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South Africa make big strides towards victory

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Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsKagiso Rabada took 3 for 49 on the fourth afternoon•Getty Images

0%. Zero. No chance. None at all. That, according to Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology, is the likelihood of rain in Perth on Monday. Coincidentally, it is also the chance of Australia winning the WACA Test and, thanks to that forecast, their hopes of escaping with a draw are not much higher. By stumps on day four, a South Africa victory was all but assured. It was a day of great South African entertainment, most notably fielding magic from Temba Bavuma and bowling brilliance from Kagiso Rabada.Perhaps the least surprising element of the day was the decision of Faf du Plessis to delay his declaration, allow his lower order to provide some entertainment with late lusty blows, and grind Australia down further and further. For more than nine years – until the tour of India last November – South Africa had not lost a Test series away from home. At the heart of this remarkable feat was a certain conservatism, a determination first not to lose, and only then to consider winning.So when du Plessis had his lower order bat on and on, their lead passing 400, then 450, then 500, and nearing 550, it was not a great shock. He also had to factor in the absence of his best and most experienced bowler Dale Steyn, who suffered a serious shoulder injury earlier in the match. With that in mind, you could understand why he would set Australia 539, requiring them not only to break the record for the highest successful Test chase, but to break it by more than 100 runs.By stumps, they were 4 for 169, still 370 runs adrift of their target, with only the wicketkeeper and bowlers still to come. Usman Khawaja was well set on 58, but will need to re-establish his innings on the fifth morning. Mitchell Marsh, under pressure to justify his ongoing position in a Test top six, was on 15. The ball was jagging off cracks, jumping, staying low, spinning – doing all the things that make batting most difficult. Australia’s task was monumental.South Africa have dominated the past three days at the WACA, a most impressive accomplishment given the injury to their spearhead before that ascendancy really began. But the rest have displayed true Steyn-less steel, which has only added to the gloss of their performance. In Australia’s second innings it was Rabada who stepped up, dismissing Shaun Marsh, Steven Smith and Adam Voges, to finish the day with 3 for 49. He also had Khawaja dropped at slip.But first came Bavuma’s breathtaking run-out of David Warner, the one man who, because of his recent form and his incredible record at the WACA, might have made Australia believe in a possible win had he stayed at the crease for a few hours. Warner had 35 at better than a run a ball when he pushed a Rabada delivery to cover and Bavuma, fielding at point, raced to the ball and then in one fluid action picked up, dived and threw down the stumps at the bowler’s end.Perhaps Bavuma is secretly a Rhodes scholar – a Jonty Rhodes scholar, that is – for there was more than a hint of that illustrious predecessor in this effort. Such was the surprise of the feat that Warner appeared not to be stretching to his full capacity to make his ground, perhaps believing nobody could possibly do what Bavuma did. Bavuma was even too quick for the umpire Aleem Dar, who had not had time to take an optimal side-on position.It was a key moment, though to call it match-turning would be unfair to South Africa’s outstanding work of the previous two-and-a-half days. Match-turning would have been if Warner had batted on until stumps and reached 150 at a run a ball. Bavuma’s effort, brilliant though it was, simply ensured the match was not carried off in some unforeseen direction by Warner. South Africa had been on top, and Bavuma kept them there.Then came the reward for Rabada, who, later in the same over had Shaun Marsh caught at second slip for 15. Australia had tumbled from 0 for 52 to 2 for 52 within one over, and briefly the score was 3 for 52 in the next over when Khawaja was given out caught behind off Keshav Maharaj first ball, only to be reprieved on review when the third umpire found the ball had brushed the flap of his pad rather than his bat as he played back to cut.Still, the momentum was all with South Africa, and a 92-run stand between Khawaja and Smith did little to change that. Rabada was the man who broke that partnership, his persistent fourth-stump line and ability to nibble the ball around finally accounting for Smith, who drove outside off and tickled a catch behind for 34. Adam Voges followed in similar fashion in Rabada’s next over.Rabada should also have had Khawaja caught behind on 41, a thick edge flying between the wicketkeeper and first slip. Hashim Amla moved low to his right and grassed the chance, but Quinton de Kock could have made it comfortably had he chosen to move to his left. Instead, Khawaja was given a life and went on to bring up his half-century, off precisely 100 deliveries.But then, a solitary fifty wasn’t much good to Australia. South Africa had four batsmen who passed that milestone in their second innings, and two of those went on to post hundreds. The fourth day began with South Africa on 6 for 390 and Australia knew that with quick wickets, they might give themselves the slim chance of a gettable target. As it happened, South Africa batted on to add 150 to their total for the loss of only two wickets.Vernon Philander was the last man out, bowled by Smith, who had not introduced himself into the attack until the 159th over of the innings, for 73. Keshav Maharaj had struck three sixes and provided some late entertainment with 41 not out from 34 balls. And earlier, de Kock had struck 64 before he was caught at cover off Mitchell Marsh. His partnership of 116 with Philander had been the crowning frustration for Australia.Not that they helped themselves. Philander had been put down on 29 when he top-edged a hook off Mitchell Starc and at fine leg Josh Hazlewood ran around but parried the ball over for six, seemingly worried about stepping over the boundary. With just a little more awareness of his surroundings, he could have turned it into a moderately straightforward take. But it was symptomatic of Australia’s fielding in the second innings, during which several chances went down.There were also a couple of reprieves on review for de Kock, but Australia could not complain about those. In the end, du Plessis declared soon after lunch with South Africa on 8 for 540. Australia needed 539 to win. Only once in Test history has any team scored more than 500 in the fourth innings, and even that did not result in a win, for England’s 654 for 5 in the infamous timeless Test of 1939 came in pursuit of 696.The highest successful chase in Test history was the 418 scored by West Indies against Australia in Antigua in 2003, and Austraia’s highest was 404 back in 1948. The statisticians can close their books for now, because by stumps on day four, all of those records remained very safe indeed.

