After receiving his second CSA contract McLaren knows he is being primed for a Test recall – something that’s been in the back of his mind for a long time

Firdose Moonda12-Mar-2013Ryan McLaren’s Test debut was memorable but not for anything he did. He was included in South Africa’s all-pace attack that was tasked with squaring the series against England in early 2010.They did the job emphatically and bowled England out for under 200 twice to ensure South Africa won by an innings and 74 runs. The nature of the victory may suggest McLaren played some sort of role but his was a bit-part.In the shadows of Dale Steyn taking a first innings five-for and seven overall, Morne Morkel finishing with the same match tally and Wayne Parnell debuting, McLaren bowled 13 overs all told and took one wicket. It was an important one because it was that of the top scorer, Paul Collingwood and it was brief glimpse into McLaren’s ability.For four years, there would be only those short, somewhat stolen moments because McLaren never nailed down a proper spot. Now, that could change. After receiving his second CSA contract McLaren knows he is being primed for a Test recall – something that’s been in the back of his mind for a long time.”I’d love to add to my one Test cap,” he told ESPNcricinfo. “It’s something I’ve been thinking about and working towards very hard.” McLaren averaged 50.50 with the bat and 30.67 with the ball last season and has been included in South African recent A sides and limited-overs teams.He would bring to the Test XI a Shaun Pollock-like discipline and consistency as well as the ability to score runs in the lower middle-order. While it would seem only Kallis’ retirement would open a door for McLaren, he may not have to wait for that to make an appearance in whites. South Africa’s revolving door position – the No. 7 spot – is the only unsettled one and he could fill it. It has been used for an extra batsman so far but it could call for an extra bowler or an allrounder in future.Until then, McLaren has to bide his time in the other formats where he is finally being given a sustained run of matches. Prior to August 2012, McLaren had played 10 ODIs and five Twenty20s for South Africa but not much faith was invested in him. Albie Morkel was the preferred candidate and assembly line allrounders were fading out of fashion.McLaren became a substitute and was included in squads when there was a mild injury concern. Almost everyone knew that he was unlikely to play and he never did. Only recently, has team management seen real value in him.In recent months, McLaren has been seen in long consultation with Allan Donald as he worked on extensively on his bowling. The fruits of that have been obvious and he has taken 11 wickets in his last four ODIs. His use of the short ball has been exemplary, something he puts down to Donald’s influence. “Allan always encourages us to be more aggressive and that’s what I’ve been trying to do as well,” he said.As good performances mounted up, confidence in him swelled. McLaren now feels more secure as well. “I’ve been given a few more opportunities and I feel a bit more comfortable in the environment,” he said. “I’m just really enjoying it now under Gary Kirsten. He treats us all like adults and make us take responsibility for our own performances.”McLaren has always come across as mature and grounded, so much so that he would be happy to make way for Kallis at an event like the Champions Trophy because “it’s good for South Africa if Kallis plays as long as he can,” so it’s no surprise he is thriving in a grown-up environment. At 30, he is exactly that and hopes to have a few good years to offer South African cricket.McLaren has built up experience around the world, including a stint at Kent and at the Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab. This off-season, he will return to the IPL to represent the Kolkata Knight Riders and hopes to pick up new skills to take into his re-born international career. “It’s always helpful to play in different conditions and to share dressing rooms with players from around the world. I just want to learn as much as possible.”

Two men accused of the assault that left the New Zealand batsman Jesse Ryder in an induced coma in hospital have appeared in the Christchurch District Court

