Chucking is technical fault, not crime - Dravid

Rahul Dravid believes bowlers who have been banned for suspect bowling actions are suffering from kinks, which once corrected should allow them to reintegrate with international cricket. He added that he would always give a bowler the benefit of the doubt before he passes a judgment on his action.

"Personally I don't think we should see chucking as a crime as such. It is just a technical fault that people have. So if you have a technical fault in the action, you correct that and come back. When you overstep the line, nobody says you are cheating. You say, okay, come back behind the line. And here we are saying, come back within 15 degrees [of elbow flexion] and play the game," Dravid said in an interaction with the audience after delivering the annual Dilip Sardesai Memorial Lecture.

In the past few months, several bowlers have been called up for tests by the ICC and subsequently banned if they failed to demonstrate a legal bowling action. The most notable examples have been Sri Lanka offspinner Sachithra Senanayke and his Pakistan counterpart Saeed Ajmal, arguably the best spinner in the world at the moment.

"I think the ICC has a rule in place," Dravid said. "They reviewed a lot of the old footage and they found out that the elbow bent to about 15 degrees was pretty normal and that is what everyone was doing. Glenn McGrath had a slight bend in his elbow up to 15 degrees. I am not suggesting that Glenn McGrath was chucking. They have a system in place and what I am glad about is that they are really enforcing it strictly.

"They are reviewing people, they are getting people caught. I give them the benefit of the doubt. I always give the bowler the benefit of the doubt. Murali went through every test possible at that time so you have to give him the benefit of doubt. What the ICC is doing now is they are being vigilant. What they are saying is that if once you are cleared in 2009, you can't [not] be checked again. You have got to keep monitoring, watching it closely and they see bowlers developing new types of deliveries, then why not go into the lab and have it checked."

The discussion then veered to the health of the three formats of cricket and Dravid said ODIs were being put under pressure by "meaningless games"

"I think one-day cricket is seriously struggling," he said. "I definitely think that one-day cricket without a context is struggling. When you think of one-day cricket from a point of view of Champions Trophy and the World Cup, it is relevant. But I think all the other one-day cricket should be given towards playing the Champions Trophy and the World Cup. And then you've got Test cricket and you've got the T20 format of the game. Meaningless one-day games and too many one-day games can actually be a problem and it is something that can be cut off. You should play lesser one-day cricket and play more tournaments. So Champions Trophy and World Cup, I would go for it, definitely."

Questions were also raised regarding young Indian cricketers' seriousness towards playing Tests after the team's meek surrender in the recent tour of England. Dravid, however, backed the next generation, saying he never got a sense of them not being serious about Tests during his week-long stint as a consultant with the Indian team ahead of the five-Test series.

"When people say that some of our boys don't care about Test cricket, that's completely wrong. Because all they are asking me is, 'how did you do well?'. They are not worried about a T20 game coming up. They are only interested in knowing how did we do well in England, how did we do well in Australia. Virat Kohli is asking those questions all the time. I don't think it is that they don't care. They care deeply but they were found out against a really good bowling attack on a difficult wicket. And they were not good enough in those particular Test matches. But I think they do care [about Tests] and they ask those questions."

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MacLeod the winner, Mooney the hero

Scotland 243 for 2 (MacLeod 116*, Gardiner 89) beat Ireland 241 for 9 (Mooney 96, Haq 5-54) by eight wickets
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In an ideal world, the ball would have flashed off John Mooney's blade, dissecting the two fielders stationed backward of point. It would have raced across the outfield and over the rope. It would have brought up his maiden ODI century. It would have prompted Malahide to rise in unison. It would have been a soul-stirring moment. But, this is not a perfect world, nor do such fairy tales regularly transpire.

As it was, Richie Berrington stooped forward, snaffled a low chance and ended an innings of consummate quality from a player who, less than twenty-four hours previous, had bravely revealed the full extent of his battle with depression.

Fittingly, all four corners of the ground rose in appreciation. It did not matter that the score under his name remained four short of a century or that Ireland's total was significantly under-par because, in the grand scheme of things, such particulars are irrelevant. The sight of Mooney back in the green apparel is enough in itself.

In the event, it was an innings that glued Ireland together against a purposeful Scottish side infused with a determination to wrestle a semblance of pride back following two underwhelming performances earlier in the week. Calum MacLeod's second ODI century ensured the visitors left with some positives to take before their World Cup preliminaries begin in earnest later this month.

