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A five-wicket haul from veteran spinner Dean Cosker helped Glamorgan remain in touch with Gloucestershire after day two of their Division Two clash in Cardiff

Press Association 21-Apr-2014
ScorecardDean Cosker worked his way through Gloucestershire’s top order (file photo)•PA PhotosA five-wicket haul from veteran spinner Dean Cosker helped Glamorgan remain in touch with Gloucestershire after day two of their Division Two clash in Cardiff.Gloucestershire looked on course to rack up an imposing first-innings lead, even after being frustrated by a battling 54 from Graham Wagg which took the hosts to 145.Chris Dent made 52 and William Tavare 42 as the visitors’ reply started well, but they came unstuck against a 36-year-old slow left armer. Cosker completed his 10th first-class five wicket haul, recording figures of 5 for 46 as Glamorgan limited their opponents to 230 for 9, a lead of 85.There looked little way back for Glamorgan as they slumped from 47 for 6 at the start of the day to 72 for 9, but a final stand of 73 between Wagg and No. 10 Michael Hogan helped them rebuild their innings. Wagg hit five fours and a six in his unbeaten 65-ball knock, with Hogan providing vital support at the other end for his 23.The stand was finally ended by Matt Taylor, while Will Payne and Will Gidman finished the innings with figures of three for 29 and three for 34 respectively.With an easy-paced pitch becoming ideal for batting, Gloucestershire would have fancied their chances of building a commanding lead and looked set to do just that as Dent and Tavare took their score into three figures for the loss of just one wicket, that of Michael Klinger for 2.But Cosker arrived with a vengeance to halt their progress. He had Dent caught behind by Mark Wallace, ending his 72-ball stay, and then removed Tavare, who paid the price for a daft shot, sending an attempted clip over Hogan at mid-on straight to the fielder.Cosker was making full use of his experience, varying his deliveries intelligently, and had his third victim when he trapped Alex Gidman lbw for 12. The dismissals of Will Gidman and Hamish Marshall gave Cosker his five-for, although the latter’s 32, which included two sixes, helped the visitors recover from 144 for 6.Hamish shared a partnership of 42 for the seventh wicket with Tom Smith, who finished the day unbeaten on 38.

The MCG’s 20,000 square metres of turf will be replaced in October in its biggest resurfacing since the overhaul undertaken after the 2004 AFL season in preparation for the 2006 Commonwealth Games

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Aug-2014The MCG’s 20,000 square metres of turf will be replaced in October in its biggest resurfacing since the overhaul undertaken after the 2004 AFL season in preparation for the 2006 Commonwealth Games.Beginning two days after the AFL grand final on September 27, the work will be completed in the month-long window between the AFL and cricket seasons. Around 150 truckloads of turf will reportedly be shipped out and brought in as the venue prepares to host the 2015 World Cup final in March.MCC arenas operations manager Tony Gordon said the replacement was necessary considering the ground was a “high-use” venue. “The life span of any natural turf sports surface is not infinite and, while our artificial lighting system has significantly reduced the need for turf replacement, the MCG is a high-use venue,” Gordon was quoted as saying by . “Strategic turf replacement is crucial to ensuring our playing surface is among the best in the world.”Ten portable cricket pitches will also be installed during the resurfacing, to be completed in time for the first Sheffield Shield fixture of the season between Victoria and New South Wales beginning on October 31.

The 18-year-old was officially presented as a Real Madrid player on Friday and here, Goal looks at the biggest teenage talents to emerge from Brazil

Getty ImagesPele

Considered by most as Brazil's greatest ever player and by many as the finest footballer of all time, Pele was a World Cup winner at the age of 17 in 1958, having made his debut for Santos as a 15-year-old in 1956.

went on to score over 1,000 goals in his career, spent mostly with Santos before a short stint in the USA with the New York Cosmos. He is the only player to have won three World Cups and is still Brazil's top scorer with 77 goals from his 92 games.

AdvertisementGettyZico

Such was Zico's talent that the Flamengo forward was nicknamed "the white Pele" in his homeland. And although he never won a World Cup with Brazil, he is still regarded as one of the finest footballers ever produced by the South American nation.

