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Sri Lanka won when they had almost abandoned hope. From the penultimate ball of a gripping final day, Shaminda Eranga found a hostile delivery to bring their first series win in England

The Report by David Hopps24-Jun-2014
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsSri Lanka won when they had almost abandoned hope. From the penultimate ball of a gripping final day, Shaminda Eranga found a hostile delivery to bring their first series win in England. James Anderson, who could only fend it to the leg side in self-preservation, dropped to his haunches in despair. Moeen Ali’s immense maiden Test century was briefly forgotten, submerged beneath an ecstatic Sri Lankan celebration.An indomitable backs-to-the-wall display by Moeen had come so close to sparing England: an unbeaten 108, unblemished even, made from 281 balls. England’s last five wickets had clung on for all but two balls of the final day. Pride had been salvaged, perhaps a captain had been spared too, but it is Sri Lanka who can celebrate a special moment in their Test history.Sri Lanka’s last pair held out for five balls in the first Test at Lord’s. This time the task was much harder for Moeen and Anderson: 20.2 overs. Even in Cardiff, when Anderson and Monty Panesar famously held off Australia in 2009, they only saw out 11.3. This time Anderson summoned a heroic 55-ball nought, all signifying nothing.Sri Lanka explode in celebration as the wicket of James Anderson falls•Getty ImagesTension slowly seeped into the final day as it only can in Test cricket. The crowd was sparse – Yorkshire had folded its arms in condemnation, convinced like all but the most incorrigibly optimistic that England’s abject collapse to 57 for 5, well adrift of a target of 350, had sealed their fate – but a night’s sleep had cleared muddled heads and Headingley, treacherous Headingley, not the sort of pitch to turn your back on, behaved like an old softie. At only a fiver entrance fee for the final day, Yorkshire had turned its back on a classic.Moeen, a cricketing free spirit, played with such judgment and self-denial that he must have explored parts of himself never visited before. He surely surprised even himself, suppressing the silky ambition of his batting during a strikingly unselfish innings in which his most positive shots were expertly selected. He met the second new ball with conviction and, in only his second Test, he made light of his international experience with impassioned advice to England’s tail.Only with nine wickets down did Moeen seek to steal the strike, only now did his timing begin to go awry as the demands weighed upon him. But his concentration was unwavering. His century came with half-an-hour remaining, flicking Nuwan Pradeep off his pads, but it had always felt like an afterthought in an innings where he appeared entirely consumed by England’s survival. This was not as much an innings as personal growth before your eyes.Even in defeat, there should be no doubt who will be the recipient of England’s annual Beard of the Year award – and, if that is one of the most frivolous awards around, this time it would have a more serious message. There are times when the wider social impact of a performance in sport must also be recognised even in a match report – and this was one of them.A sole spectator earlier in the Test who observed, however unthinkingly, that Moeen’s beard suggested he should be blowing up buildings was rightly reported to stewards and warned. Muslim cricketers have played for England before, but none had been so visibly proud to be a role model. With every stout-hearted block, Moeen made such comments appear ever more ignorant and, for those who questioned as much, integrated himself – and more importantly his beard – deep into the fabric of the England side.There were two umpiring reviews for Moeen to survive along the way, both optimistically sought by Sri Lanka for leg-side catches. On 52, a delivery from Rangana Herath, the left-arm spinner, found its way to leg slip, on 71 Eranga flicked his thigh pad on the way through to the wicketkeeper, but he was confident that his survival chances were 100%.Such was his selectivity that it was