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Apr-2013Two men accused of the assault that left the New Zealand batsman Jesse Ryder in an induced coma in hospital have appeared in the Christchurch District Court.A 37-year-old builder has been charged with assaulting Ryder and also with reckless disregard for the safety of others. The younger man, a 20-year-old carpet layer, is facing two charges of assault, one shared with the older man.The defence counsel for the older man, Jonathan Eaton, asked for and received a two-week remand on bail for the two men until April 18. He also won an interim suppression order over the names and images of the accused.Eaton said the incident had not been a “Jesse Ryder hate crime” as some witnesses had described it. In his description of events, Eaton said the two men had been out at a family dinner at Aikmans Bar and had crossed paths in a “convivial” fashion with Ryder across the evening.”The eye witness accounts are wildly inaccurate and misleading,” he said. “It goes to show why the justice system and public demand that these matters be dealt with in court before a judge and a jury and not by the media in the court of public opinion.”Eaton also disputed reports of Ryder’s injuries, claiming the batsman had not received a fractured skull but a serious concussion, and had also not sustained a collapsed lung.Ryder was interviewed by police in hospital on Monday but so far has no recollection of events on the night. He was discharged on Wednesday and has flown back home to Wellington.Ryder was hospitalised and placed in the induced coma to recover from injuries sustained when he was the victim of what police alleged to be two assaults in the space of a few minutes after a night out at the end of the Wellington Firebirds’ season.

The SLC have appointed Ashley de Silva, their former director of cricket operations, as their acting CEO, before making a permanent decision

Andrew Fidel Fernando25-Mar-2013Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has appointed Ashley de Silva to the position of acting CEO, with a view to giving him the official position in six months, SLC secretary Nishantha Ranatunga has confirmed. De Silva has been SLC’s director of cricket operations since 2008, and replaces Ajit Jayasekara, who retires at the end of the month.”Like in any organisation we will give him a probation period, which will be around six months, and at the end of that we hope he will be CEO permanently,” Ranatunga said.Sri Lanka’s first Test captain Bandula Warnapura, had emerged as the early frontrunner for the position, but was later disqualified due to his age. Warnapura turned 60 in March, falling foul of an SLC rule that has enforced employees’ retirement at 60 since 2009. He will continue in his present job as development manager for the Asian Cricket Council.In addition to de Silva’s experience as director of cricket operations, he also managed Sri Lanka’s Under-19 side on an assignment basis before 2008, and was the general manager of private communication company Suntel for five years. He played as a wicketkeeper batsman for Colombo Cricket Club from 1984 to 1996, and appeared in three Tests and four ODIs for Sri Lanka.Sri Lanka’s youth cricket coach, Carlton Bernadaus, has been appointed to the director of cricket operations role that de Silva vacated.

Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim praised his team for the attitude and commitment they showed in the 143-run win over Zimbabwe in Harare

Mohammad Isam29-Apr-2013The Bangladesh dressing room was a subdued enclosure after their 143-run win over Zimbabwe in the second and final Test. The team had decided to skip celebrations as a mark of respect to the victims of the Savar building collapse tragedy, one of the worst industrial accidents in Bangladesh’s history, which has resulted in 389 deaths so far.”We dedicate this win to the Savar victims,” Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim said at the post-match press conference. “It probably contributes nothing [to their cause] but we didn’t celebrate after the win. We didn’t sing the team song. It is a very sad moment for us back home.”We were thinking about it during the match, and we discussed it when we got back to the hotel after the first day. We have been trying to keep in touch with everyone back home because it really is a disaster and we don’t want things like this to happen.”It was a tough five days of cricket for both sides, especially for Bangladesh who were smarting from a massive 335-run loss in the first match. There was a human tragedy playing out back home, and they were faced with the challenge of winning the second Test, something they had done only three times prior to this match in 13 years of their Test history.But they turned it around. Mushfiqur was adjudged Man of the Match for his two fifties, one of which could easily have been his third Test century. The 60 and 93 was nonetheless of great value to the team. His phlegmatic approach stood out, he rarely played a rash shot and did not let his emotions run the course of his innings. Shakib Al Hasan also scored two fifties, but the manner of his dismissals will be more remembered easily.”Winning a Test match is an amazing feeling, especially after coming back in this manner,” Mushfiqur said. “We could have won the first Test had we applied ourselves like we did in this game. It was never going to be easy against them, but we turned it around. It is great to be awarded the Man of the Match in a Test victory. Every player would tell you he dreams of this. It means a lot when your hard work pays off in this way.”The Bangladesh captain had special praise for Robiul Islam and Nasir Hossain for the crucial performances they turned in on the second day, which helped Bangladesh gain a 109-run lead. “Robiul bowled very well in both Tests,” he said. “He works very hard, and he is one guy who gives his 100% with every ball even if he doesn’t get a wicket. We needed a bowler like him. He got just rewards for his hard work.”The first innings in the second Test was very important for us. Remember, we hadn’t scored even 150 in both innings of the first Test. Tamim (Iqbal), Shakib and Nasir did well. I tried my best. Shiblu (Robiul) bowled very well in their first innings, and I think the 109-run lead was the turning point in this game,” he said.It was an important win for Mushfiqur as a captain, too. He can now experience what Habibul Bashar and Shakib Al Hasan have achieved as captains. Bashar was in charge when Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe at home in 2005, their maiden Test win. Shakib took Mashrafe Mortaza’s place as the captain in the 2009 series against West Indies, and played a vital part in the two wins.”It helps to do well as a captain. The confidence of a side is different when the captain scores some runs,” he said. “It sets an example, the attitude within the team changes. Nasir can play with responsibilities, and the younger ones will learn from him and our performance.”Mushfiqur didn’t want to comment on the umpiring but had some tough words for the hosts. Zimbabwe Cricket’s hospitality has irked the visitors, especially the lack of practice facilities on tour.”A visiting team doesn’t deserve the sort of practice facilities they gave us,” he said. “We had requested a morning session, but they said no. I had told the media before the second Test that we have to win to reply to such behaviour.”The side now heads to Bulawayo to play the limited-overs leg of the tour, which will bring an end to the Bangladesh season. It has been a season that has seen some big scores, some personal milestones and a drawn Test in Sri Lanka. But it will always be bookmarked by this win in Harare.