Zico made his Flamengo debut as an 18-year-old and would go on to score over 400 goals for the Rio de Janeiro side, most of those in the first of two spells either side of a two-season stint with Udinese. He finished his career with Kashima Antlers in Japan and scored 48 goals for Brazil.

gettyRomario

Romario started his career with Vasco da Gama in Rio, initially just as a fan and later as a professional once he had made his debut just days after his 19th birthday. At the age of 22, he then moved to PSV Eindhoven and later to Barcelona.

Short in stature, the striker was famous for his lobbed goals in a spectacular career which saw him play until beyond his 40th birthday. He won the World Cup in 1994 with Brazil and hit 55 goals in 70 games for the Selecao overall.

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GettyRonaldo

Ronaldo made his debut for Cruzeiro at just 16 years of age and after an impressive year, he followed a similar path to Romario as he joined PSV Eindhoven and then Barcelona, before moving to Inter and Real Madrid later in his career.

Part of the 1994 World Cup-winning squad with Brazil, did not feature that year, but played in two finals and claimed the trophy as the star in 2002. He scored 62 goals in 98 games for the Selecao and despite suffering a number of injuries, is among the nation's best-ever players.

A lack of state government clearances cost Jaipur and Dharamsala, while Raipur missed out it was “not necessary to have so many venues” this season

Amol Karhadkar and Nagraj Gollapudi03-Apr-2014The major talking points of the schedule of the India leg of the IPL were the omission of Raipur and Jaipur from the list of host cities, and Ranchi having been preferred over Kochi as Chennai Super Kings’ second home. The IPL authorities have said that the changes were made due to lack of security assurances from some of the state governments.Jaipur missed out because of the inability of the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) to acquire requisite state government clearances. “We have not got the No-Objection Certification (NOC) from them,” IPL chairman Ranjib Biswal said. It has been understood that the court-appointed BCCI-IPL president Sunil Gavaskar has extended the deadline for all the shortlisted IPL venues to provide NOC from their respective police authorities by Wednesday (April 2).While RCA officiating secretary KK Sharma was unavailable for a comment, a RCA insider revealed it was a win-win situation for all stakeholders. “The state association is in a mess. Election results are held by the court. The BCCI is against the RCA. And even the team owners were not so keen on Jaipur as their first choice, so everyone is happy,” said the insider. This will be the second time Ahmedabad will feature as the home venue for Rajasthan Royals, after hosting four Royals home matches in 2010.Although no one from Royals was available for an on-record comment, it is understood that the franchise was not interested in Jaipur due to the various on-going controversies in the RCA. Even last year the franchise was kept on edge till a last-minute turnaround by the Rajasthan Sports Council allowed the Royals to play at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur which had been locked out earlier. “Ahmedabad has three-times bigger capacity, has three times less hassles and more sponsors are available for the franchise,” a former RCA official said.There had been few problems in Raipur last year, when two of Delhi Daredevils’ home games were held at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Stadium. ESPNcricinfo understands that the franchise had requested to host two more matches this year, following the overwhelming response for both matches. Biswal said Raipur missed out since it was “not necessary to have so many venues” this season.Like Raipur, Dharamsala, the picturesque venue in Himachal Pradesh that had emerged as Punjab’s second home venue over the years, does not find a slot in this season’s schedule. The reason is the same as Jaipur’s. “Despite writing to the relevant police authorities twice and a HPCA representative meeting them in person for providing the requisite security cover for IPL games, they just didn’t even bother to respond – either in affirmative or negative,” said Vishal Marwaha, secretary of Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association. “This just shows that the state government just didn’t want IPL matches to be played in Himachal.”As a result, Kings XI will play two of their home games in Cuttack, the home city of IPL chairman Biswal. According to Mohit Burman, a co-owner at Kings XI Punjab, the franchise had asked for Ahmedabad as the first alternative. “They had consulted us and even if Cuttack was not our preference we are happy,” Burman said.The Chennai Super Kings will also play two of their home games outside the city they are based in, hosting them in Ranchi – the hometown of India and Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni. Super Kings had received tremendous response for their 2013 Champions League Twenty20 games in Ranchi. As a result, despite Kerala Cricket AssociationTC Mathew having announced that Kochi was set to host “a couple of CSK home matches”, Ranchi got the nod of the IPL authorities.It is understood that during their meeting with the IPL officials in Chennai in February had been asked to submit their shortlist of alternate venues other than their home grounds. And the BCCI insiders said they have done their best to accommodate most of their requests.”It’s extremely impossible to adhere to each and everyone’s preference,” an official said. “Without going into the specifics of an individual venue, I would say that considering the logistical challenges and the operational considerations, we have drawn a schedule that would suit virtually everyone. We have to factor in kit and crew movements, also the fact that every team has to get at least one game in a weekend double header.”The IPL starts on April 16 in the UAE, where 20 matches will be played, and shifts to India on May 2 with the final scheduled for June 1 in Mumbai.

Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) have turned down a proposed bail-out from the ICC but confirmed it will restructure its organisation with a view to reducing expenses as it attempts to climb out of debt

Firdose Moonda23-Apr-2014Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) have turned down a proposed bail-out from the ICC but confirmed it will restructure its organisation with a view to reducing expenses as it attempts to climb out of debt. This follows several months of discussions between the ZC and the ICC over ZC’s finances, during which a primary application for a loan was first turned down in January, which was followed by an ICC visit and a bail out offer made with conditions of cost cutting and key administrative changes.ESPNcricinfo understands the ICC, which did not comment on the matter, was willing to provide ZC with a conditional loan of up to US$16 million, including an immediate US$10.8 million to write off amounts owed to two banks; n return it sought an agreement from ZC to restructure radically, trim down its organisation and operate under an administrator.Zimbabwe Cricket did not deny the existence of a bail-out or give reasons as to why it had been turned down. “This is a matter of strict confidentiality between ZC and the ICC,” Lovemore Banda, ZC’s media and communication manager, speaking on behalf of chairman Peter Chingoka, said. “We have a business plan that is driven by restructuring and whose key dynamic is to cut down on costs.”It is believed an introduction of an ICC-appointed and backed administrator is thought to have been the major reason for ZC’s reluctance and ultimate refusal to agree to the deal, although ZC would not confirm that.Estimates have put ZC’s debts in the region of US$18 million and mounting. That was the primary reason ZC approached the ICC for financial assistance in January. Then, ZC applied for a loan of US$19 million, which the ICC board failed to approve. Instead, they supplied ZC with US$3 million to end a player strike that had dragged on from December, restart domestic cricket in the country and adequately prepare the national side for the World T20.ICC CEO Dave Richardson and chief financial officer Faisal Hasnain were also directed to visit Zimbabwe to assess the situation in the country. Their trip, which took place in March, made several recommendations to reduce ZC’s expenses. According to the newspaper those included substantial job cuts.The newspaper said that the ICC report into Zimbabwe cricket’s finances, following the visit by Richardson and Hasnain, suggested that the number of contracted players across the board would be reduced from 99 to 56 – 14 per franchise. Information has since surfaced that the number could be as low as 10 per franchise. Those contracts, which come up for renewal at the end of this month, would only run for the duration of the cricket season. The franchise adminstration would also be cut, with one source indicating there would no longer be franchise CEOs, but one overall franchise administrator.Only 15 players would be on year-round national contracts with the also quoting the ICC’s report as warning players of the fragile economic climate around them. “The players need to better understand the harsh realities of the state of the Zimbabwe economy and the current financial position of ZC,” the report read.The newspaper indicated player payments were a major contributor to ZC’s costs, with members of the squad earning a total of US$412,000 for the three matches they played in the preliminary round of the World T20. That promoted a response from the Zimbabwean Professional Cricketers’ Association (ZPCA) in which they revealed they are yet to receive the funds. “Players are yet to be paid that much by ZC. We challenge ZC to produce proof of payment to that effect so that the world can see. We agreed to the $412,000 figure to include appearance and match fees for both the participating players and the other 15 remaining. ZC are signatory to this agreement,” the statement said.The ZPCA also said the players had “lost trust in the administration,” and “were and are still underpaid.” They vowed to continue demanding a quarter of the proceeds ZC earn from World Cup events – which the ZPCA had previously wanted as a guarantee for player salaries for a year – and urged ZC to “adopt the ICC bailout plan immediately.”While ZC have not made public whether they will re-engage the ICC, they have already implemented some cost-cutting measures. They scrapped rest days between domestic List A and first-class fixtures for the remainder of the current season. It has also been reported that the Southern Rocks, the franchise based in Masvingo, will be culled ahead of next season, which could also see the first-class competition became a three-day instead of a four-day tournament.These measures are believed to be part of an effort to renegotiate a loan at the ICC’s next board meeting in June. The major sticking point is thought to be that of the administrator. A senior South African official was one of the people sounded out for the role of overseer, although talks did not move past initial discussions, and former ZC managing director David Ellman-Brown was named as another possibility.