hard to recall another blemish. On another occasion, he had an inadvisable flirt when Herath slanted a low-arm delivery across him, but generally he curbed his attacking instincts with great resolve, only occasionally allowing himself to sweep or come down the pitch to Herath, choices he made with impeccable judgment.Moeen Ali reached his maiden Test hundred in a tense conclusion to the match•Getty ImagesEngland set the tone for the final day by making only 26 in nearly 18 overs during a drizzle-interrupted morning. Root clearly relished the chance to produce an innings of Boycottian bloody-mindedness in front of the Yorkshire crowd; strokelessness is no hardship for him when the match dictates it.Not shy of a word or two himself – the innocent countenance is entirely misleading – he predictably became the victim of prolonged sledging from the Sri Lanka captain, Angelo Mathews, who was instructed to curb his behaviour more than once by both umpires, and whose victory celebrations looked bound to be interrupted by an audience with the match referee. He should offer him an arrack and see if he can get away with it.If Mathews was in danger of getting sidetracked, it did not show in his captaincy, which remained well judged. He shuffled his bowlers endlessly in the final hour to try to unsettle England’s last pair and it paid off when he flung the ball to his most aggressive bowler, Eranga for one last effort – although not before he kept Mooen off strike with his own excellent over.Sri Lanka’s bowlers, by and large, were disciplined as the wickets came only slowly. Eranga adopted a short-ball policy in mid-afternoon, but it seemed a legitimate tactic at the time and unsettled Root. Herath lobbed up over after over accurately, but found little turn, a frustration he accepted with placid countenance. Instead Root was unpicked by an outswinger from Pradeep, a leading edge flying low to gully where Lahiru Thirimanne held a smart catch.Prior became a fifth victim for Sri Lanka’s fourth-day hero, Dhammika Prasad, a well-directed ball into his body and a deflection which was expertly snapped up by Kaushal Silva low down at short leg – not the first time he has fallen in such a fashion.It was Prasad’s effort ball and it almost resulted in his first no-ball of the match – the TV umpire requiring innumerable replays before concluding, fairly enough, that he got a sliver of boot behind a wonky front line. The match referee, Andy Pycroft, was quick to advise that if there was any uncertainty – and there was uncertainty – the decision should rest with the bowler as there was not definite proof he had overstepped.That decision, as it happened, was balanced out early in the final session. With the second over of the new ball, Chris Jordan drove loosely at Eranga and edged to second slip, only for another hair’s breadth decision this time to fall in England’s favour; again legitimately so. No balls were the last thing Sri Lanka needed, but they encapsulated how they were straining with every sinew to complete something quite exceptional.There was further encouragement for Sri Lanka when a delivery from Pradeep went through the top and jagged alarmingly away from Jordan. Herath was reintroduced with the new ball seven overs old and he removed Jordan lbw with his second delivery. England’s review had an air of desperation.Indifferent light became Sri Lanka’s next problem as the emergence of a blinking Stuart Broad coincided with the first appearance of the umpires’ light meters. Broad’s departure for a toilet break early in his innings was astounding. Sri Lanka were forced to resort to Mahela Jayawardene’s little-used offspin – six wickets to his name in 145 Tests – but, while the restrictions were in operation, Broad’s 24-ball nought ended when Herath straightened one to have him lbw.Sri Lanka’s recovery had been admirable – England had been 311 for 3 in their first innings at one stage, ahead by 54 – and over-excitability was the only explanation for wasting their second review, with 16 overs remaining, a futile search for an lbw decision for Herath against Anderson. Over-excitability became concern, became desperation, before desperation – at the last – was transformed into utter delight.