Lehmann plays down Khawaja 'scapegoat' issue

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Australia’s coach Darren Lehmann has said Usman Khawaja is not out of favour with selectors, despite the batsman’s recent comments that he and Joe Burns had been made “scapegoats” on the recent tour of Sri Lanka. Khawaja also labeled the selectors “fickle” for dropping the pair after two Tests in Sri Lanka, given both men were coming off excellent form in the previous few Test series.Lehmann said that he would have a private conversation with Khawaja concerning his public comments, preferring such matters to stay behind closed doors. However, it remains to be seen whether Khawaja will pay the price for his statements when the squad for the first Test against South Africa is chosen later this week.”We have the GOAT,” Lehmann told reporters in Brisbane on Tuesday, referring to Nathan Lyon’s nickname as the Greatest Of All Time. “And now we have the Scapegoat. I love these nicknames … He is not on the back foot. [But] I will chat to him privately. We would rather have these things played out between selectors and players.”Khawaja and Burns were axed for the third Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo, although Burns had been Man of the Match in Australia’s last Test before the tour – against New Zealand in Christchurch in February – and Khawaja had made four consecutive first-innings hundreds during the summer. Shaun Marsh and Moises Henriques came in at the expense of Khawaja and Burns.”Being on the selection panel for the Test match, it was warranted,” Lehmann said. “At the end of the day, there were different conditions and those two guys weren’t playing well enough – they averaged eight or seven in two Test matches.”We had to change something, but that doesn’t affect the summer at home. We have to work out what we think the best batting line-up is for the summer.”Khawaja and Burns are in action for Queensland against New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield match that started at the Gabba on Tuesday, although they will have to wait until later in the game to bat as Khawaja won the toss and sent the Blues in. At the WACA, Shaun Marsh, hoping to prove to the selectors that he had recovered from a hamstring injury, was batting early on day one.And at the MCG, Peter Siddle and Jackson Bird were potentially competing for the final bowling position in Australia’s Test squad, to be announced on Friday – assuming Mitchell Starc proves his fitness at the Gabba. Lehmann said Bird and Siddle both had the chance to bowl themselves into the side for the first Test against South Africa at the WACA.”They certainly can over the next few days I would think,” Lehmann said. “[Siddle] looked really good in the Matador Cup and by all reports he’s got some zing and zip back. He’s playing the Shield game so hopefully he’ll perform well and pull up well, and then we’ll see what we do.”His record is exceptional – he bowls good line and length and can complement Mitchell, but so can Jackson Bird.”