A round-up of the HRV Cup matches played on January 8, 2014

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Jan-2014
ScorecardFile photo: Hamish Rutherford struck 10 fours and three sixes in his 79•BCCIOtago prevailed in a last-ball win over Wellington and took a four-point lead at the top of the points table in Dunedin. Chasing 205, Wellington needed seven from the last over but managed only five from Jacob Duffy’s last over which pushed them to third place behind Northern Districts.Put in to bat first, Otago put on a massive opening stand of 107 with the help of Neil Broom and Hamish Rutherford. The partnership was broken in the 12th over but Rutherford had scored 79 off 44 with 13 boundaries by then (10 fours and three sixes). Aaron Redmond (7) and Broom, 47 off 40, fell soon enough before Ryan ten Doeschate and Michael Bracewell smashed 63 in the last four overs. Ten Doeschate was unbeaten on 45 off 18 and Bracewell on 22 off 9 as a total of 20 fours and eight sixes were scored in the innings.Wellington were kept on track by Michael Papps and Grant Elliott after they lost two early wickets. They put on 40 in five overs before Papps fell for 44. Elliott and James Franklin kept them in the hunt with a mammoth stand of 137 for the fourth wicket which lasted for 11.1 overs. Elliott smashed 70 off 42 and Franklin raced to 68 off 37 with five fours and four sixes which took them past 200. Duffy dismissed Elliott when Wellington needed three from two balls but Graham Napier failed to score from either of the balls he faced.
ScorecardNorthern Districts moved to second place with a crucial 29-run win against Auckland. After scoring 180 once they were asked to bat, Northern Districts’ bowlers kept Auckland to 151 as Scott Kuggeleijn, Scott Styris and Jono Boult picked two wickets each.Northern Districts were led by Brad Wilson and Daniel Harris after losing their first wicket in the third over. Wilson, 36 off 33, struck four fours and Harris raced to 25 off 14 before falling in the seventh over. Daniel Flynn and Daryl Mitchell could not stay for too long and after Wilson’s wicket, Styris clobbered 48 off only 18 deliveries to charge them to 180.Auckland’s second-wicket stand between Anaru Kitchen and Gareth Hopkins took them past 50 within eight overs but the middle order failed to capitalise on the start. Boult and Styris reduced the hosts to 101 for 6 from 56 for 1 which virtually ended the chase. Donovan Grobbelaar and James Fuller put on 41 in 17 deliveries but it wasn’t enough as they lost three more wickets and eventually fell short by 29.

Sri Lanka’s board president Jayantha Dharmadasa has followed up SLC’s publicly stated objection to resolutions for vast changes to cricket’s global revenue sharing and governance by openly questioning the legality of the proposal and the manner of its cre