Mushfiqur Rahim has strongly criticised the BCB for appointing him as a short-term captain, saying it would make it difficult for him to set goals and would affect future captains too

Mohammad Isam04-Jul-2013Mushfiqur Rahim has strongly criticised the BCB for appointing him as a short-term captain, saying it would make it difficult for him to set goals and would affect future captains too. Mushfiqur was retained till the end of this year, which effectively means he will be in charge for only the home series against New Zealand in October – the rest of the season’s international fixtures fall in 2014.”I think this is the only cricketing nation that appoints the captain on a series-by-series basis,” Mushfiqur said. “To be honest, it is very wrong for a cricketer. It is difficult to set a goal if you don’t know for sure how long you will be a captain for. So in that way, it is very difficult to be a captain on a series-by-series basis. And it is not just for me, but for every future captain.”The board isn’t thinking long-term, so it doesn’t matter if I think long-term or not. These five months actually amount to just one series. I will give my 100% as captain and player, and make sure the rest of the team does the same.”After he resigned from the post in May this year during the Zimbabwe tour, Mushfiqur was convinced to stay by BCB chief Nazmul Hassan. But there was apparently no discussion on the period he will remain captain.This is, however, not the first time the board has resorted to series-by-series captaincy. Shakib Al Hasan had a long-running dispute after he was repeatedly given just one series to lead at a time. It almost led to his resignation in 2010 when he refused to lead until he was named captain for another year.After Shakib was sacked in mid-2011, Mushfiqur was first given two series to lead in the same year. He was then named captain till the 2013 Zimbabwe tour. But the board has now returned to the one-series policy.It is expected that Mushfiqur will be asked to continue after the New Zealand series (as was the practice during Shakib’s reign). Unlike Shakib, however, the incumbent captain has declined to take the fight to the board. “I can never discuss it [being captain till the 2015 World Cup] with the board. If they recognise me as a good enough leader, they can tell me. Whether I would do it then is another matter.”For the benefit of Bangladesh cricket, the captain must be given a longer term. It will happen in the near future, I hope.”

Tony Greig, the former England captain, has died after being diagnosed with lung cancer, the Nine Network has reported

Daniel Brettig and Brydon Coverdale29-Dec-2012Having exerted an influence on the game every bit as imposing as his 6 foot 6 inch frame, Tony Greig died too swiftly and too soon.Battling lung cancer since he was diagnosed in October, Greig’s familiar presence on television screens was missed greatly at the outset of the Australian summer. The heart attack that claimed him, aged 66, about 1.45pm on the day after the Boxing Day Test, arrived as a shock to the cricket world and a source of enormous sadness to those who knew him.Greig’s first inkling of illness arrived in mid-year as a bout of bronchitis showed unusual stubbornness, and while commentating in the UAE and then the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka he was moved to undergo tests that uncovered a lesion in his right lung. Subsequent examinations and operations revealed the extent of the cancer, and he was unable to fulfil his usual duties for Channel Nine in the Brisbane Test against South Africa.It was the harshest of breaks for a man who had been synonymous with the game in so many countries. Born and raised in South Africa, Greig moved to England to pursue an international career. He proved an effective allrounder over 58 Tests and daring captain of his adopted country, before accepting Kerry Packer’s offer to be one of the architects, captains and chief recruiters for the World Series Cricket revolution. That brought his move to Australia and integral place on the Nine commentary team, a role he maintained alongside overseas work for more than three decades, until his diagnosis.Late on the first day of the Gabba Test match, the broadcast crossed to Greig’s home in the Sydney suburb of Vaucluse, where he expressed typical optimism in his fight with illness but also a rueful reflection on missing his first day on the Nine commentary team in Brisbane for 33 years. “It’s been an incredible, very short journey so far. You guys will all face it one day I’m sure,” Greig told his fellow commentators.”You’ve no idea how much one misses getting to the cricket on a day like today. When you’ve been doing it for 33 years it’s absolutely unbelievable. Even my little bloke who came home from school today was almost ‘dad what are you doing at home, you shouldn’t be here’, so it takes a little bit of getting used to, and I’m sure it’s going to get worse as this Test match goes on.”At the time Greig hoped that he would be fit to return to work at the final Test of the summer in Sydney, scheduled to begin on January 3, but this was not a battle he would win. The impact of Greig’s life on the game of cricket, and the suddenness of his death, was summed up by his longtime commentary colleague, friend and fellow former captain Bill Lawry.”World cricket has lost one of its great ambassadors,” Lawry told ESPNcricinfo. “Not only was Tony Greig captain of England, captain of the World Series world team, but he just loved travelling the world to places like Sri Lanka, India, England, Dubai, wherever it was played, Greigy would be there. He’s well known right throughout the world, well loved and respected and cricket has lost one of its all-time greats.”I know the Channel Nine commentary team is absolutely shattered. He’s been a great friend of mine for 33 years. We knew he was sick but we didn’t realise it was going to be this sudden. It has shocked us all.”Cricket Australia’s chairman Wally Edwards spoke of how Greig’s “illness and too-early death comes as a terrible shock – he will be greatly missed”, while perhaps his most famous adversary Dennis Lillee described “a tough opponent who took on all opposition with aggression and a determination to win. He had a take-no-prisoners attitude which helped him lead England with flare and toughness.”Nine’s tribute, which extended as far as a half-hour television special following the nightly news, was summed up with these words: “Tony Greig is a name synonymous with Australian cricket – from his playing days as the English captain we loved to hate, to his senior role in the revolution of World Series Cricket, his infamous car keys in the pitch reports and more than three decades of colourful and expert commentary.”Greig’s place in the game had been somewhat sullied by establishment rebukes of his role in support of Packer, but in recent years he had enjoyed a significant revision and rehabilitation as a senior figure, culminating in his invitation to deliver the MCC’s Cowdrey Lecture at Lord’s in June this year. In the lecture, he explained the reasons behind his decision to sign with WSC, before entering into a typically passionate discussion of the game he loved.The lecture’s insights contrasted somewhat with the nature of his commentary, which carried both the entertainment value of the showman and the agitator’s spice he had employed so often as a medium pace and off spin bowler, aggressive batsman, outspoken captain and pioneering silly point fielder. His description of moments such as Sachin Tendulkar’s twin centuries against Australia in Sharjah in 1998 and Sri Lanka’s World Cup victory in 1996 have stayed with all who heard them.At the time of his death, Greig was with his family, including his second wife Vivian, his daughter Beau, his son Tom, and two adult children from his previous marriage – daughter Sam and son Mark. Vivian offered thanks for the support and condolences offered by friends and well-wishers around Australia and the world, all of whom had been witness to Greig’s influence as a cricketer, broadcaster and revolutionary.