The same top-order that had looked so helplessly vulnerable against the moving ball hitherto made light work of the target as they chased down 242 with minimal fuss. It was Scotland's first ODI win on Irish soil and was manufactured by a disciplined bowling performance led by Majid Haq's first five-wicket haul in the format.

It was little surprise that Preston Mommsen asked Ireland to bat first under cloud-laden skies. It was perhaps unfortunate that the outcome of a match was determined so considerably by the toss of a coin but it was another thing to ensure you made best use of such favourable conditions. Certainly, Scotland were resolute not to let the opportunity slip and built the platform for their wounded batsmen to flex their muscles.

The absence of Kyle Coetzer and Matt Machan has been felt significantly but in MacLeod they have an opening batsman enjoying the best form of his career; it showed here. A breakthrough season at Durham, particularly against the white ball, has raised genuine hopes that he is a player of the calibre Scotland have so desperately craved in recent years.

There was no sign of the hesitation that undermined his failures earlier in the week as he tucked into some charitable bowling from the hosts, who looked weary before wilting in the late afternoon Dublin sun. MacLeod formed a match-defining partnership with Hamish Gardiner, who may be looking over his shoulder nervously with Coetzer and Machan to return to the side.

The pair saw off the initial threat of Max Sorensen and Craig Young before taking advantage of easier circumstances as they matched each other blow for blow. That was until Gardiner, eleven short of a first century in Scottish colours, fell attempting to cut the part-time spin of Andrew Balbirnie.

Phil Simmons and the selectors will name an 18-man squad for the pre-World Cup tour to Australia and New Zealand on Monday and, while a series win was already assured, this reversal is a timely wake-up call.

Graeme McCarter is expected to miss out despite bowling eight economical overs with Young, who moved his tally of wickets for the week to nine with the early dismissal of Matty Cross, now ahead of him in the pecking order. None of the batsmen on the fringes added much weight to their case for inclusion on a morning during which Ireland stuttered and stumbled.

While they were able to negate the early advances of Scotland's new ball bowlers, albeit at a pedestrian pace, Haq's introduction in the 17th over paid instant dividends. Stuart Thompson feathered the offspinner behind to Cross and four balls later Andrew Poynter missed a straight one that went on with the arm. Mooney, however, added steel to the innings.

A towering six down the ground off MacLeod set the wheels in motion as he accelerated through the gears. Kevin O'Brien's departure, the ball after the second drinks break, halted Ireland's recovery after they had slipped to 95 for 4 but Mooney wasn't deterred.

It was his first half-century in four years and, in stepping down the pitch to Haq and crunching an expansive drive through cover, he brought up his highest ODI score, overtaking his previous best of 55. The fireworks were to come, though. An audacious reverse sweep which flew over the rope had the crowd purring and when he took Michael Leask for 12 off the 46th over, he moved within touching distance of three figures. It wasn't to be.

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Will Gidman ensures ton-filled draw

Gloucestershire 646 (A Gidman 264, Roderick 171, Sheikh 4-97, Freckingham 4-138) and 306 for 9 dec (W Gidman 104*, Shreck 3-44) drew with Leicestershire 565 (O'Brien 119, Eckersley 119, Smith 103, Robson 97, Redfern 60)
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Will Gidman marked his last home appearance for Gloucestershire with a century as the match with Leicestershire at Bristol meandered to a draw.

The allrounder, who is joining Nottinghamshire next season, hit an unbeaten 104 as the hosts batted for the whole of the final day to score 306 for 9 in their second innings, giving them a lead of 387.

Charlie Shreck briefly gave Leicestershire hopes of victory, but in the end both sides settled for 11 points from a match dominated by the bat.

Afterwards Gidman, 29, said: "I am absolutely thrilled to score a hundred on my last appearance for Gloucestershire here.

"I owe the club everything for making my career. This is a time of some sadness, but by the time November comes I know I am going to be very excited at the prospect of teaming up with Nottinghamshire.

"I don't know how big a step up first division cricket will be, but I am so looking forward to the challenge.''

Gidman's hundred completed a storybook farewell home game for him and brother Alex, who is joining Worcestershire for next summer. The elder of the pair added 38 to the career-best 264 he made in the first innings before leaving the pitch to a standing ovation.

A more decisive outcome had looked in store when Shreck found some swing at the start of the morning session to send back Will Tavare and Gareth Roderick, while Rob Taylor removed Alex Gidman.