Daniel Brettig06-Feb-2014Sri Lanka’s board president Jayantha Dharmadasa has followed up SLC’s publicly stated objection to resolutions for vast changes to cricket’s global revenue sharing and governance by openly questioning the legality of the proposal and the manner of its creation in a letter to the ICC.The correspondence, obtained by ESPNcricinfo, was sent to the ICC’s head of legal affairs Iain Higgins on February 5, after a special meeting of the Sri Lanka board’s stakeholders voted unanimously against the revised proposals presented to the ICC directors. It outlines numerous serious queries about the manner in which the resolutions have been brought to the board table. They are due to be voted on at a meeting of all Full Members in Singapore on Saturday.Sri Lanka, Pakistan and South Africa have each raised formal objections to the proposals, with CSA previously describing them as “fundamentally flawed”. Dharmadasa has taken a similar tack in his letter, outlining how the draft proposal and subsequent resolutions had contravened the ICC’s own constitution.Specific targets include the notion of a “contribution cost” running contrary to the provision for equal revenue stipulated by the ICC’s constitution. More than once, Dharmadasa asks whether the ICC is comfortable and confident that the process by which the many changes have arisen is in line with the governing body’s regulations, while raising the matter of whether board members had been granted sufficient time to review the sweeping changes that will result from the proposal.”Sri Lanka Cricket has received legal advice from its Legal Advisory Committee to the effect that these purported ‘Resolutions’ are in fact not valid resolutions in law,” Dharmadasa wrote. “Pursuant to your invitation for us to contact you in the event of us having issue with the same, we write to seek clarification from you, as Head of Legal of the ICC.”In any event, as Head of Legal of the ICC, you are duty bound to ensure that any Purported Resolutions that are placed before the Members are done in accord with the constitutional documents of the ICC, and we would in that context request that you furnish us with the clarifications requested below as a matter of extreme urgency.”A major strand of the letter raises the matter of whether or not the new revenue model, based upon a “contribution” calculation defies the ICC constitution’s expectation of equal sharing of revenue from ICC events. This element of the proposal was critical to India’s agreement to it, after the BCCI repeatedly refused to sign the existing Members Participation Agreement (MPA) for the next television rights period on the basis that it was entitled to a greater share.The letter states that the ICC’s Memorandum of Association features “entrenched provisions” around the distribution of funds to members. These declare that 75% of surplus revenue must be distributed equally among the Full Members, and “the costs payable by the Council out of its revenues shall be allocated as to 75% thereof equally among the Full Members”.Under the proposal, this distribution model would be replaced by a “contribution costs” model in which each nation is granted a percentage of revenue based upon numerous factors including on-field results, historical contribution to the game and off-field revenue-raising power. This calculation happens to place India, England and Australia, the three countries who devised the proposal, in the top three positions of entitlement.Dharmadasa’s objection is based upon the fact that this model is in contravention of the ICC’s own constitution. He also noted that the proposed “Test Cricket Fund” designed to help the other seven nations to stage Test matches in circumstances when they might be expected to lose money was similarly flawed.Other matters covered by the letter include the implementation of the ExCo board with three permanent members from India, England and Australia, and the matter of a new FTP agreed upon by a series of bilateral arrangements, rather than the overarching ICC blueprint that currently exists. Dharmadasa raised the question of what was to become of existing deals struck between member nations under the terms of the FTP.”The purported Resolutions seek to impose wide changes to the FTP, essentially by doing away with the current FTP Scheme and permitting the individual Boards to contract with each other,” Dharmadasa wrote. “You would be aware that contracts that have already been entered into by individual Members on the basis of the existing ICC Executive Board approved FTP, including Sponsorship Contracts and Broadcasting Contracts for which such Members have committed and already received monies.”We seek confirmation that you have considered the legality of this, and have advised the ICC of its potential liability to indemnify any Members that may be caused loss and damage in this regard.”N Srinivasan, the president of the BCCI, and Wally Edwards, the chairman of Cricket Australia, have both defended the proposals, stating that they are designed to end an era of considerable dysfunction at ICC level while also providing better incentives for each cricket-playing nation to improve themselves, rather than relying on the ICC’s distributions to stay afloat.

A black African quota has been passed in South Africa, requiring franchises to field at least one player from the country’s majority race group and amateur teams, two

