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South Australia could host Sheffield Shield matches away from Adelaide Oval for the first time, if the SACA gets the green light from its members for plans to redevelop the venue and share it with AFL clubs

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Apr-2011South Australia could host Sheffield Shield matches away from Adelaide Oval for the first time, if the SACA gets the green light from its members for plans to redevelop the venue and share it with AFL clubs. The SACA chairman Ian McLachlan confirmed Glenelg Oval was being prepared as a secondary venue, like the Junction Oval in Melbourne.”We would like to be playing all Shield matches here (Adelaide Oval) but I can’t guarantee all Shield matches here,” McLachlan told the . “We have had Glenelg organised as a No. 2 ground.”What they have found in other states is that opening up the MCG for a Shield match is not necessarily the best thing to do; so they have been playing them in other places. In Sydney, they play in front of quite nice crowds in other parts. We have looked at Shield matches in Mount Gambier, matches in other parts of the state.”South Australia have never held a Sheffield Shield match anywhere but the Adelaide Oval, and the only first-class match they have ever hosted away from the venue was against Lord Hawke’s XI at Unley Oval in 1903. The state team played two one-day games at Football Park, the main AFL venue in Adelaide, in 1986-87, but since then they have not strayed from Adelaide Oval.SACA members will vote on the proposed redevelopment at a special general meeting on Monday. The former SACA chief executive Mike Deare this week urged members to reject the plans, as he believed the oval was being undervalued and cricket would lose out to football in the joint deal.

Shivanarine Chanderpaul has launched a wide-ranging attack on the West Indies management, claiming it interfered with his batting during matches and subjected him to questioning

ESPNcricinfo staff05-May-2011Shivnarine Chanderpaul has launched a wide-ranging attack on the West Indies management, claiming it interfered with his batting during matches and subjected him to unreasonable questioning. He also compared the present regime unfavourably to those of previous coaches John Dyson and Bennett King, under whom Chanderpaul felt this same West Indies squad had far better results.Relations between Chanderpaul and the West Indies management have been strained since he was dropped from the ODI squad for the series against Pakistan, which the visitors won 3-2 (he is in line for a Test recall). Chanderpaul had demanded an explanation from WICB chief executive Ernest Hilaire, who had made general comments about the attitude of West Indian players over the past 15 years, following wholesale changes to the squad.When asked whether he was happy with his form over the past year before he was dropped, Chanderpaul – speaking to local radio station – said he could have done better had he not been hampered by batting at different positions and dealing with external pressure during his innings.”I think, given the opportunity, I might have got bigger scores. Every time I settled in and started to get runs, messages would come telling what to do and what not to do, how to bat and how not to bat,” Chanderpaul said. “I’ve been doing it for 17 years. When John Dyson was coach he never said anything to me. When Bennett King was coach he said, ‘You go and do your job, we don’t have to tell you what to do.’ I had no problem then.Shivnarine Chanderpaul claims people have been telling him how to bat during his innings•Associated Press”Now we have people here, who are telling me how to bat. And when the game is over, I have to answer questions. I have to answer those questions and when I do, and it’s not suitable, then I have to agree with whatever answers they want before the meeting is over.”Been called into meetings everyday, or every other day, spending hours answering questions. You never leave a meeting until they get whatever answer they want. That is what I’ve been going through. When you batting there are messages coming to you telling you how to bat, it happens until you get out, you know.”Chanderpaul had objected to Hilaire’s comment that the management needed to put a new system in place because no individual was bigger than the team and no one was a “superstar”. When asked if he knew any player who fitted that description, Chanderpaul said: “None of us did that. We’ve been doing what we’ve been told to do. The CEO and the executive members of the board made a decision to get rid of the senior players. They will have passed on that information to the chairman of selectors and the coach and let them pressure us in every way they can, which they did.”I see Christopher Gayle in the gym working, Sarwan doing extra work. All of us doing extra work and yet we’ve been cast aside just like that.”A criticism of the present West Indies team has been its poor results against top sides – the victory against Pakistan in the fourth ODI was their first against a Full Member other than Bangladesh since June 2009. Chanderpaul, however, said the team had been “doing pretty OK.””I’ve been hearing a lot of things recently, about how this team hasn’t been doing anything, haven’t been winning against a top team. The same team, the same team, when John Dyson was coach, we were winning against England, winning against Sri Lanka, winning against South Africa, winning against top teams around the world.”Chanderpaul also reiterated that he was asked to retire but refused, which had left the management unhappy. “They called me into a meeting and asked me to retire. I said I’m not retiring and when I left the meeting they were all pretty upset about it. You telling me I haven’t done anything the last 12 months and I’ve been ranked among the top ten batsmen around the world. Just because I have been batting all over the place, I haven’t had an opportunity to do anything much …”