That left Gloucestershire 89 for 4 and leading by only 170. Tavare was taken at second slip by Greg Smith for 4, Roderick, on 21, edged to wicketkeeper Niall O'Brien and Gidman was brilliantly caught one-handed at first slip by Jigar Naik.

The 33-year-old Gidman, who made his Gloucestershire debut back in 2001, raised his bat to all corners of the ground in response to the applause as he walked off.

Hamish Marshall and Ian Cockbain added 54 to ease any nerves in the home camp before Marshall, on 32, fell lbw to a full ball from Ollie Freckingham just before lunch, which was taken at 143 for 5.

That became 143 for 6 straight after the interval when Cockbain nicked a catch behind off Shreck.

Gloucestershire were then 224 in front with more than 60 overs left in the day and Leicestershire scented a chance, but Will Gidman shared a stand of 74 with Tom Smith to banish any chance of a victory for the visitors.

That partnership ended when Smith was picked up at gully by Taylor for 38 to give Naik his only wicket of the match. Craig Miles fell to the occasional offspin of Dan Redfern for 10, but Gidman was still there at tea, unbeaten on 67.

Redfern picked up another wicket when Liam Norwell was caught by O'Brien for one in the final session, but by then the only remaining interest was whether Gidman would reach his hundred.

He did so by square-cutting Redfern for his 15th four, having faced 122 balls and also hitting two sixes. Soon afterwards the players shook hands on the draw, the game ending at 4.20pm.

Leicestershire head coach Ben Smith said: "It was a tremendous fightback by us after the first day, but in the end the wicket had dictated the way the game went.

"It was a very good batting pitch, but there were some very good individual displays in our team and this morning there was a bit of help for the bowlers. It was the best I have seen Charlie Shreck bowl all season. His spell first thing set the tone and at one point we were really in with a chance of winning.''

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Goodwin announces retirement

Murray Goodwin has brought the curtain down on a 20-year professional career with the announcement he will retire at the end of this season for Glamorgan.

Goodwin made his first-class debut in the 1994-95 season for Western Australia in a tour match against England at the WACA where he hit 91 and 77. In 1998 he made his Test debut for his native Zimbabwe, against Sri Lanka in Kandy, and collected 19 appearances during which he averaged 42.84

After quitting international cricket due to family reasons he moved back to Australia and then secured what would become a long-term association with Sussex before spending the last two English seasons with Glamorgan where he has been a senior figure in a relatively young batting order.

His most recent appearance for the county came in August 20 when he made 59 in a Royal London Cup match against Sussex. He struggled in the Championship, scoring 347 at 23.13.

Gareth Rees was the second Glamorgan player to confirm retirement on Friday as he opted to return to study with a view to moving into the business world. Rees, 29, will finish with 5910 first-class runs at 32.65.

It was a day of mass departures for the county who also announced that pace bowler Michael Reed along with batsmen Stewart Walters and Tom Lancefield will not be offered new contracts. Reed had reached as far as the England Performance Programme but has been struck down by injuries this season and has not made an appearance.

Hugh Morris, the Glamorgan chief executive, said: "This is always a difficult time of the season with decisions made regarding which players will remain in the squad and indeed some players deciding their own futures.

"Murray, Gareth and Stewart have been leaders on and off the field and part of the first -team squad throughout their time at Glamorgan, making valuable commitments to the Glamorgan cause.

"Mike has struggled with injury this year and has chosen to move on, whilst Tom although pushing for a place in the first-team throughout the summer has found opportunities limited."

However, it has not all be about players departing. Will Owen, along with youngsters Kieran Bull, Jeremy Lawlor, Jack Murphy, Aneurin Donald, Dewi Penrhyn-Jones and Andrew Salter have all signed new contracts. Bull, an 19-year-old offspinner, has impressed after being a chance late in the season with six wickets in two Championship matches.

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Ireland take series after late wobble

Ireland 225 for 7 (K O'Brien 67) beat Scotland 221 (Berrington 101, Sorensen 4-40, Young 3-39) by three wickets
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For over a century the Scots have been voyaging across the Irish sea armed with whites and willow. On few occasions have they not made the return journey empty-handed and even the acclaimed hospitality will have done little to enrich their humbling visits to the Emerald Isle.