Weston McKennie and Tim Weah may be heading back to square one at Juventus, with Massimiliano Allegri reportedly ready to quit his post.

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Allegri prepared to end Bianconeri contract earlyCould walk away in the summer of 2024American stars would need to prove themselves againWHAT HAPPENED?

According to , Allegri is mulling over an early end to his contract in Turin. His current deal is due to run through to the summer of 2025, but said agreement could be brought to a close in 2024 if the 56-year-old opts to walk away.

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Allegri is said to have attracted interest from Saudi Arabia, with teams in the Middle East ready to “cover him in gold”, while a well-earned break could also be taken in if the Serie A title-winning coach decides to wait on another challenge in Europe.

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Allegri is said to be growing disillusioned with life at Juve following the departure of former chairman Andre Agnelli – the man who re-hired him in 2021. He reportedly feels that the club are heading in a different direction to the one that he would favour, leading to questions being asked of his future.

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Any departure for Allegri could hit USMNT stars McKennie and Weah hard. The former has worked his way back into favour this season – seeing a new contract mooted along the way – but his situation could change were a new boss to be brought in. Weah was snapped up in the summer transfer window by Allegri and the versatile United States international is another that may have to prove himself all over again in 2024-25.

Rajasthan Royals bowler Siddharth Trivedi has recorded a statement at the Saket District Court in Delhi in relation to the case against his three team mates