The Emirates Cricket Board chief has urged the PCB to make longer-term plans to host matches in the UAE

ESPNcricinfo staff29-May-2011The Emirates Cricket Board chief, Dilawar Mani, has urged the PCB to make longer-term plans to host matches in the UAE. On the Pakistan board’s request, the UAE board will send a business plan with regards to hosting Pakistan’s home series against Sri Lanka and England, which are to be played this season according to the Future Tours Programme. Mani, however, said planning the series so close to their commencement impacted the financial gains possible from it.”I can confirm that the PCB has once again contacted us for the business plan to host their series and we will reply in the next two weeks,” Mani told . “The PCB wants to deal with us on a series-by-series basis and, at times, last minute. This is not normal and leads to them making financial losses. You can’t come up with a good sponsor on a very short notice. I urge them to come up with the correct strategy and plan the series well in advance so that it helps them.”Mani’s comments come at a time when the PCB is caught between a variety of factors in making a decision on home series. Foremost is the government of Pakistan’s desire to see international cricket return to the country, a situation senior board officials will privately concede is impossible at present. The PCB had in fact asked Sri Lanka to consider playing the upcoming series in Pakistan but whatever little hope there was of that happening was destroyed by the recent attacks on a naval base in Karachi.The UAE is a home of sorts, though the PCB has not entered into a long-term agreement with authorities there. The costs of hosting a series in Dubai and Abu Dhabi are higher than would be the case elsewhere, but the benefits in terms of sponsorship could ultimately be greater.The third option is one that the PCB has also explored: hosting a ‘home’ series at the venue of the opponent, as they did with New Zealand in 2009-10 or in another venue, like England, where they played two Tests against Australia last year. Though England is unlikely to be a venue again for a while, following last year’s controversies, the board is also looking at hosting the ‘home’ series against Sri Lanka later this year in Sri Lanka itself. Even the series against England, which is to be played early next year according to the Future Tours Programme, could possibly be played in Sri Lanka, given that England are due to play Sri Lanka after the Pakistan series. Likely to be a factor here, however, is the relatively limited potential of earnings from sponsorship in Sri Lanka.Mani said Pakistan could benefit from playing in the UAE as they would draw crowds there. The UAE hosted a one-day and Test series between Pakistan and South Africa last year and while the limited-overs games saw decent crowds, a combination of the heat and flat pitches left the stadiums almost empty during the Tests.”Pakistan have good support here and we want them to make it worth their while to come and play here,” Mani said. “They could play in Sri Lanka as well but that’s up to them to decide. But here they will get immense support which works wonders for the team’s confidence.”The series against Sri Lanka and England are scheduled for October this year and January next year, and both will comprise three Tests, five one-day internationals and a one-off Twenty20 international.

India edged out a day of fluctuating fortunes to take complete control of a rain-marred third Test in Dominica, boosting their chances of a maiden 2-0 series win in the Caribbean