Taijul Islam back for third England ODI

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The Bangladesh selectors continued their to and fro with the second left-arm spinner’s position in the squad, recalling Taijul Islam for the third ODI against England at the expense of Mosharraf Hossain. That was the only change in the 14-man squad from the first two ODIs.”We wanted to keep Taijul as an option because Mosharraf has very little chance of playing the third game,” chief selector Minhajul Abedin said, without elaborating.Mosharraf was first included for the third ODI against Afghanistan, in which he took three wickets in what was his first international match after eight years. He was picked for the first two ODIs against England, in place of Taijul, who had played the first two ODIs against Afghanistan.The selectors have had trouble replacing Arafat Sunny in the two ODI series so far, with Taijul taking just one wicket against Afghanistan while Mosharraf went wicketless against England and looked out of his depth as a batsman and fielder. Sunny had been sidelined due to the trouble with his bowling action, though he is now cleared to resume bowling in internationals.Currently the series against England is tied at 1-1. The decider will be played on October 12, in Chittagong.

Toumazi to stand down as Sussex chief executive

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Zac Toumazi, Sussex’s chief executive, will step down from his role at the end of 2016, after four years in the position.Toumazi, who joined Sussex at the start of 2013, oversaw the integration of Sussex’s professional, recreational and community cricket into one organisation, Sussex Cricket Limited, as well as a major overhaul of the ground infrastructure at Hove, including the development of a new media centre.He arrived at Sussex following a career in investment banking, as well as commercial roles at both Hampshire and Surrey and used that experience to help the club to punch above its weight, not least in securing a notable naming-rights deal for what became known as the BrightonandHoveJobs.com (latterly 1st Central) County Ground.However, Sussex’s relegation in 2015 hit the club hard, with the departure of their long-standing coach, Mark Robinson, effectively bringing to an end an era in which they won three County Championship titles in five seasons, including their maiden success in 2003.”It has been a difficult decision to make but I do believe that it is right for me to move on and hand over the reins to a successor,” said Toumazi. “The role of CEO of such a great club has been a privilege and an honour. I have enjoyed my time at Sussex and leave behind an excellent team that is set for the future. Our professional cricket is poised for exciting times ahead under the new management team, our Academy is bearing fruit with the young players coming through the programme, and I am sure that trophies are not too far away.”I take away many fond memories and lasting friendships. A special thank you to our members and partners who have been an absolute delight to interact with and who are always ready to support. I have no doubt that the future is bright for Good Old Sussex by The Sea.”Sussex’s chairman, Jim May, added: “Zac Toumazi has been a very professional and well respected chief executive who has brought great energy to the role and has been a great ambassador for Sussex. Aside from overseeing the ground-breaking formation of Sussex Cricket, Zac has accomplished much including the restructure of our pro-cricket department and has helped drive our commercial business.”He will be rightly remembered as a man with strong values whose interpersonal skills have helped strengthen our relationships with a wide range of stakeholders. Zac has been an excellent chief executive who leaves Sussex with our very best wishes, and, in very good shape for his successor.”

Hales savours new high in summer of 'ups and downs'