Two successive sixes off Sammy’s bowling, and from Brad Hodge’s bat, launched Rajasthan Royals into the second qualifier, where they will take on Mumbai Indians for a place in the final

The Report by Abhishek Purohit22-May-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsBrad Hodge turned it around from 57 for 5 (file photo)•BCCI

Three days ago, two successive sixes from Darren Sammy had launched Sunrisers Hyderabad into the IPL Eliminator. Three days later, two successive sixes off Sammy’s bowling, and from Brad Hodge’s bat, launched Rajasthan Royals into the second qualifier, where they will take on Mumbai Indians for a place in the final. The victory also meant Royals sealed their place in the 2013 Champions League Twenty20.Hodge’s was a blinder of an innings in many contexts. Prior to this, he had not spent a lot of time in the middle, Rahul Dravid preferring to use him as a finisher. He came in at 57 for 5 in a chase of 133 on a slow, uneven pitch, on which almost everyone had struggled for timing. He was up against the best attack of the season in a knockout situation. Royals had been up for a week against a spot-fixing controversy that had shaken their team and messed up their combinations.Hodge’s response was one befitting a man who has made the most Twenty20 runs in the world. When he cracked the second ball of the last over 96 metres into the crowd beyond the long-on boundary, he finished on 54 off 29. He hit five sixes on a pitch where the first one took 14.1 overs to come.This match was Royals’ after a start of 50 for 1 inside seven overs. Shane Watson was another batsman who was making a mockery of the difficulties posed by the pitch, pushing forward and getting boundaries with sheer power. His pull off the legspinner Karan Sharma was headed for six over deep midwicket when Sammy jumped several feet to intercept the ball, and turn the game.Royals lost a wicket each in the next three overs to slip to 57 for 5. Sammy did most of the damage, keeping it straight to hit the stumps, as Dishant Yagnik and Stuart Binny missed. Ajinkya Rahane popped one back to the other Sunrisers legspinner Amit Mishra.Fifty-eight were needed from 40 when Hodge tore into Karan, a bowler most sides had found difficult to get away. Two sixes and a four in the space of four deliveries. He followed it up with a straight six off Mishra in the next over. Sunrisers were visibly stunned, and Mishra, whose first three overs had gone for eight, was irritated.Sunrisers hung in, though, despite a wayward 18th over from Dale Steyn. Hodge tried to hit a six almost every ball off Thisara Perera in the 19th, and managed five runs. It came down to 10 needed off six, but Hodge needed two deliveries.Sunrisers did well to get to 132 from 67 for 3 after 14 overs. Royals went in without a spinner, but their various kinds of medium-pacers tied Sunrisers down with lack of pace and width.Vikramjeet Malik, playing his second match of the season, sent back Parthiv Patel and Hanuma Vihari in the space of four balls. Shikhar Dhawan and Cameron White took their time to push on. White, especially, looked in good touch but both fell in trying to step up the pace of scoring.Sammy and Perera were going to be key at the death but again, both fell just as they were starting to dominate. Sammy came out swinging sixes but was run out by an accurate, powerful throw from the deep by the substitute Rahul Shukla for 29 off 21. Perera zoomed to 11 off 6 before edging behind.It was still not an easy target by any means and Royals’ inexperienced middle order seemed to blow it, but Hodge was lurking at No.7 to deliver the knockout punch.