ESPNcricinfo staff31-May-2013Rajasthan Royals bowler Siddharth Trivedi has recorded a statement at the Saket District Court in Delhi in relation to the case against his three team-mates – Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan – who were arrested on charges of fraud and cheating during IPL 2013. Trivedi will be a witness for the prosecution.Trivedi made his statement before a magistrate, which under section 164 of the Indian Penal Code means it is admissible as evidence. “He is not seen as a suspect, he had a periperal role and he never acted, he was refusing all the time,” SN Srivastava, a Delhi police official, told . “In their cases they had agreed to perform or under perform, in Siddharth Trivedi’s case he never agreed to perform at all.”Srivastava also said “nothing has come on any other player at this stage”.ESPNcricinfo understands Trivedi had declined multiple approaches by bookies and had also reported an approach by a bookie to the Anti Corruption and Security Unit during IPL 2012. Last year, Trivedi was among more than a dozen cricketers approached by undercover India TV reporters acting as bookies during a sting operation and was among those who turned them away. On Thursday, Trivedi travelled from his home in Ahmedabad to Mumbai and reached Delhi, it is believed, early this morning to record his statement before the court.The three players were arrested on May 15, soon after Royals played Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium, for the alleged fulfilling of promises made to bookmakers during this year’s tournament. The players were allegedly promised money ranging from US$36,000 to $109,000 for their participation in spot-fixing.They were charged by Delhi Police under three laws of the Indian Penal Code: Section 409, which deals with criminal breach of trust and is a non-bailable offence; Section 420 which deals with deal with fraud and cheating; and Section 120B, which deals with deals with criminal conspiracy. The Delhi Police had registered cases against the players under Sections 420 and 120B. The charge under 409 was added to the list following Rajasthan Royals’ complaint against the three.

Toby Rolland-Jones 12 for 105 send Middlesex top of the Championship with an innings victory over Northamptonshire. This was their first win away from Lord’s and they were without Steven Finn too

Jon Culley at Northampton21-May-2014
ScorecardToby Roland-Jones bounced back to form with a career-best 12 for 105•Getty ImagesMiddlesex are playing down the likelihood that they will be able to sustain a title challenge over a full season but for the moment they are in front, with a lead of 19 points over Yorkshire, having won four matches out of six. All the other Division One teams have played a match fewer but it is a decent advantage.What’s more they have won away from Lord’s for the first time, which may be significant, and without Steven Finn, whose 29 wickets have been a large part of their early season success. Here they were driven to a thumping victory by the outstanding performance of his career from Toby Roland-Jones, a seam bowler who could not get in the side when the fixture programme began last month.Thanks largely to his six wickets, Northamptonshire succumbed by 2.30pm, having been four down overnight. There was a show of resistance from Ben Duckett, the 19-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman (although not Northants’ regular keeper), who made a career-best 56, in conjunction with Ian Butler, the New Zealand allrounder, who preserved his wicket for almost two hours, facing 119 balls for his 14 runs – a commendable effort from a player whose more customary approach would have taken him to a century in that sort of time. But once they were parted the end came swiftly.Without much at all in the way of warning, Roland-Jones took a career-best 6 for 55 in Northamptonshire’s first innings and bettered it again with 6 for 50 in their second. His match figures of 12 for 105 are new territory for him as well. And there was that 60 off 30 balls with the bat, another career-best. For him it was quite an occasion.Chris Rogers, the Middlesex captain, sung his praises, but as ever in the context of an honest appraisal. “We know what Toby is capable of,” he said. “He’s probably gone missing a bit for a little while and he will admit that. But when he is at his best he is an exceptional bowler and this was as well as I have seen him bowl since a couple of years ago at Worcester, when he took ten wickets in the game and was outstanding.”He is still in the developmental stage and still has ups and downs but if he can put in performances like that, who knows?”It is all about rhythm for bowlers. He was getting it in the right place and looked like taking a wicket every ball and not many bowlers can say they could do that on a wicket like the one we have had here.”On day one when it was really flat he took responsibility and between him and Ravi Patel they made it happen. We did not have Finny to bowl this game but it was a great performance from that attack. To take 20 wickets on that surface was not easy.”Rogers was frank enough, too, to ask the questions that others might about Middlesex’s claim to be title contenders.”It is hard to tell where we stand, really,” he said. “We are going to come up against teams stronger on paper than Northants and we have not played great cricket consistently. Tests will be coming thick and fast – we have Sussex in the next game and they have turned us over already this season. We will have a bit more of an idea after that one.”From their overnight 88 for 4, Northamptonshire lost three more wickets in the first half-hour. Tim Murtagh took a wicket with his first ball when he came on for Joe Denly at the Lynn Wilson Centre end, dismissing Rob Newton caught behind, then Roland-Jones increased his tally to 10 in the match when Andrew Hall drove loosely and edged to the wicketkeeper and David Murphy lost his off stump to one that may have nipped back a touch.Middlesex broke the Duckett-Butler alliance when the latter edged a good delivery from Roland-Jones to John Simpson behind the wicket, ending a stand of 62 that spanned 38 overs. Butler, who took 112 balls to get into double figures, contributed 14.Nine balls later, Duckett gave Roland-Jones his 12th wicket in the match when he was out hooking for the second time, after which Azharullah was run out by Dawid Malan’s throw from fine leg.It completed a fourth defeat in five for Northamptonshire, three of them by an innings. At least they began the defence of their Twenty20 crown with a win over a strong Yorkshire side. They need to breed some confidence in the short form and transfer it to their four-day game; but it needs to happen quite soon.