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There are ways to move on from “a tough few weeks”, as Alex Hales summed up his recent difficulties, then there is what he managed at Trent Bridge.In his previous 10 innings against Pakistan this season – eight in the Tests and then the first two ODIs – he had made 166 runs, plus an angry visit to the match referee’s office. In the space of 122 deliveries in Nottinghamshire, he plundered 171, England’s highest ODI innings, to break the 23-year-old record of Robin Smith who made an unbeaten 167 against Australia, at Edgbaston, in 1993.Although Hales began this series slowly, with scores of 7 and 14, his one-day form has been impressive for much of the year. He made five consecutive fifty-plus scores against South Africa then hit an unbeaten 133 against Sri Lanka, at Edgbaston, when he and Jason Roy, who also came close to breaking Smith’s record against Sri Lanka at The Oval with 162, put on a record 256.”It’s been a tough few weeks personally. The Test series didn’t go to plan but when it comes to the white ball in the last 12 months I’ve felt in good form,” Hales said. “I was always confident heading into this series and it’s nice to put it right tonight. The summer has had plenty of ups and downs.”I did well against Sri Lanka but didn’t do myself justice against Pakistan. It’s nice to try and sweep that under the rug and try to move forwards.”Hales’ place in the Test side is under scrutiny ahead of the Bangladesh tour – a trip which he admitted remained on his mind as he weighed up whether to travel amid the security situation – but while he is wary of linking his one-day runs to his five-day future, he did say how it had also taken him some time to settle in 50-over cricket.It was not until his 11th ODI innings that he made a half-century and it was his 21st when his maiden century came, against Pakistan, in Abu Dhabi last year.”They’re two very different games, red-ball and white-ball cricket. All I can do is try to score as many runs as I can in the remaining games and keep myself in contention for that spot. Hopefully they back me. It was a tough series but when it came to 50-over cricket it took me 20 games to cement my spot.”Hales was given a life in his innings, on 72, when he pulled Wahab Riaz to deep square leg, only for the TV umpire to indicate, via the trial method of him calling no-balls, that Wahab had overstepped.It was one of a litany of errors by Pakistan which began with a misfield in the opening over of the day. Captain Azhar Ali admitted it was a dire performance which allowed England to rack up a world-record 444 for 3.”We didn’t start well in the field. Once you have three or four fielding lapses straight away it doesn’t send a good message,” Azhar said. “We didn’t set a good tone to start with. There’s no excuse for that.”It’s basic stuff. You expect to field well in every game. We need to raise in all aspects of the game; batting, bowling and fielding. There were lapses everywhere.”The wicket was really good and there were lots of runs in it, but 444 is a bit too much. A few no-balls and fielding lapses really cost us. Once the batsmen start going, it is hard to stop them. In the key times we missed chances, especially the wicket of Hales on 70.”Throughout the early matches of this series the Pakistan players, including the captain, have insisted that they are better than their No. 9 ranking would suggest, but Azhar conceded it is a hard argument to sustain after such a defeat.”I still believe that we are not that bad but we need to learn quickly otherwise we’ll prove ourselves wrong.”They have two matches left to regain some pride, but with England in such form it is hard to see anything other than a whitewash.

Rahul's career-best 158 arms India with strong lead

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Scorecard and ball-by-ball details1:25