The Bulletin by Siddhartha Talya09-Jul-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Kirk Edwards put on 161 for the fourth wicket to lead West Indies’ resistance•AFPIndia edged a day of fluctuating fortunes to take complete control of a rain-marred third Test in Dominica and closed in on a 2-0 series victory despite a century on debut from Kirk Edwards. His confidence and composure while approaching his landmark was a contrast to his edginess and uncertainty early in his innings, and he was guided along by Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who fought his own battles and survived to take the game into the fifth day. However, the loss of three wickets in the final session, made possible by an improved spell from Harbhajan Singh, meant the game was still India’s.Edwards had big boots to fill when he was picked for this Test ahead of Ramnaresh Sarwan. He was left out of the West Indies squad for the final two ODIs against India and would have been under some pressure coming in to this game. He was dismissed early in his first outing and given the responsibility of rebuilding the innings after the early loss of the openers in the second. The nerves were on show against a testing spell by the Indian seamers on a track offering some assistance early on, and against the turn and bite Harbhajan was able to extract. Munaf Patel roughed him up with a couple of bouncers that he failed to keep down – Edwards had succumbed to the short ball in the first innings – and Harbhajan produced a half-chance towards short leg with his line from round the wicket.Edwards, however, overcame the tough initiation. He was a beneficiary of a packed off-side field against spin, being able to comfortably work the straighter ones around to rotate the strike, and an overdose of short deliveries from the seamers, who perhaps helped him conquer his weakness. He pulled Munaf twice to the midwicket boundary, inflicted the same treatment on Ishant Sharma, and in the session after tea, having reached his half-century, confidently stepped out to Harbhajan when he’d been playing back to him for much of the day. A pulled six off Abhinav Mukund and a delightful straight drive off Ishant later, he joined an illustrious list of West Indians including George Headley and Lawrence Rowe in freakish fashion, surviving a run-out chance when Harbhajan missed a direct hit and completed the ton on an overthrow.Harbhajan eventually got Edwards, however. India had expected more from him on a spin-friendly track in Barbados where West Indies managed to save the game, but he stepped up in conditions with lesser, but adequate, assistance today. He bamboozled a set Darren Bravo with a vicious turner that zipped from leg to beat the outside edge, and trapped him next ball with a flighted delivery that Bravo, sensing a release, miscued to mid-off. Edwards seemed to have fought off the threat, but when Harbhajan came round the wicket and got some extra bounce, he edged a tired cut to MS Dhoni to trigger India’s fightback.Smart stats

Kirk Edwards became the 14th West Indian batsman to score a century on debut and the third West Indian to score a debut hundred against India. Adrian Barath was the last West Indian to score a ton on debut (against Australia in 2009).

The 161-run stand between Edwards and Shivnarine Chanderpaul is the tenth-highest fourth-wicket stand for West Indies against India. Seven of the top ten stands have come in Tests in West Indies.

Fidel Edwards’ 5 fpr 103 is his tenth five-wicket haul and second-best bowling figures against India after the 5 for 76 in Barbados in the second Test.

Chanderpaul’s 73 is his 11th half-century in Tests against India. Only Clive Lloyd (12) has scored more among West Indian batsmen. Among West Indian batsmen who have scored at least 1000 runs in Tests against India, his average of 65.88 is third on the list behind that of Everton Weekes (106.78) and Garry Sobers (83.47).

India have a chance to win two Tests in the West Indies for the first time. In their only two previous series wins in West Indies in 1971 and 2006, they won by a margin of 1-0.

Marlon Samuels survived a close lbw shout first ball when he played back to a flighted delivery and repeated the folly two balls later against a quicker one. He was given out lbw by umpire Richard Kettleborough but replays showed the ball to be missing off. Watching the slide from the other end was Chanderpaul, who was left to rebuild all over again.Before the series, Chanderpaul hadn’t been dismissed by Harbhajan in more than 500 deliveries but was made to graft when he came in at 40 for 3. He was beaten on more than one occasion, survived two lbw shouts, edged one just past VVS Laxman, was dropped by Rahul Dravid at slip and struck a painful blow by Munaf on his thigh. But he grew in confidence once the part-timers were introduced and took advantage of the vacant leg-side field before tea to get going.After the break, Chanderpaul looked more assured with a few runs and a fighting stand behind his back. His first boundary came off his 113th delivery, an on-drive off Praveen Kumar, and he followed up by cutting Harbhajan past point. He dispatched a long-hop from Abhinav on his way to a half-century and had begun stitching a useful stand with Carlton Baugh, who deserted him with a loose shot to cover against the new ball off Praveen in the last over of the day. Another long and difficult ordeal lay in store for West Indies’ most-capped player.West Indies’ batting has let them down this series and though the returns were better today, it undermined an excellent effort from Fidel Edwards, who limited India’s lead to 143 with his second consecutive five-for. His short stuff in a fiery morning spell proved too hot to handle for the Indian batsmen and they were bowled out in quick time. The West Indies openers, though, were quick to intensify the pressure the hosts were under. India’s bowlers were persistent with their off-stump line and bowled to their field which, at one point, included four slips. Kieran Powell and Adrian Barath were only too willing to play into India’s hands, almost literally, poking at deliveries outside off to gift catches to slip, leaving those who followed with a taller mountain to scale.