Firdose Moonda12-Oct-2013A black African quota has been passed in South Africa, under which franchises will have to field at least one player from the country’s majority race group, and amateur teams, two. Those franchises who have more than one black African in 70% of their matches will be reimbursed an amount equivalent to the average contract cost of the qualified players. The new policy will take effect from October 16, 2013.This comes after CSA held their first transformation (conference) in over a decade and a proposal was drawn up to introduce a quota requiring franchises to play two black African players. At the organisation’s AGM, held today, the board voted on an incentive-driven policy that expects the teams to include at least one black african player, with monetary benefit to franchises who exceed that.”These new requirements are incentive based, not quota based,” Haroon Lorgat, the CSA chief executive, said. “We have a very talented population. We have all embraced the need to accelerate transformation.””The CSA Board has also supported a recommendation from the Cricket committee to implement a more flexible player loan agreement to facilitate the development of black African players. This is currently being drafted in consultation with the South African cricketers Association (SACA).”The board will monitor the performance and progress made by the black African players in the domestic competition in the coming season before considering any further proposals for the next season.Since South Africa’s reintroduction to international cricket in 1991, only five black African players have made it to the Test level even though the group forms 80% of South Africa’s population. Makhaya Ntini is the only one who has played more than 100 Tests, while Mfuneko Ngam, Thami Tsolekile, Monde Zondeki and Lonwabo Tsotsobe have appeared in only 17 matches in all. In contrast, 11 mixed-race players, including Hashim Amla and Imran Tahir, have made it to the South African side.South Africa introduced a quota system in 1998 to address the racial discrimination caused by the Apartheid system. The stipulation then was that every team had to field four players of colour – a term which encompasses black Africans, mixed-race people and those of Asian descent. It was officially removed in 2007.A recent report presented to CSA contained information that most black African players give up the game between the under-19 and provincial level, at an age at which, if they are not contracted, will need to find jobs. The report also revealed that when black African players do get into the system, they are often further sidelined. Only two black African players turned out in more than 80% of their franchises’ games last season and when they did, they bowled less overs and batted lower down than players of other races.

The unnatural calm that existed between these two teams evaporated in the Adelaide heat when the umpires had to intervene on at least two occasions to separate the squabbling players

Sidharth Monga at Adelaide Oval12-Dec-20141:18

‘Sometimes I cross the line’ – Warner

The unnatural calm that existed between these two teams evaporated in the Adelaide heat when the umpires had to intervene on at least two occasions to separate the squabbling players. David Warner and Virat Kohli were involved in both instances, but as pacifiers in one each. On day three, when Kohli was hit on the helmet, Warner was the first one to walk up to him and check on him.The players lost their cool when Varun Aaron bowled Warner in the middle session on day four. Kohli had already been in the face of Chris Rogers when the opener had been dismissed. Now when Warner got out, both Kohli and Aaron gave him a bit of a send-off. It was the 34th over, Warner had already raced away to 66, and Australia were effectively 1 for 193. The send-off and the celebration didn’t quite look on for the state India were in.However, the umpires checked the replays and found out that Aaron had overstepped. Warner came back all happy and mocking the send-off, shouting “come on, come on”. All hell broke loose. The not-out batsman, Shane Watson, and Shikhar Dhawan got into an altercation even as Kohli was trying to pacify Aaron and Warner. Warner shouted “come on” again as he left alone a delivery. That incensed the Indians some more. And when Warner crossed Aaron while taking a single, more pleasantries were exchanged, including a kiss blown by Warner to Aaron, who just didn’t know how to react at being sledged by a batsman, a reversal of roles to which he didn’t seem accustomed.Later during the day, when Steven Smith had joined Warner, Rohit Sharma appealed for a leg-before when Smith had been miles down the wicket. It was by all accounts just a polite – albeit far-fetched – enquiry to the umpire, Marais Erasmus. Smith gave the Indians an incredulous look and shrugged, which for some reason made Rohit lose his cool. “What? What?” Rohit was heard asking Smith, who just kept smiling until he saw Kohli had left his station at first slip and planted himself mere inches from Smith. Angry words seem to fly until Warner walked all the way up to separate the two.The umpires had to get involved again, and could be seen having a long chat with Kohli, followed by smaller ones during the next few over breaks. The rest of the day went largely incident-free, but it has the potential to sour the spirit in which the first three days were played. Both sides, though, sought to underplay what happened.”I don’t know if the temperature got to 40 degrees-plus, but it was getting to a few people out there,” Warner said of the incidents. “When some decisions don’t go your way, you get bowled off a no-ball, it’s what happens in cricket. They’re always going to come at you and come at you, and you’ve got to learn to bite your tongue a bit, and sometimes we don’t.”Warner hinted at a history between the individuals that might have built up to this. Dhawan, for example, had mocked an injured Watson in an ODI in India last year with a deliberate limp in his walk. “Things happened in the past,” he said. “Things happen in IPL as well. There are a few send-offs here and there. It was the last over of his spell, and he got another one the next over. He bowled pretty well, he bowled tight and he thought he deserved the reward. It is unlucky in cricket that you bowl no-balls.”Asked if all this didn’t quite sit well with a side that had extended immediate concern towards Kohli when he was hit on day three, Warner sought to look at the two incidents as mutually exclusive. “Given the last week and a half it is quite tough when someone gets hit in the head,” Warner said. “You sit back and you hope he is okay. That’s what you have to do. We play the game within the spirit of the game, when we get tough we play tough. That’s getting verbal. But when someone gets hurt you are always going to give him sympathy. You have to.”Ajinkya Rahane, who addressed the press conference on India’s behalf, didn’t see much wrong in what went on. He said it was “part and parcel” of the game when things get “competitive”, and that the umpires did a good job in keeping things quiet.