Their record on Irish soil in ODIs now stands at played six, lost six as Ireland once more claimed the bragging rights, but this time Scotland made them work for their victory and at 186 for 7 the result was far from assured before John Mooney calmed Irish nerves. A tighter game, though, will have done Ireland no harm in this pre-World Cup workout.

Scotland are a side resigned to the protracted nature of transition but even this, a week in which they have been outplayed and outmuscled, is an alarming reality check five months out from a third appearance on the sport's most exalted stage. There has, however, been a glimpse of light, or two, not least a striking innings from Richie Berrington, the South-African born batsman, who recorded his maiden ODI century.

It was a lone hand though. Much like on Monday, the Scottish top order wilted in the face of Ireland's calculated blitz and while Berrington, along with Josh Davey and then Ali Evans, managed to thrust their side to a semblance of respectability, they were unable to apply the same stranglehold they had been put under when Ireland went about their chase of 222.

As it was, a late rally ensured the scorecard would have a polished look to it from a Scottish perspective but they were always behind the eight ball. Kevin O'Brien scored his second fifty of the series - the first time he had reached the landmark in successive games for Ireland in seven years - to once again take the sting out of any potential Scottish retaliation with the ball.

However, a fine diving catch away to his right from wicketkeeper Matthew Cross off Evans to remove O'Brien, for 67 from 65 balls, in the 35th over was the moment of inspiration his side needed. Stuart Poynter was brilliantly run out by Evans at midwicket a couple of overs later and when Stuart Thompson was trapped in front by Michael Leask, Ireland were wobbling.

Just as he has done on countless occasions before, Mooney, in just his second game back from an extended break from the game due to a stress related illness, played the role of finisher to ease his side over the line with five overs remaining.

In truth, Ireland made hard work of a chase that ought to have been a lot more straightforward. They will, however, be all the better for the workout but for much of the early part of the match it did not appear they would be pushed that far. That they did was solely down to a century of great tenacity and perseverance from Berrington; he could teach his team-mates a thing or two.

An innings which started in survival mode gradually moved through the gears as he and Davey frustrated the hosts and halted their early onslaught. Max Sorensen had accounted for three of the top four, utilising the two-paced pitch and early-morning conditions, to reduce Scotland to 48 for 5. There was a distant possibility the visiting Scots would have a free afternoon to take in the sights of the Irish capital.

Berrington, however, had other ideas. His 84-run stand for the sixth wicket with Davey included an array of shots around the wicket before the latter could only fend Craig Young to gully. Berrington was having no such issues with the Irish bowlers as he struck eight fours and a powerful six to reach three figures for the first time. It was the type of innings worthy of being match winning. Ultimately, it was in vain.

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Glamorgan take charge as bowlers bite back

Glamorgan 282 and 145 for 5 (White 4-27) lead Derbyshire 203 (Allenby 3-42, Wagg 3-56) by 224 runs
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Graham Wagg added three wickets to his half-century as Glamorgan put themselves in a decent position against Wagg's old county Derbyshire after day two of their Championship match at Cardiff.

It was just about Glamorgan's day as they bowled Derbyshire out for 203 to give them a 79-run lead on first innings. Wagg, who scored 62 on day one, recorded figures of 3 for 56. Glamorgan extended their lead to 224 by reaching 145 for 5 in their second innings, Wayne White with four of the five wickets to fall.

Most of the damage to Derbyshire's reply was done before lunch as they were reduced to 86 for 5 in the morning session - still 196 behind. Not even the presence of India star Cheteshwar Pujara could help the visitors. He was third man out for 7 as Glamorgan's seamers had a productive morning.

After resuming on 8 for 0, the visitors suffered a setback at the end of the third over of the day when Billy Godleman was trapped leg-before by a full ball from Wagg. Derbyshire slipped to 45 for 2 when Ben Slater edged Wagg to Cosker in the gully off a rising ball, which heralded Pujara's arrival. He showed his class by driving Jim Allenby through cover but the Indian's innings was short-lived as he went lbw to Allenby.

Michael Hogan added to Derbyshire's agony as Wayne Madsen became the third leg-before victim and five overs before lunch Wes Durston became the fourth to go lbw, this time to Allenby. The parade of lbw victims continued when Gareth Cross was trapped by Hogan with the total on 127 and Alex Hughes fell the same way to Wagg.

Though White showed some resistance, young spinner Kieran Bull claimed two wickets in consecutive balls. David Wainwright chipped to Dean Cosker at short extra-cover and then Tony Palladino pulled the 19-year-old to short fine-leg.