Manjrekar: West Indies had a defensive approach overall

Flawless innings are fairly rare in Test cricket. After all, the bowler gets to dictate some of the terms too. KL Rahul listened to them patiently, respected them when they made good points but did not cede his upper hand. His career-best 158 thrust India into the lead.At the other end was Cheteshwar Pujara, who spent a full hour running away from making runs. He was 18 off 57 overnight and stayed on 18 until he faced his 92nd ball of the match. Much was made of his run-out after lunch. Facing 159 balls and being dismissed in that fashion evokes critique but there were mitigating circumstances.Runs and records awaited anyone willing to show a little application on this Sabina Park pitch. But like a grandparent doting on their favourite grandkid in the middle of a party, it did embarrass them on the odd occasion. Notably, when Pujara nudged a short delivery from Jason Holder into the leg side. He meant for it to go a lot finer, but the ball had come onto the bat slower than expected and went off it in the same way, allowing Roston Chase, who was in front of square, to cut across and throw the stumps down. Pujara, who was face-down on the ground at the non-strikers’ end, knew all his hard work had come undone by one dreadful mistake.Meanwhile, Rahul kept cruising. He had driven extremely well and by now wasn’t afraid to extend the arms and hit over the top. A good IPL – whether it makes one ready for international cricket or not – certainly does wonders to his confidence. Rahul had outshone Chris Gayle in the last season and his attacking game was on point in Kingston.West Indies, it seemed, were at the other end. There was no ambition. They did not take the new ball when it was available and instead fed a new batsman with spin. Considering that new batsman was Virat Kohli, who is susceptible to the seamers outside the off stump, it was quite baffling. With very little resistance, a ninth – out of 14 – Indian partnership crossed 50 in this series.Things changed after tea. West Indies took the new ball and put it in Shannon Gabriel’s hands. With him coming back from an ankle injury, it seemed like his team was perennially juggling chances of victory with those of him going out of commission again. Hamstring trouble for Miguel Cummins complicated matters further; the debutant was the only one to consistently aim at the stumps. Ask Pujara, who was beaten on the inside edge, outside edge and rapped on his top hand.Gabriel had had nine overs’ downtime when the new ball had become available, but the additional respite seemed to have helped since he took out Rahul and troubled Kohli too. The India captain had been perturbed by outswingers – 8 off 33 at one point – and while his guard was up for that, he couldn’t prevent an inswinger thudding into the pads. Height saved him in umpire Aleem Dar’s judgment.West Indies got Kohli and R Ashwin in the final hour of play but Ajinkya Rahane took the lead past 150.Things were better in the morning. There weren’t many runs scored – 59 in 26 overs; there weren’t many fans around – sad for a Sunday; there were no wickets but there was a contest.With clear skies welcoming the players on the second day, the likelihood of the ball seaming about had reduced. It was time to go back to camping just outside off stump for as long as it took to spot the rare, flirty Indian outside edge. Gabriel found one in his second over, but it didn’t carry to second slip.Rahul’s scariest moment came when the length was much shorter, a 144 kph delivery that seamed in at his ribs. He probably assumed the line was a lot wider and committed into a cut shot and only barely avoided being caught behind. Gabriel was the aggrieved bowler, and fit the profile too, with a look that loosely translated to “where are my *$&#^ wickets?” His first spell was five overs – the longest he has bowled on the trot in this series – and gave away only three runs.The last time India played in Jamaica a Rahul scored a century. So it was again when this Rahul came down the track and smacked the offspin of Chase into the stands at long-on. It was a shot definitive of the knock, showing how the batsman had read the threat of the ball early and how firm he was with his footwork. The only thing it didn’t make clear was how effective he had been in keeping the good ones out. A delighted fist-pump, an authoritative raise of his bat and a hug from M Vijay, who came out with drinks, were part of the celebrations.Coming into the Jamaica Test, Rahul’s top five scores in descending order read: 110, 108, 16, 7, 5. Symptoms of a good player, but a nervous starter. So even with the 75 runs he had overnight, there were questions that needed answering. West Indies had a set plan at the start – the extra pace of Gabriel allied to Holder’s wide-outside-off lines to restrict run flow and create pressure. An anxious batsman could have been led into a mistake, but Rahul was careful. And decisive too – when he went back, he went right back. When he went forward, he was more or less meeting the ball on the half-volley. Not since Mohammad Azharuddin in 1984-85 had an India batsman converted his first three fifties into hundreds.Rahul is working towards making himself undroppable. Vijay, currently injured, Kohli and Rahane are India’s best Test batsmen. Shikhar Dhawan has shown an improved judgement outside his off stump, an area he had previously struggled with. Pujara hits big hundreds, his inability to do so on Sunday hurt him. Will it hurt his chances for the next too? One of them can’t make an Indian XI with five bowlers.

Have applied for coach's position – Shastri

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Former India team director Ravi Shastri has applied for the post of national head coach. Shastri, who worked with the team from August 2014 to April 2016, confirmed his application to on Monday. His contract as team director had ended with India’s exit from the World T20 in March.”Yes, I have applied for the chief coach’s post today morning. I have e-mailed all the requisite documents that were asked for in the advertisement,” Shastri said.Asked if he had prepared any presentation or roadmap, Shastri said: “Whatever is required by the BCCI, I have provided them. If you ask me whether I am confident or not, all I can say is that my job was to apply for the post and I have done that. I cannot comment on anything else.”Under Shastri, who had taken over as director in 2014, India made it to semi-finals of successive global events – the 2015 World Cup and the 2016 World T20, and also climbed to No. 1 on the Test rankings for a period of eight weeks until Australia took over in February 2016. In this period, India also won their first limited-overs bilateral series in Australia, by whitewashing the hosts 3-0 in a T20 series.Apart from Shastri, current chairman of selectors and former India coach Sandeep Patil has also thrown his hat in the ring. Patil had earlier coached India back in 1996, taking over from Ajit Wadekar who stepped down after India’s semi-final loss to Sri Lanka in the 1996 World Cup semi-final. Patil’s tenure was a forgettable one; he was replaced within six months.However, Shastri’s team of support staff – Sanjay Bangar, R Sridhar and B Arun – have not yet applied as BCCI sources believe that they would like to continue in their earlier roles depending on the requirements of the board.

