New Zealand news

Turner criticises new selection set-up

  

 

Glenn Turner, the former New Zealand captain, isn't surprised by the snub during the appointment process for a new National Selection Manager (NSM). Turner, who was part of the national selection panel for the last six years, said the job description "automatically cancelled out most people with what I believe are the necessary qualifications for an international selector".

Hours before an elated nation brought in the rugby World Cup back where it all began in 1987, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) slipped in the announcement of arguably the biggest experiment with the way professional international cricket teams are selected. It appointed an Australian lawn bowls official, Kim Littlejohn, as the NSM, overlooking two former captains, Turner and Ken Rutherford, and the incumbent Mark Greatbatch.

Turner said he applied for the job after conveying that he would only be interested "in a position which was inclusive when it came to making decisions, where egos and self-interest were set aside.

"I needed to find out whether my skills would be used," Turner told ESPNcricinfo. "They have been rejected, so we are probably better off without each other."

Turner's application for the job seemed more of an argument against the new process for selecting teams. According to the NZC, Littlejohn will be "responsible for establishing a comprehensive profiling system as players progress along the pathway of representing New Zealand, and in doing so use a network of cricket coaches and key stakeholders". He will be joined by the national coach John Wright on the two-man selection panel.

Turner did not agree with the idea. "When I read the job description I felt that it did not cover what I believe is necessary to take full part in selecting and developing the Blackcaps [New Zealand]," he said. "The position appeared to be experimental and more about an assistant collecting data and coming up with some performance measures, along with office administration skills. The job description preferred the applicant to have 'Post Graduate qualifications in Sports Management or Business Management', which if followed automatically cancelled out most people with what I believe are the necessary qualifications for an international selector.

"Nevertheless, I took up the opportunity to express what I believed was important when selecting cricket teams. In particular, trained independent eyes - free from conflicts of interest, ones that have experience and the art of talent-identifying."

Regarding the possible outcomes of the experiment, Turner said: "I've seen a lot of theories come and go over the years, and they mostly fail due to a lack of process. For theories to be applied they need to be supported by reasoning from known facts."

Sidharth Monga is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo

Feeds: Sidharth Monga

© ESPN EMEA Ltd.

 

Sri Lanka v Australia, 2nd Test, Pallekele, 3rd day

Marsh and Hussey star before rain sets inarsh and Hussey star before rain sets in

 

 

There was plenty for Australia to celebrate on the third day in Pallekele - Shaun Marsh's hundred on debut, and Michael Hussey's 14th Test century - but Sri Lanka ended the day with some hope of salvaging a draw after rain washed out almost the entire afternoon's play. Only 40.3 overs were bowled, mostly before lunch, and Australia extended their lead to 237, but with further showers expected over the next two days, Michael Clarke's men were wondering if they would have time to knock Sri Lanka over again and take a 2-0 series lead.

An overnight declaration loomed as a possibility as the Australians would not wish to waste their big advantage, set up during a terrific 258-run stand between Marsh and Hussey, the second highest for Australia in Tests against Sri Lanka, and the highest for any country for the fourth wicket against Sri Lanka. And while Hussey's composure was expected, the way Marsh played in his first innings made him look like a Test natural.

He became the 19th Australian to score a century on his Test debut, and the only one of his countrymen to achieve the feat batting at No.3 was the great Bill Ponsford. Marsh started the day on 87 and quickly moved off the unlucky number with a glide past gully for four.

Negotiating the nineties proved slightly tougher; Hussey was on 76 when Marsh moved out of the eighties, yet he reached triple-figures before his younger partner. Both men got there in the same over, Hussey pushing a two past midwicket off Suraj Randiv, before Marsh swept two from the final ball of the over.

It was a wonderful moment for the Marsh family; his father Geoff jumped to his feet in the stands, riding the two runs home like he was cheering on a race-horse, and Shaun raised his bat and high-fived Hussey when he caught his breath. Both batsmen soon lifted their tempo and Marsh brought out some of his limited-overs strokes, including a brutal drive back over the bowler's head for four off Chanaka Welegedara.

Hussey eventually fell for 142 when he lofted Thilan Samaraweera - who hadn't taken a Test wicket since 2004 - to deep cover. It was the third hundred in seven Tests for Hussey, who since the start of the Ashes he has averaged 68.50, and it continued a remarkable Test for him after he took a stunning catch hurling himself to his left at gully on the first day, and bowled a wicket maiden to get rid of Kumar Sangakkara.

Hussey was the only wicket to fall before lunch, but in the eight overs delivered after the break Australia suffered a mini-collapse. On 141, Marsh pulled Suranga Lakmal to deep midwicket, and in the next over the out-of-form Brad Haddin lofted a catch tamely to mid-on off the bowling of Randiv for 1.

Randiv was on a hat-trick after he bowled Mitchell Johnson next ball; Johnson expected the ball to turn away from him and shouldered arms, only to see the topspinner go straight on and rattle his stumps. Ryan Harris negotiated the hat-trick ball - barely - and was 9 not out when the rain came, while Usman Khawaja was on 13.

But such a collapse meant little, next to Marsh's milestone and Australia's weather worries. There will be some nervous Australians looking out the window at daybreak on Sunday.

 

India still seek elusive win

India landed in England on July 13. Over the last two months they have lost eight players to injuries, many others have lost form, and an equal number didn't even bring it to begin with. Their No. 1 ranking is gone, the Twenty20 international was lost, and now they can't even win the ODI series. The frightening part for them is that things could still get worse from here. This match is their last chance to win an international in England; the final game is in Wales.

In terms of disastrous tours, this one ranks right up there with the ones to Australia in 1991-92 and 1999-2000, to South Africa in 1996-97 and to the West Indies in 1989 (leaving aside the tours before India started winning Tests). Yet, except for the West Indies in 1989, they managed to win something on the other tours. Here all the silverware they carry is Rahul Dravid's Man-of-the-Series award in Tests and Ravindra Jadeja's Man-of-the-Match from The Oval ODI. It could still be argued, a bit cruelly, that for all his heroics, Dravid wouldn't have won his award but for the England norm to present a series award to a player from both teams.

Then again cruel is what this trip has been. The weather has interrupted at crucial moments, killing the first ODI with India in ascendency, reducing the second to a near T20, a format where England are world champions. It could be argued that the Duckworth-Lewis method helped India in the third ODI, but their momentum was stalled just when they were making a comeback and the damp outfield negated the spinners to an extent.

All that doesn't mask England's ruthlessness at the fag end of a long season. If they stunned India with their unwavering will in the Test series, complacency and contentment have been conspicuous by their absence so far in the ODIs. Unlike their winter Ashes tour, where they emptied their tank in the Tests, England have fuel left in reserve here. Craig Kieswetter has brought freshness to the top of the order and the pitch for The Oval ODI suggests they can produce green tracks without any fear of a backlash from India's attack.

Lord's, though, is usually a flat track, but weather forecasts that suggest a 60% chance of precipitation could spell further trouble for the visitors. If it helps, two of India's most famous wins have come at Lord's: the World Cup final of 1983 and the 326-run chase in the 2002 NatWest final.