For Zaheer Khan, the primary question had been whether he wanted to go through the arduous process of trying to make a comeback, rather than how to go about it

Amol Karhadkar26-Nov-2013India fast bowler Zaheer Khan’s inclusion in the Test squad for the upcoming tour of South Africa marked the end of his year-long exile from the team. But for Zaheer, the primary question had been whether he wanted to go through the arduous process of trying to make a comeback, rather than how to go about it.”Last year, I sat down and I was thinking about exactly how to get back. Firstly, if I wanted to make a comeback, that was the biggest question for me,” Zaheer said on the sidelines of Mumbai’s training session ahead of their Ranji Trophy match against Vidarbha on Thursday. “When the answer was yes, I chalked out the strategy that was exactly needed and I did everything to make sure I was there. Obviously, the physical aspect was the big thing and I had to tackle that. And then in consultation with a lot of trainers and physios, I chalked out a plan and so far it has worked.”Zaheer’s latest comeback to the Test squad is different from his previous ones. Seldom has he been dropped on form during a long international career that began in 2000. However, his poor performances against England at home in December last year and his lack of match-fitness resulted in him being axed from the team.After being injured for most of IPL 2013, Zaheer travelled to France for a strenuous fitness stint with trainer Tim Exeter. He followed that up by training with former India trainer Adrian le Roux in Bloemfontein, before returning home and putting in a big performance for the India A team in the two unofficial Tests against West Indies A. Zaheer said that it was those games, particularly the one in Hubli, that helped him regain his confidence.”It’s been a slow progress right from Shimoga. When I went to Shimoga, I knew that I need some overs under my belt,” he said. “I didn’t want anything to happen suddenly. I was kind of progressing slowly but surely,” Zaheer said. “As I bowled a few overs in that particular game, slowly things started picking up. I’ve always believed in match practice being the best practice. The spell that I bowled in Hubli towards the end of the game gave me a lot of confidence and from then I just picked it up.”Zaheer also played three Ranji matches, including one against a strong Delhi batting unit, to try out different variations and prove his fitness to the selectors. “It was more to do with getting in that zone as far as matches are concerned. Once I had overs under my belt I was comfortable being on the field.”I was feeling that the recovery in between the spells was spot on. I was able to recover between the spells and come next day. So those were the things I was looking at. As far as Test matches are concerned, not only do you have to put in the effort on day one, but the important thing is you have to come back the following day and make sure you are there from ball one.”Zaheer’s stint in France also made him want to start a fitness centre in India on the lines of Exeter’s set-up. “I have planned to start something so that lot of people get benefited. I had the privilege to go abroad, I could afford to go and do those things. But I feel in India you need a set-up like that in terms of physiotherapy and fitness, so hopefully instead of giving you a lowdown, I can give you the real thing.”His immediate goal, however, is to excel on the field and mentor India’s young seamers. “That comes naturally for me. If I can help someone, I don’t hesitate to go up to him and say what I feel. Being a bowler in the subcontinent is not an easy task. It’s about just backing yourself and believing that. That thought process is very important when playing in the subcontinent.”Zaheer said he was looking forward to the upcoming series in South Africa, where he has fond memories. On India’s previous tour there, Zaheer returned to the team after a groin strain and contributed to a Test victory in Durban.