Imran Farhat, the Pakistan batsman, has opted out of the tour to Zimbabwe citing personal reasons. He has been replaced by left-hand batsman Shan Masood in the squad for the two Test matches

Umar Farooq13-Aug-2013Imran Farhat, the Pakistan batsman, has opted out of the tour to Zimbabwe citing personal reasons. Farhat informed the national selection committee about his unavailability due to domestic matters that needed his immediate attention, which, ESPNcricinfo understands, relate to his wife’s health issues. He has been replaced by left-hand batsman Shan Masood in the squad for the two Test matches.Farhat, who was one of the five changes in the Test squad for this tour, was not part Pakistan’s original squad during their previous Test series, in South Africa. He was called in for the third Test of that series as a replacement for the injured Taufeeq Umar, and scored 30 and 43. That was his only Test appearance since featuring in the 2010 Test series in England.Masood, 23, made his first-class debut against Hyderabad in 2007 and has played 56 matches for his 3065 runs. The Kuwait-born Masood has been living in Karachi, and plays as an opening batsman for Habib Bank along with Farhat. He narrowly missed a double-century in his last first-class match, scoring 199, which is his best score in the long format. In the previous two seasons, he scored 846 runs at 33.84 and 1123 at 41.59.A five-day training camp has started at the NCA with only bowlers appearing for the conditioning training sessions. The Pakistan limited-overs squad will depart for Zimbabwe on August 19.

Hot Spot will be used for the remainder of the Ashes series despite tests reportedly showing that silicone tape on bats can disguise faint edges