An inspired spell post-tea by Jaydev Unadkat lifted Saurashtra’s sagging spirits, but Baroda continued to hold the edge on the penultimate day in Rajkot, armed with a lead of close to 300 on a deteriorating pitch

The Report by Kanishkaa Balachandran in Rajkot24-Dec-2013
ScorecardFile photo: Jaydev Unadkat picked up four wickets in a spell of eight overs•Getty ImagesAn inspired spell post-tea by Jaydev Unadkat lifted Saurashtra’s sagging spirits, but Baroda continued to hold the edge on the penultimate day in Rajkot, armed with a lead of close to 300 on a deteriorating pitch. With a day left and three innings yet to be completed, a draw looked the most likely outcome with Baroda poised to go home with more points.Spinners were expected to bag most of the wickets on a pitch tailor-made for them, but Unadkat’s spell of eight overs in which he picked four wickets proved that he could battle the conditions. Saurashtra had lost half the battle when they conceded a first-innings lead of 89 and their best hope of taking more than just a point was to push for an outright win. It required a collapse from Baroda and for a while, the visitors looked like losing their foothold when they slid to 130 for 5. However, Pinal Shah and Utkarsh Patel showed good resistance to stretch the lead to a point where it would place unrealistic expectations on any team batting last on this surface.Saurabh Wakaskar and Aditya Waghmode built Baroda’s lead with a stand of 74 for the third wicket. Wakaskar, who scored a century in the first innings, was aggressive against the spinners, driving down the ground and smashing a straight six that struck the sightscreen. He was let off on 60 when he miscued an attempted six to long-on, only for Unadkat to spill the catch over his head. Saurashtra couldn’t let go of those chances, given their situation, but Unadkat made amends with the skill he’s known better for.Fortunes oscillated when he began his spell after tea and removed Waghmode leg-before. He was on a hat-trick when he sent Irfan Pathan’s off stump spinning back a few yards. It was a blow for Irfan, playing purely as a batsman and missing a length ball. Wakaskar added only nine more runs after being dropped, trapped in front by Unadkat. The left-arm seamer, not picked for India’s tour of South Africa, ran in with vigour, extracting good pace from an unhelpful wicket. He bent his back to try and bounce the batsmen out and it was a testing period for Baroda, who couldn’t take their position for granted.Unadkat was lucky to get a fourth wicket, though, when Yusuf Pathan, on 17, was adjudged caught behind trying to cut. It bounced more than he expected and the umpire was convinced he had nicked it. A stunned Yusuf stood his ground and trudged off, staring at the Saurashtra players huddled together. It was untimely for Yusuf, just when he was looking dangerous. One of his two sixes landed several rows behind long-on and the ball couldn’t be traced. The lead looked like swelling quickly so long as he was around. However, Shah and Utkarsh batted positively, buoyed by uninhibited cheers from the Baroda dressing room and ensured no further losses.Utkarsh, the offspinner, was effective with the ball as well in the morning. Baroda had the hosts under pressure coming into the third morning, having removed six wickets on day two. But Saurashtra appeared comfortable against pace. The introduction of spin, though, was the turning point for Baroda as Utkarsh took two in two. Arpit Vasavada, the last recognised batsman, failed to make them pay for being dropped at slip as he was stumped in the following over. Utkarsh had Vishal Joshi caught behind the following ball to finish with 5 for 70. Dharmendrasinh Jadeja and Unadkat frustrated Baroda with a last-wicket stand of 53 but the visitors still gained a healthy lead when Yusuf dismissed Jadeja leg-before for 44.