A watered-down version of the UDRS will be used in the England-India series with both sides agreeing to not use the system for lbw decisions

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Jul-2011A watered-down version of the Decision Review System (DRS) will be used in the England-India series with both sides agreeing to not use the system for lbw decisions. A day before the first Test starts at Lord’s, the ICC announced that infra-red technology and stump microphones will be part of the DRS – though not for lbw decisions – but not ball-tracking.This meets the minimum standards for DRS usage stipulated by the ICC at its annual conference last month but the decision to do away with reviews of lbw decisions could lead to anomalies. For example, if a batsman is given out to a bat-pad catch, he can get the verdict reviewed and if it is overturned because there is no bat involved, the fielding side has no recourse to an lbw appeal.The two captains didn’t play up the issue at their pre-match press conferences. Andrew Strauss praised the overall efficacy of the full DRS but said the “half-way house” would have to do. “I don’t think it’s ideal but that’s the situation we are faced with. For us as players to be overly concerned about it would be unhelpful.”His counterpart MS Dhoni has been one of the more vocal critics of ball-tracking technology and appeared more satisfied with the decision. “We’re not really convinced 100 per cent as of now when it comes to the tracking system, especially with the spinners and the kind of bounce the ball generates so until we’re 100 per cent satisfied we won’t go on with it. But of course we are quite happy with Hotspot. I feel that’s a very good technology to be used.”An ICC statement said the ECB wanted to include ball-tracking technology (such as Hawk-Eye or Virtual Eye) but the Indian board didn’t.”While we are disappointed that the full DRS will not be used to support the umpires, we are pleased that the ECB and BCCI have worked hard to ensure the minimum DRS is used in this much anticipated series,” ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said.”It is common knowledge that the ICC and ECB would have liked ball tracking to have been included so that LBW decisions could have also been reviewed, but the last Chief Executives Committee and Board meeting in Hong Kong agreed to independently confirm the accuracy of ball-tracking technology. This will now take place as a matter of urgency.”The Indian board has long been averse to the DRS and had announced last month that it didn’t want the system to be used in the England series. A compromise on the DRS was thrashed out at the ICC’s annual conference later in the month. The series against England will be the first time India will be using the review system in Tests since 2008.

Netherlands Women added to their success in the European Championship Twenty20 with a tense two-wicket victory over Ireland Women in the only ODI in Utrecht

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Aug-2011
ScorecardNetherlands Women added to their success in the Women’s European Championship with a tense two-wicket victory over Ireland Women in the only ODI at the Kampong ground in Utrecht. A straightforward win seemed on the cards after Ireland folded for 116 but Netherlands had a collapse of their own to nearly end up losing.The day began poorly for Ireland, losing first the toss and then a wicket off the opening delivery of the match. Three overs later their captain Isobel Joyce was gone, caught behind. Opener Kim Garth and Laura Delany then put on 38, the most substantial partnership of the innings. Regular wickets followed as Ireland lurched from 43 for 2 to 92 for 8.Netherlands’ home advantage in this match was heightened by the fact that no less than five of their players play their club cricket at Kampong. Nevertheless, they also lost one opener early but the other, Helmien Rambaldo, forged two solid partnerships to guide her team to the comfort of 80 for 2. Ireland hit back, picking up five wickets for 12 runs but Netherlands held their nerve. Ireland didn’t help their cause with 35 extras (including 28 wides).

ESPNcricinfo’s Plays of the Day from the second day of the first Test between Sri Lanka and Australia in Galle

Daniel Brettig in Galle01-Sep-2011The debutants, part one
Tillakaratne Dilshan is known for his capacity to unsettle opposition bowling attacks, but he would come to regret his attempted first-over assault on Australia’s pace debutant Trent Copeland. The first ball was full and thrashed to the cover fence. The second was shorter and wider and Dilshan went again, this time failing to get his weight forward and lifting the ball just enough for Ricky Ponting to take a screamer at short cover. Copeland became the sixth Australian to take a wicket with his second ball in Tests – Ben Hilfenhaus was the last at Johannesburg in 2009 – and the 18th Australian to do the trick in his first over. Until…The debutants, part two
Nathan Lyon’s first ball in Test cricket was not quite as good as Shane Warne’s “ball of the century”, but it had followers of the game casting back more than 100 years for a parallel. The only other Australian to pouch a wicket first ball was Arthur Coningham., who achieved the feat against England at the MCG in the 1894-95 season in his only Test appearance. It was a mixed occasion for Coningham though, who bowled a deliberate beamer in the second innings after being no-bowled. Coningham was one of the game’s more colourful characters. In another match he reportedly started a fire in the outfield “to keep warm” and was awarded a medal after saving a boy from drowning in the Thames.The Hawk-Eye
When Phillip Hughes played over an attempted sweep shot against Tillakaratne Dilshan and was given out lbw for 28, he seemed to indicate he had hit the ball before calling for a review. Replays showed some kind of deviation, either sharp spin off the pitch or a deflection off the bat, before the ball reached Hughes’ front pad. Yet the ball-tracking of Hawk-Eye showed evidence of neither, suggesting the ball was on its way to striking middle stump. Regardless of whether or not the ball was going on to hit the stumps, it seemed highly unlikely to do what Hawk-Eye suggested would be its predicted path. Debate over the accuracy of the technology can only continue to fester so long as such anomalies occur.The stats
Sri Lankan cricket’s host broadcaster, the Dubai-based Ten Sports, made a late switch of statistical and graphics staff ahead of the Test match after the contracted company, Alex Loccisano Broadcast Services of Melbourne, raised the issue of US$100,000 in unpaid fees from a previous series. Loccisano threatened to withdraw his services if the arrears were not paid, and in response Ten called in another firm and told the contract-holders to pack up and go home anyway.