That left Derbyshire 153 for 9 but White and Mark Footitt frustrated Glamorgan by putting on 50 in only seven overs to ensure their side registered a batting point before White skied Allenby to Wagg at mid-off.

Looking to extend their first-innings lead, Glamorgan's openers Jacques Rudolph and Will Bragg put on 61 but they then lost three wickets in the space of 17 balls. White struck with two lbws in consecutive overs to remove Rudolph and Gareth Rees, who went for a first-ball duck before Bragg was caught behind off Hughes.

Allenby and the in-form Chris Cooke stopped the rot to put on 75 in 23 overs. But when Glamorgan had reached 138 for 3, Allenby was caught by wicketkeeper Cross off White to bring nightwatchman Cosker to the middle and Cooke was then bowled by White.

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Kent collapse after Foster century

Kent 198 and 151 (Napier 4-28) lead Essex 328 (Foster 108, Napier 62, Ryder 58, Stevens 5-83, Claydon 4-76) by 21 runs
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James Foster led from the front as Essex closed in on victory against Kent after dominating the second day of their Championship Division Two encounter at Chelmsford.

After the home skipper scored his first century of the season to lead Essex to a total of 328 and an advantage of 130 runs, they then dismissed their opponents for 151 in the final over of the day to leave themselves needing just 22 runs on Thursday to record their fourth Championship win in five matches and keep alive their hopes of promotion.

Foster, taking full advantage of a pitch that had lost much of its venom and helped by bowling that was found wanting in line and length, drove with authority as he figured in two productive partnerships on the way to a score of 108 before he was pinned lbw by Mitch Claydon.

The first of 90 featured Jesse Ryder, who carried his overnight score to 58 before behind caught behind off Claydon's bowling. Then Foster found fine support from Graham Napier as the pair shared in a seventh-wicket stand of 114 in 20 overs that carried their side to a third batting point.

Napier, with some typical forthright strokes through the onside, hit 10 fours in an innings of 62 before he too fell to Claydon after hitting to Daniel Bell-Drummond on the midwicket boundary.

The departure of Napier led to a rapid conclusion of the innings, the final four wickets falling in the space of 17 deliveries for just one run. Two of those were claimed by Darren Stevens who finished with 5 for 83 from 30.1 overs, while Claydon emerged with figures of 4 for 76 from 23 overs.

Kent's hopes of getting off to a good start were soon ended as they lost two wickets before the total had moved into double figures. Ryder, as he had done in the first innings, got rid of Bell-Drummond lbw for 1, while David Masters removed Ben Harmison, who edged behind to Foster to depart for 2.

A recovery of sorts was launched by Rob Key and Brendan Nash, the latter soon despatching Monty Panesar for a six and a four in an over when he was introduced into the attack. But after they had put on 64 in 20 overs, Panesar had his revenge when he made a delivery lift and turn to find Nash's outside edge and Foster dived to his right to complete the dismissal.

Three overs later, Napier turned the screw by claiming two wickets in an over to leave the visitors in complete disarray. First of all he breached the defence of first innings century-maker Sam Northeast for only 2 and then ended the stubborn resistance of Key as he uprooted the Kent captain's off stump for 28.

In his next over he had Sam Billings caught at mid-on for a duck - his third victim in the space of seven deliveries at a cost of two runs.

Stevens and Claydon fell cheaply to Panesar and Masters respectively but a lively approach from James Tredwell and Adam Riley ensured that Essex would have to bat again. Tredwell struck Panesar for three successive fours during a partnership of 45 in nine overs before the arrival of offspinner Tom Westley broke the stand when he had Riley caught in the deep for 21.

Tredwell then became another victim of Napier's after he had made 29, caught on the midwicket boundary to bring the innings to a close. Napier finished with 4 for 28 from 9.2 overs while Masters and Panesar each picked up two wickets.

Reflecting on the day's play, Foster said: "It's obviously been a great day for us. We got a decent lead and then bowled them out but I am a little disappointed because I felt we should have got a lot more runs than we did when we lost those last four wickets for one run. But the way our bowlers performed was excellent.''

Stevens, whose five-wicket haul saw him pass 50 wickets for the season, said: "That's huge thing for me personally, it's the first time I've achieved it but I've probably never bowled 400 overs either. But the bigger picture is that we are in a poor position. Bowled out for not very many in the second innings and it's just not good enough.''