Faf du Plessis, who captains South Africa’s Twenty20 side, believes he is not yet ready to lead the team in ODIs

Firdose Moonda27-Aug-2013Faf du Plessis has admitted that his ODI form must improve if he hopes to take over as the ODI captain in the future. Du Plessis already leads South Africa’s Twenty20 side, and has been widely tipped to eventually succeed AB de Villiers, who has been burdened with the role of skipper, senior batsman and wicket-keeper. However, du Plessis does not see himself as a suitable candidate just yet.”My performances need to be better if I want to be considered as ODI captain. In Sri Lanka, I was under pressure to score runs and I knew that,” he told ESPNcricinfo.In the last 12 months, Du Plessis has managed only two half-centuries in the 21 matches he has played – an unbeaten 62 against Netherlands in May, and a 72-ball 57 against New Zealand in January.His lean patch extended to the shortest format of the game as well, but du Plessis ended the drought with an assured 85 in the last T20 on South Africa’s tour of Sri Lanka last month. “It meant a lot for me to score runs in that last T20,” he said. “I needed them badly.”His own showings aside, du Plessis achieved something bigger when he became the first captain to take South Africa to a series win in Sri Lanka. After a below-par ODI showing in which they were defeated 4-1, South Africa clinched the three-match T20 series 2-1. A notable difference in the two series was in the leadership. While de Villiers struggled in his decision-making and was often behind the over-rate, du Plessis made crucial bowling and fielding changes, appeared in control most of the time, and admitted that he was enjoying his job.”I love captaining and adding value in that way,” he said. “I like giving the talks that a captain gives and dealing with the high pressure times. I even like taking the flak of making decision myself, like when it comes to bowling changes. The captain needs to make tough decisions and I don’t mind making them.”Du Plessis was a captain at school level and occasionally in the domestic set-up. So despite his relatively young age when he was promoted to T20 captain in November last year, he was deemed to have had the required skills to cut it at the top. He had only played four T20s when he was handed the role, but immediately set about trying to establish a style of leadership and earn the confidence of his team.”If you’re honest with players, they respect you,” he said. “Everybody knew we were experimenting a bit and we will try a experiment a little more because we need have our best combinations.” The World T20 and 2015 World Cup are only six and 18 months away respectively, but South Africa are still toying with new combinations and strategies under the new coach Russell Domingo.Through the process of settling on a line-up, du Plessis is hopeful that his own ODI showings will get better, if only because he will have some stability to get into a rhythm. Currently, he has been stationed at No.4 in the line-up, between JP Duminy and de Villiers, and Domingo has indicated he will keep those positions, even as Jacques Kallis makes himself available for more ODI cricket.Du Plessis, for one, can see the benefit of a definite plan. “It’s nice to have a more stable role because before I was batting everywhere and now I am able to get used to a role,” he said. The only person du Plessis thinks can float is de Villiers who he said “has to bat at the most crucial part of the game,” because “he is just the best in every situation.”With de Villiers identified as South Africa’s gun player, it would not be too surprising to see him relieved of the extra duty of leading in the near future, although du Plessis would not be drawn on how his long-time friend feels about leadership. “AB and I are different captains and we use each other, when it comes to discussing things. I’d love to captain the ODI side but I know it’s not going to happen at the moment,” he said. “The captain needs to be the first name on the team sheet, so I have to make sure I am there.”A format du Plessis feels he does not have to worry about his place in is the longest one, which South Africa will resume with two Tests against Pakistan in the UAE in October. After his match-saving hundred in Adelaide against Australia last November, du Plessis thinks he has “done enough,” to be a certainty in the starting XI despite JP Duminy, the man who du Plessis replaced, returning to fitness.Duminy has made a full recovery after rupturing his Achilles’ on the tour Down Under, and has been reintroduced into first-class cricket through South Africa A in order to force a Test comeback. He was the top-scorer in last week’s unofficial Test against India A and also contributed with three wickets, to show his value as an all-rounder.Du Plessis expects Duminy to make a comeback, but not at his own expense. “JP has done brilliantly since coming back and having him in the team only makes it stronger,” he said. “He would slot right back in.”That implies Dean Elgar, who has played in six Tests since Perth last year, would find himself out in the cold. “But if Graeme (Smith) does not recover in time, Dean can just slot in at the top,” du Plessis said. Smith is expected to be fit for the series after a lengthy time out of action with an ankle problem but if there is a setback in his rehabilitation, South Africa may have to turn to Elgar, who is an opener by trade.There’s no doubt that the management will do everything they can to ensure Smith is part of the squad, as South Africa will play the Tests in conditions that have already got the better of England. Although South Africa beat Pakistan 3-0 at home earlier this year, du Plessis expects the going to be much tougher in the Emirates.”You just have to look at England and how easily they were beaten to know it won’t be easy,” he said. “Spin will obviously be the biggest challenge and that’s what we will be working on.”