Brydon Coverdale in Chester-le-Street08-Aug-2013Hot Spot will be used for the remainder of the Investec Ashes series despite tests reportedly showing that silicone tape on bats can disguise faint edges. The ICC’s general manager of cricket operations, Geoff Allardice, met with the management of both England and Australia in Durham on Wednesday to discuss concerns with the way DRS was operating and the outcome was that no changes would be made for the rest of this series.Earlier on Wednesday, the ICC had dismissed a report aired on Channel Nine in Australia that it was investigating the possible use of silicone tape on bats by players from both teams during this series. However, Channel Nine reported on Thursday that Hot Spot inventor Warren Brennan had raised “serious concerns” with the ICC that if tape was used on bats, edges could fail to show up on the technology.There have been a number of occasions during the Ashes when Hot Spot had failed to detect edges that have otherwise shown up on Snicko. Brennan will not comment publicly on the claims, but Curtin University engineer Dr Masood Khan has been conducting research into thermal infrared processing and has said that silicone tape has the capacity to disguise edges on Hot Spot.”The chemical composition of silicone tape makes it work as an inhibitor for most radiation,” Khan said. “Its physical characteristics also make it insensitive to minor physical impacts. Its chemical and physical features ensure an even conduction and dispersion of heat within its structure, meaning thermal changes caused by the impact of a ball as it hits the edge of a bat may remain unnoticed by a thermal infrared camera such as Hot Spot.”However, the ICC has said that after “very constructive” meetings between Allardice and the management of both teams, it was decided that Hot Spot would continue to be used.”We acknowledge that the DRS has not performed as effectively during the past three Tests as it has in other series,” Allardice said. “The purpose of my visit was to meet with the teams to listen to their feedback, and to identify potential improvements to DRS moving forward. It was very encouraging to hear both teams reiterate their support for the use of DRS. Some of the ideas that were suggested during the meetings could improve the system, and will be considered further by the ICC.”Hot Spot is an advanced technology that helps us to detect edges. It is conclusive – when there is a mark we know the bat has hit the ball. In working with the operator over several years, we know that the majority of edges are detected by Hot Spot, but there are occasions when a fine edge isn’t picked up.”If there is no mark on Hot Spot, the TV umpire can use replays from different angles to see whether the ball has deflected off the bat, and he can listen to the sound from the stump-microphone to determine whether the batsman has edged the ball. Either deflection or sound can be used by the TV umpire to make his final judgment.”While the ICC did not make any mention of silicone tape in its statement, it said it was looking into a number of ways to improve DRS. One which was trialed during the Old Trafford Test involved the TV umpire accessing replays using a multi-channel monitor system with its own dedicated operator and recording device, rather than relying on the existing TV producers to cue up replays.”The aim was to get more replay angles to the umpire, faster, so he will be able to make more accurate decisions and minimise delays to the game,” Allardice said. “The feedback from this trial has been very positive, and we now need to consider how this technology could be most effectively used as part of the DRS system.”An ongoing area of focus for the ICC is the training of our TV umpires. Several simulation activities have been conducted over the past 12 months and our elite panel training seminar next month will include several activities aimed at delivering more consistent interpretations of the images and sounds provided to the TV umpire.”Michael Clarke and Alastair Cook both reiterated their support for DRS on Wednesday and flatly dismissed suggestions their players could be using silicone tape, although they said there had clearly been issues during this series. Clarke said one such occurrence was when David Warner survived a review for a caught-behind decision at Old Trafford when he attempted a pull shot and Hot Spot showed no edge.”I asked Davey when he came off the field if he hit that and he said he did,” Clarke said. “I don’t know the reason why it’s not picking it up. I don’t know the answer to that question … I like DRS being there for the stinkers, the big inside edge, the blatant bat pads where you can see it’s a big lbw or big caught behind, I like it for that.”Cook said he was keen for Hot Spot to remain part of the DRS, even though problems had shown up during the series.”It still gives you more chance of getting the right decision and that’s why we are using it in the first place,” Cook said. “That’s what we’ve found really strange, some clear nicks that haven’t shown up on Hot Spot. It has been strange and we just can’t quite work out why it’s happening.”But like all these things there are always big evolutions and hopefully the technology can get it right. At the end of the day we’re just trying to get more decisions right so the umpires have less impact on the game. And you’re talking about decisions but hundreds and five-fors rather than decisions made by the umpire or the third umpire.One idea believed to have been discussed at Allardice’s meetings that does not concern Hot Spot is the possibility of players not losing a review if an lbw appeal shows “umpire’s call”. As well as problems with Hot Spot, the series has featured a number of very tight lbw decisions and Shane Watson said this week he believed reviews should give the benefit of the doubt to the batsman rather than to the umpire’s call.

The BCCI has planned a Test series at home in November against West Indies, ahead of the scheduled South Africa tour, thus ensuring Sachin Tendulkar plays his landmark 200th Test at home

Amol Karhadkar01-Sep-2013

Other tours approved by the BCCI

• Tour to New Zealand in January-February 2014, comprising two Tests and five ODIs

• Tour to England between July and September 2014, comprising five Tests, five ODIs and one T20