Garey Mathurin has been included in the West Indies Twenty20 squad against England in place of offspinner Ashley Nurse

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Sep-2011Windward Islands left-arm spinner Garey Mathurin has been included in the West Indies Twenty20 squad against England in place of offspinner Ashley Nurse, who did not meet the required fitness standard at a preparatory camp in Barbados.Mathurin, 27, has played 11 first-class games, picking up 40 wickets at 22.15 and 12 T20 games, collecting 10 wickets at 24.50 with an impressive economy rate of 5.56. He has best figures of 7 for 72 against the England Lions, followed by 5 for 86 against Leeward Islands the very next game this season.”I see this as an opportunity given to me to represent the people of the Caribbean and I’m looking to have a good tour,” Mathurin said. “I’m looking forward to fitting into the new environment and working with the coach and the other members of the team. I’m a confident person and a confident cricketer so I always keep a positive outlook.”In T20 cricket it’s all about looking to get runs as quickly as possible so the aim of the bowler is to keep the batsmen in check and restrict the scoring. My main asset is my ability to keep it tight and build pressure on the batsmen. I see this as my job in the team. Also, I know I have to contribute with the bat and I’m always looking to see what I can do to contribute to the team.”Mathurin is the third St Lucian to be picked in the West Indies national team, after Johnson Charles and Darren Sammy. “I have known Darren for a very long time, we played together at the Under-19 level and the senior level for St Lucia and Windwards and we talk a lot about the game, so it’s special for me that I get to play for West Indies with him as the captain.”West Indies play two Twenty20 internationals in England, on September 23 and 25, and have selected a young side, with many seniors unavailable due to their participation in the Champions League Twenty20.

Salman Butt was questioned on the possible involvement of his former team-mates in fixing and met the prosecution’s interrogation with a straight bat

Richard Sydenham at Southwark Crown Court19-Oct-2011Salman Butt was questioned on the possible involvement of his former team-mates in fixing on the eleventh morning of the alleged spot-fixing trial on Wednesday, and met the prosecution’s interrogation with a straight bat.Butt, in the witness stand for the second consecutive day, was asked about other players, including fast bowlers Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif and Wahab Riaz, and was questioned on a line of dialogue recovered from agent Mazhar Majeed’s phone.Butt and Asif are facing charges of conspiracy to cheat, and conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments, following the Lord’s Test last year when they allegedly conspired with Majeed, Amir and others to bowl pre-planned no-balls. Butt and Asif deny the charges.”Was Wahab Riaz in with the fixing, Mr Butt,” asked Aftab Jafferjee QC for the prosecution when discussing text and phone dialogue surrounding The Oval Test that preceded Lord’s.”Those other people can answer better than me,” was Butt’s reply, having on several times rejected any notion that he was ever involved with corruption.Jafferjee explained how the transfer of the initial £10,000, handed over by the undercover journalist to set up his sting, involved Wahab. Majeed had the money in the inside pocket of his jacket which he then gave to Wahab to wear, pointing out that Wahab was much bigger than Majeed and had been wearing a T-shirt.Jafferjee suggested that the transfer of the cash was made by using Wahab, adding, “Was Wahab feeling a bit cold? He was eating an ice cream. He wasn’t looking like he was a bit cold.” To which Butt replied: “It depends on different people.””But they don’t eat ice cream in summer with a T-shirt on.”On another occasion, Jafferjee asked Butt whether Amir was involved in the fixing, having already acknowledged that he had suspicions when the scandal broke in the .”You can ask him,” was Butt’s response, adding, “As I have said I had my suspicions.”Then Jafferjee asked of Asif and of his possible guilt within the fixing being alleged.”He’s here, he will tell you,” Butt said.On another occasion, Butt was asked to look at the printed transcript of a recovered text message sent at 1.00am during the Oval Test from an Indian number to Majeed.The Indian contact said: “Kami (Kamran Akmal) and Amir minimum 13 off first three overs after Kami gives an indication by change of gloves with no wicket. It starts from round of overs, say 35 or 40, whichever is first after they come together. Next seven overs, maximum 15 runs.”Jafferjee probed Butt for his opinion on what was occurring in that message and suggested that fixing was being arranged.”It shows what you are saying,” Butt admitted. “That something is going on.”The case continues.