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Alistair Nicholson named ACA CEO

Former AFL footballer Alistair Nicholson has been named as the new chief executive officer of the Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA). Nicholson will step into the role on October 27, filling the significant hole left by the long-serving Paul Marsh, who announced in June that he was leaving to become the new head of the AFL Players' Association.

Nicholson will join the ACA from his current role as head of entertainment strategy with Gemba, a sports consulting firm that he began working with while he was still an AFL player. A tall defender, Nicholson played 110 games for Melbourne during a ten-year AFL career from 1997 to 2006, and sat on the AFL Players' Association executive.

"His exposure to the issues faced by athletes during his time with the AFLPA, combined with his roles at Gemba make him a great choice for the position," Greg Dyer, the ACA president, said.

Shane Watson, who sits on the ACA executive and was part of the committee that chose Nicholson for the role, said he would be a good fit for the organisation.

"We're thrilled to welcome Alistair on board," Watson said. "In addition to his background in sport from a business and strategic viewpoint, Alistair has an impressive understanding of issues from a player's perspective, which I'm sure will resonate with current players as well as the broader ACA membership.

"I know the players will look forward to working with him and continuing the ACA's history of strong and passionate representation, and providing us with a vital collective voice in the game."

Nicholson said he was honoured to be chosen for the CEO position, which has had only two previous holders - Marsh and his predecessor Tim May.

"I am passionate about the range of issues facing players and motivated by the desire to ensure access to world leading services, including supporting players to prepare themselves for their post sporting life," Nicholson said. "The ACA is a terrific organisation and has achieved a large amount in a relatively short period.

"The current partnership approach provides a strong basis to build upon and I look forward to working with all stakeholders to grow the game of cricket in an increasingly sophisticated sporting environment, both in Australia and overseas."

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Cooke, Wagg lift rebuilding Glamorgan

Derbyshire 8 for 0 trail Glamorgan 282 (Cooke 74, Wagg 62, Palladino 3-34, Footitt 3-61) by 274 runs
Scorecard

The final rounds of the season, with their earlier start times and lengthening shadows, are accompanied by a sense of proceedings drawing to a close. For those counties that are not involved in the intrigues of title-chasing, or promotion and relegation, regular watchers begin to look towards the future.

Certainly there was a sense of that at the Swalec Stadium, where Glamorgan were advertising tickets for the 2015 Ashes Test, which go on sale on Wednesday. The first season under new head coach, Toby Radford, and Hugh Morris, the former England managing director who now fills a duel role as chief executive and director of cricket at Glamorgan, has not been awash with success and the club sit second from bottom of Division Two, having not won since the halfway point of the campaign.

The shuffling of squads has also begun around the counties, as contracts are examined and budgets calculated. Glamorgan have had two frontline bowlers, Huw Waters and John Glover, retire in recent weeks and a third, the hulking seamer Mike Reed, picked for the England Performance Programme over the winter, is expected to leave after turning down a new contract.

Still, the weather was such that sitting in the stands felt like being on the Costa del Cardiff and there was talk of a bright new spinning talent, "the best since Croftie", coming through the ranks. Kieran Bull, 19 years old and from Haverfordwest, took 4 for 62 on first-class debut last week - which leaves him a small matter of 1171 behind Robert Croft, who retired two summers ago but remains a passionate promoter of Welsh cricket.

There may have been disgruntlement at the performance of Glamorgan's batsmen, although half-centuries for Chris Cooke and Graham Wagg gave their first-innings 282 a veneer of respectability and the visiting attack performed manfully on a pristine-looking pitch.

Derbyshire have won their last three Championship fixtures - not to mention their last five against Glamorgan - and still have a mathematical, albeit faint, chance of promotion. Their season has been reinvigorated since an exodus of their own midway through and, if an immediate return to Division One looks unlikely, their supporters too can dream of bigger things next year.

Glamorgan had chosen to bat first on a beautiful September day, the pitch an inviting, oatmeal-coloured strip in a sea of green. Derbyshire fielded their new overseas signing, the India batsman Cheteshwar Pujara, and while he has been given dispensation by the BCCI to play county cricket in order to improve his game against the moving ball, there did not look to be much assistance for the seamers early on.

Cardiff can be slow and low and Pujara, when he does bat, may not feel all that far from the surfaces he has been brought up on playing for Saurashtra. Here, wearing the 'baggy blue' of Derbyshire, he ran around gamely in the field, joining his team-mates in the huddle at the fall of a wicket, clapping encouragement and occasionally shining the ball. At least, with the sun shining and leather to chase, he did not need to pull on a sweater.