Cooke anchors strong Glamorgan victory

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ScorecardChris Cooke top-scored for Glamorgan•Getty Images

Glamorgan made it successive victories in the Royal London One-Day Cup with a consummate 84-run victory over Sussex in Cardiff.Having scored 302 for 6, the Welsh county bowled and fielded with great accuracy to maintain their 100 per cent winning start to this season’s 50-over competition.Glamorgan, having won the toss, chose to bat on a Sophia Gardens wicket that provided precious little assistance to the visiting bowlers, from start to finish.That said, the host county took an age to establish themselves after Steve Magoffin claimed the wicket of David Lloyd (11) in the fifth over and captain Jacques Rudolph was forced to retire hurt, in the 12th over, after being struck a painful blow on the forearm. The South African was later taken to hospital for X-Rays.Having come to terms with the pace of the wicket, Will Bragg (42) and Colin Ingram (13) added 68 for the third wicket and 19-year-old Aneurin Donald and wicketkeeper batsman Chris Cooke 69 for the fourth. Donald, who came into the game with three fifties in his previous five innings, helped himself to another half century, off 55 balls.However, it was the arrival at the crease of 33-year-old Graham Wagg that changed the game in Glamorgan’s favour. Sussex, who dropped four catches, found themselves chasing the ball to all four corners of a sun-drenched SSE Swalec Stadium.Cooke, who punished anything off line, passed 50 off 54 balls and played his part in a 112-run stand for the fifth wicket.The impressive allrounder Wagg struck seven fours and a six in reaching his half century off just 37 balls, and was eventually fifth man out at 290, bowled by England seamer Chris Jordan. Cooke departed for 80, in the final over, leaving Glamorgan to defend a more than respectable total of 302 for 6.In reply, Sussex lost Chris Nash for 12, run out by Dean Cosker, before Ed Joyce pulled a short delivery from Craig Meschede to Wagg, at deep square leg with the score on 64.With the wicket becoming slower, but providing turn for the likes of Andrew Salter and Cosker, Sussex found runs hard to come by. However, as much as the slow bowlers applied the brakes, it was the medium pace of Meschede who picked up the key wicket of New Zealander Ross Taylor.A short ball appeared to be heading back over the bowler’s head when Meschede stuck out a hand and took an outstanding catch. Cosker weighed in with the wicket of Harry Finch (23), at 90 for 4, and from that juncture, the outcome was just about inevitable.Luke Wright and Ben Brown (31) provided some resistance, with 68 for the fifth wicket, but when the latter pulled a short ball from Wagg to Ingram at mid-on, Glamorgan must have felt they were home and dry.In the end, they were. Wright and Chris Jordan struck one or two lusty blows before the Sussex captain, who helped himself to six fours and two sixes in a 48-ball innings of 65, top edged Michael Hogan to mid on, where Ingram took a magnificent, tumbling, one-handed catch.Donald took an equally spectacular catch to dismiss Jordan (22), before Hogan sent back George Garton, Ajmal Shahzad and Magoffin as Sussex were bowled out for 218 in the 43rd over.