Australia’s captain Michael Clarke believes a clearer distinction must be drawn between light that is potentially harmful to players and light that is merely difficult

Daniel Brettig at the Gabba03-Dec-2011Australia’s captain Michael Clarke has said the first two days of the first Test against New Zealand were called off in conditions that were not dangerous, and believes a clearer distinction must be drawn between light that is potentially harmful to players and light that is merely difficult.Clarke spoke with the umpires Asad Rauf and Aleem Dar at the end of the first day, asking them if that standard would be maintained throughout the match. An identical light meter reading brought the teams off on day two with blue sky still visible above the Gabba, prompting Cricket Australia’s chief executive James Sutherland to take up the issue with the ICC.Test cricket’s ongoing health is hurt by the hasty decisions to interrupt play, and Clarke agreed the players could have stayed on the field in Brisbane for longer on each of the first two days.”It’s a tough one. You set a standard with day one and then that’s how it stays for the whole Test,” Clarke said after making 139 on day three. “I think we as players need to be told to understand a little better what we’re trying to do. If we say we’re going to play on until it is dangerous, then you can keep going a little bit longer.”As a batsman it is the hardest time to bat, no doubt when you come in, it’s overcast, the lights are on and have taken effect. But is it dangerous? Probably not. So it is a tough mix but what has happened in South Africa and here is you set your standard on day one, so you get your light meter and say ‘this is what we’re going to go to’ and you stick with that throughout the game. I like the consistency, but it is about to what level we’re going to take it.”Clarke has found rich vein of form – his century was his third in six innings – and he has also been encouraged by the progress of the team, which has gradually overpowered New Zealand over the course of three days.”A little bit of luck goes a long way and helps, but most importantly a really good day from us, from the team,” Clarke said. “Ricky [Ponting] yesterday was outstanding and would’ve been disappointed not to make a hundred, Brad Haddin outstanding and our tail wagged as well. James Pattinson looked really good, picking up an important wicket. So very nice personally to make some runs, but more importantly for our team we’re in a really good position in this Test match.”Ponting’s 76 was another instance of the former captain failing to go on to a century – he has now gone 29 Test innings without one, but it was his second consecutive healthy score following his 62 in the second innings in Johannesburg.”I thought he batted really well in South Africa in that second innings, and he continued on from there, so he’s brought some momentum home with him, and it was really nice,” Clarke said. “I thought that ball today was going to just get over leg stump and I tried to use the referral. I’m sure he’s disappointed he didn’t make a hundred, but he’s not far away, that’s for sure.”Similarly encouraging was Haddin’s 80, after he was elevated to be vice-captain in the absence of Shane Watson. Not so long ago Haddin was being interrogated ferociously about his future.”I think he took a lot of satisfaction out of the second innings in South Africa, no doubt he felt like he was under pressure, needed to perform and he’s been working hard for a while now,” Clarke said. “I think it was a real positive for him, and then coming into the summer he’s trained hard and his confidence is back up.”You see how he played, that’s how Hadds plays at his best and there’s going to be times he gets out playing his shots, but when he’s positive in his mind and attacking in the way he plays, I think that is when he has the most success. Hadds is a senior player and a leader in the team, so he doesn’t need a c or vc beside his name, he knows he’s a very important senior player in the team, and he responds to that consistently. It is an extra bonus he’s been given the vice-captaincy, but it won’t make any difference if he hasn’t got that.”