Tony Palladino trapped Jacques Rudolph lbw at the end of his fourth consecutive maiden but Derbyshire turned to the spin of Wes Durston after little more than an hour. They were rewarded for their perseverance with two more wickets before lunch and when Mark Footitt, whose venomous pace transcended the conditions, removed Mark Wallace for this second wicket to leave Glamorgan on 158 for 6 during the afternoon, it looked as if the hosts would fall well below par.

A 91-run stand between Cooke and Wagg, both of whom scored centuries in Glamorgan's previous match, was worth a couple of batting points before Footitt wrapped up the innings with his 65th first-class wicket of the season - taking him above Saeed Ajmal as the most penetrative bowler in the country. He can enjoy today. Pujara may enjoy tomorrow.

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Bangladesh pay for confused strategy

The team management's decision to field first on a flat pitch, despite having only three specialist bowlers, meant Bangladesh were chasing the game right from the start

Mushfiqur Rahim did what he set out to do as a batsman in the first Test. He was dismissed only once, after completing his century and in an attempt to extend a futile lead. He was the unbeaten batsman during Bangladesh's first innings debacle, and showed little difficulty in dealing with pace or spin.

As a captain, though, things did not go as planned, and West Indies wrapped up a comfortable 10-wicket win. Bangladesh came into the game with the stated aim of drawing it, but their chances of doing so seemed to shrink as soon as Mushfiqur elected to field first.

Having eight batsmen in their line-up should have been enough reason to bat first after winning the toss. Still, the pitch is always to be considered ahead of a five-day game and Bangladesh's first priority in Test matches is usually to stay in the game for the first couple of days at least. At the toss, Mushfiqur explained his decision to field saying there would be some help for the seamers for a few hours, and that batting would be easiest on the second and third days.

As it turned out in this Test match, the first-day freshness in the Arnos Vale pitch did not mean excessive moisture. It was merely a slow pitch that was at its quickest on the first morning. Mushfiqur's prediction that batting would be easier on the second day was correct, but then West Indies only lost three wickets on the first; Kraigg Brathwaite and Shivnarine Chanderpaul batted through the truncated second day. West Indies lost four wickets on the third morning, but by then they were trying to increase the run-rate.

Even if there was some help for the bowlers early on, Mushfiqur did not possess the resources to exploit it, having chosen only three specialist bowlers. Bangladesh chose a Test debutant in the left-arm spinner Taijul Islam; Al-Amin Hossain, who was playing his fourth Test; and Rubel Hossain, who has struggled to take wickets in Tests and has an average to show for it.

Upon returning to Bangladesh after completing the three ODIs and the abandoned T20, Mashrafe said that pitches in the West Indies were just like those back home. "Wickets in West Indies are not what they used to be," he said. "Now they are slow wickets which help spinners and are good for batting."

Mushfiqur would have known this too, this being his fourth West Indies tour. But senior batsmen like Tamim Iqbal, Nasir Hossain and Mahmudullah had been out of form while Shamsur Rahman and Imrul Kayes hadn't done well in the preceding ODI series. Shuvagata Hom was a newcomer. The team management, therefore, may have been looking to protect them on the first day.

Mushfiqur said the gap between Bangladesh's last Test and this one had a role to play in their first-innings debacle, when they were shot out for 182, but he wasn't impressed with his batsmen's approach.

"It wasn't easy to bat in Test cricket after six months so I would say that our batsmen perhaps fell while trying to get quick runs," he said. "To be honest, the wicket was really good. Our application wasn't right in the first innings. The result would have been different if we applied ourselves in the first innings. We should show similar guts [to the second-innings performance] in St Lucia."

Having failed to secure the draw that both Mushfiqur and coach Chandika Hathurusingha had targeted, Bangladesh will have to alter their goals substantially ahead of the second Test in St. Lucia.

When Ian Bishop asked him at the post-match presentation ceremony whether he would persist with the eight-batsmen strategy, Mushfiqur stressed the need for batting cover in the absence of Shakib Al Hasan. So that would mean, for now at least, that Bangladesh are likely to go into the second Test with the bowling attack similarly understaffed.

Even in the press conference following the presentation, Mushfiqur said he wanted his batsmen to score enough to ensure a draw. "If we can get 600 runs, it should help us draw the game."

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