middle for the Test? The forecast is for most of the Test is warm and sunny.

Stats and trivia

  • New Zealand's previous series victory against anyone other than Bangladesh and Zimbabwe came against West Indies in 2005-06
  • Tim Southee needs six wickets to reach 100 in Tests - he took six playing for Northern Districts at Hamilton in November
  • West Indies' only previous Test at Seddon Park came in 1999 when they lost by nine wickets despite an opening stand of 276 in the first innings.

Quotes

"Feeling everyone experienced in the dressing room the other day after that Test win is something that people hold onto as a motivating factor every time they rock up and play another Test."
Brendon McCullum does not want the winning feeling to be a one-off

"With the new developments we have put so many different scenarios on the table so tonight we'll definitely come up with what we think will be the suitable or right mix for us before 10am when I put on my jacket and go to toss."
Darren Sammy admits there are some selection headaches


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