PSG forward Kylian Mbappe is seeking exclusive rights to his signature celebration and last name.

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Superstar hopes iconic celebration will be protected as intellectual propertyHas already protected two phrasesExpected to move to Real Madrid this summerWHAT HAPPENED?

The PSG winger is seeking intellectual property rights for his iconic arms-folded celebration, as well as his last name, according to . If he is awarded those privileges, any products or brands looking to use his name or celebration will need to pay Mbappe – or be granted permission by the player himself.

AdvertisementWHAT KYLIAN MBAPPE SAID

Mbappe's celebration originally came from his younger brother, Ethan, he revealed in his autobiography: "He scored a goal and celebrated by crossing his arms. Five minutes later, he stopped and said, 'Kylian, you could do that in a match.' So, I did it."

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Mbappe isn't the first footballer to seek intellectual property rights. Vinicius Jr has three different registrations for protection in the EU. Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have also trademarked their names and celebrations.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MBAPPE?

The winger is set to join Madrid next summer, and has reportedly agreed on a massive contract to seal his move to the Spanish capital. Until then, he will continue to appear for the Parisians, who take on Rennes in Ligue 1 play on Sunday.

A collective bowling performance, followed by Thirush Kamini unbeaten 62, led India Women to a nine-wicket win to complete a 3-2 series victory in the final ODI against New Zealand Women in Bangalore

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Jul-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details3:05

‘We need to build partnerships’ – Satterthwaite

A collective bowling performance, followed by Thirush Kamini’s unbeaten 62, led India women to a nine-wicket win to complete a 3-2 series victory in the final ODI against New Zealand women in Bangalore.Having opted to bat, New Zealand were reduced to 12 for 2 in five overs. Rachel Priest was run out for a duck without facing a ball before Jhulan Goswami had Amy Satterthwaite nicking behind for 5 off 14 balls. Suzie Bates (42) and Sophie Devine (18) mounted a brief fight with a 49-run partnership but New Zealand lost their last eight wickets for 57 runs, folding for 118 in 41 overs.Anna Peterson (22), coming in at No. 8, was the only other batsman to have moved into double figures. Goswami, left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad and seamer Deepti Sharma took two wickets each while Ekta Bisht and Harmanpreet Kaur pitched in with a wicket apiece to jolt the visitors.Even though opener Smriti Mandhana fell by the third over, Kamini underpinned a steady chase with 62 off 78 balls, including 13 fours. Sharma also sparkled with the bat, making 44 off 78 balls in an unbroken 103-run stand, as India sealed the match and the series in 27.2 overs.Despite taking the series, India were still at the bottom of the ICC Women’s Championship points table with only two wins in nine matches.