Compton admits he's playing for his Test future

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Nick Compton has admitted he is playing for his future in the final two Tests of the Investec series against Sri Lanka.Compton has scored 15, 26, 0, 19, 6 and 0 in his most recent six Test innings and accepts that, with a Test batting average of 30.16, he hasn’t, to date, taken his “chances with two hands”.But while he concedes he wouldn’t necessarily want to watch himself bat if he were a spectator, he insists he has the skills to contribute to a successful England side and will continue to play his natural game in an attempt to prove it.”Sure, definitely,” Compton says when asked if he is playing for his international future. “You’ve got to score runs. It all comes down to weight of runs and performance. I’ve just got to do it better.”We can talk beyond that about certain things but, fundamentally, if I do my job as well as I can and score the runs I know I can, I can contribute to this England team.”Compton’s skills are somewhat out of fashion. At a time when the world is becoming accustomed to men thrashing centuries in little over 40 deliveries, Compton is offering somewhat more old-world fare: he is offering to see the shine off the new ball and draw the sting from the bowlers. But while he admits his style may lack “glamour”, he still feels it has value.”The way the game’s going, I think people are drawn towards a certain glamour,” he said. “Some players provide that and people want to see more of that.”That’s great, we’re in the entertainment business. It’s about getting bums on seats and I suppose watching Ben Stokes’ 200 is better than watching Compton’s 80. If I’m honest with you, if I was sitting on the couch I’d rather watch Brian Lara, or my late grandfather, or Stokes. That’s what people want to see. I’m by no means unaware of that.”But when you look at it, my job is possibly a little bit tougher, it’s quite an intense role. The new ball is tough when you go in there and the way that I play doesn’t always look that pretty. But I feel like I have made the best of what I’ve been given.”In truth, Compton is an elegant player. It’s just he is, by current standards, a relatively slow scorer. But for those who still take pleasure in a perfectly played forward defensive – and such folk appear to be a dying breed – there is a certain beauty in his batting. He can cut, drive and pull nicely, too, and promises that, given a chance, he will show that he has another gear to his batting.”I don’t want to change my style,” he says. “When you’re not playing well your style doesn’t look so great. It can be really hard work. But we’ve an exciting team of stroke-players and it’s my role to get myself in and try and shield some of those players from the new ball.”I know deep inside me there’s a player in here who could change all those opinions very quickly. I’ve got shots. I’ve got things that I can do and I’ve got to allow them to come out.”But you can’t force that. I’ve tried it before. You need to earn that right. As with any batsman who goes in against the new ball, it’s always a vulnerable time.”Unfortunately, until you do it and people see it in real life there’s no point in me saying anything else. Words are cheap and until you do it consistently there’s not much to be said.”Investec is the title sponsor of Test match cricket in England. For more on Investec private banking, visit investec.co.uk/banking

Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer demolish Australia A with centuries

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Hundreds from opener Priyansh Arya and captain Shreyas Iyer set up India A’s demolition of Australia A in the first unofficial ODI in Kanpur on Wednesday. After rain allowed no play on Tuesday, the weather cleared for the series to get underway on the reserve day.After being asked to bat, India A posted 413 for 6 on the back of Arya’s 101 and Iyer’s 110. In response, Australia A were dismissed for 242 in 33.1 overs.Each of India’s top six had a strike rate of over 100, and five of their top six scored at least 50. Arya and Prabhsimran Singh, who had combined powerfully for Punjab Kings (PBKS) in IPL 2025, were reunited at the top for India A, putting on 135 for the opening stand in 20.3 overs. Iyer then took charge of the innings, hitting 12 fours and four sixes in his first List A match since the Champions Trophy in March earlier this year.Related

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Rajat Patidar was originally named captain for the 50-over series against Australia A but Iyer replaced him, with Patidar taking charge of the Rest of India side in the ongoing Irani Cup in Nagpur. Iyer is on a break from red-ball cricket due to concerns about his back, but continues to be available for white-ball cricket.Riyan Parag (67) and Ayush Badoni (50) also hit half-centuries to propel India A to a mammoth total. Iyer’s dismissal in the 47th over left India A at 380 for 4, but Badoni and allrounder Nishant Sindhu took them past 400.Australia A used seven bowlers, with only Liam Scott going at less than seven an over.Chasing 414, Australia A had a good start: they were 116 for 1 in the 13th over, but Cooper Connolly’s wicket triggered a slide. They lost their last nine wickets for 126 and left almost 17 overs unused in their chase.Opener McKenzie Harvey top-scored for the visitors with 68 off 62 balls while captain Sutherland made 50 off 33 balls. Spinners Sindhu, Bishnoi and Badoni shared seven wickets among them.Gurjapneet Singh, who was making his List A debut, having been fast-tracked into the India A side, came away with 1 for 40 in five overs.India A will be bolstered by the arrival of Asia Cup hero Tilak Varma for the remaining two one-dayers.