The BCCI has planned a Test series at home in November against West Indies, ahead of the scheduled South Africa tour, thus giving Sachin Tendulkar the opportunity to play his landmark 200th Test at home; he will perhaps bid farewell to the game at the end of the Test series.Tendulkar, who is two Tests short of becoming the first cricketer to feature in 200 Tests, was expected to put an end to his 24-year sojourn at the highest level at the end of the South Africa Test series. The Tests series against West Indies, which will comprise at least two Tests likely to be played in Kolkata and Mumbai in November, offers him a perfect stage to sign off in his hometown.Following the injury to his left hand while playing for Mumbai Indians against Sunrisers Hyderabad in a league match during IPL 2013, which effectively advanced his IPL retirement, doubts had arisen over the 40-year-old’s participation in the South Africa tour. However, after undergoing a surgery on his injured hand, Tendulkar has been included in the Mumbai Indians’ squad for the Champions League Twenty20.Besides achieving the 200-Test landmark, Tendulkar would also be keen to sign off on a high. The veteran batsman has not been able to score a century in his last 38 Test innings, since his memorable knock of 146 in Cape Town in January 2011. The closest he came to a three figures in Tests since then was against West Indies in November 2011, when he edged one to slips six runs short of what would have been his 100th international hundred at the Wankhede Stadium, his home ground.The BCCI claimed to have received an email from the West Indies Cricket Board confirming its interest in the series, and accordingly placed the proposal before the working committee. The plan for the West Indies series was announced after the BCCI’s working committee meeting on Sunday. Though the BCCI did not specify the number of matches that will be played, ESPNcricinfo understands that the WICB have been offered two options. “The tour could see either two Tests and three ODIs, or three Tests,” a BCCI official said.As important as the series is from the Tendulkar angle, the BCCI was also concerned about a possible dip in its revenues for the current financial year since, after the limited-overs series against Australia in October, India weren’t scheduled to play at home for the rest of the financial year. “That would have meant lesser gross revenue, and profits as a result, than the last year’s,” an insider said. “And it is something that none of the stakeholders in Indian cricket would want.”

JP Duminy is set to regain his Test place after 11 months as South Africa embark on a two-Test series against Pakistan

Firdose Moonda04-Oct-2013JP Duminy is set to regain his Test place after 11 months as South Africa embark on a two-Test series against Pakistan. Duminy spent six months recovering from a ruptured Achilles’ tendon and after a successful one-day return, has been given a vote of confidence from the national coach to make a Test comeback as well.”How we’ve worked is that when a player has a spot and he gets injured, once he is fit again, he will regain his spot. I think that’s only fair,” Russell Domingo, South Africa’s coach said ahead of the squad’s departure. “I very much see JP being in the starting XI.”Duminy had previously spent two years out of the Test team following a loss of form after creating a stir with a 50 and unbeaten 166 against Australia in his first two matches. He returned against New Zealand in March 2012 and scored a century and also played an important role in South Africa’s win against England at Lord’s last June which gave them the Test mace.He could play no part in their victory over Australia because of his injury. Faf du Plessis took his spot and impressed with a match-saving century in Adelaide. That would mean the likely loser from Duminy’s return would be Dean Elgar, who replaced Jacques Rudolph and, apart from a century against New Zealand, has not made the spot his own.Following an extensive rehabilitation period, Duminy returned to action during the Champions Trophy in June this year. He scored an unbeaten 150 before the tournament during a warm-up against the Netherlands, had a lean run through the competition but had one innings of 97 in the ODI series in Sri Lanka, which South Africa lost 4-1. He has also become a significant contributor with the ball, sending down 36.2 overs of offspin in the five matches.Duminy’s potential as an allrounder is what South Africa are hoping to use to their advantage in the UAE. “With JP back in the mix, whether we need to play a second spinner still needs to be debated,” Domingo said.Conditions are expected to be conducive to turn – given that was how Pakistan got the better of the last No.1 side to tour the UAE, England – and South Africa have included two specialist spinners in their squad. Robin Peterson is the incumbent but they have also brought back Pakistani-born legspinner Imran Tahir, who played 11 Tests but was dropped after conceding 260 runs without taking a wicket in Adelaide.Peterson has had some success, most notably with five wickets in a match against Pakistan in Cape Town, but Tahir’s attacking ability were thought to create a tough contest between the two for a spot. Domingo confirmed he would allow Peterson to start before turning to Tahir. “At the moment, I still feel Robbie is the guy. He has made some contributions,” he said. “You are always going to take two spinners to the subcontinent but Imran has to do something special to knock the door down.”The rest of the line-up will retain its familiar look with Graeme Smith fully recovered from ankle surgery to lead the team and open the batting. Domingo indicated he would continue with the seven batsmen and three seamers strategy that was used under Gary Kirsten. “I would be a fool to go in there and make drastic changes,” he said. “There might be one change in terms of personnel but the balance of the side will stay pretty much the same.”That one change would be Duminy’s return but Elgar need not despair yet. There is a chance he will feature in the series after all because South Africa may have to do without Hashim Amla for the second Test. The No.3 batsman and his wife, Sumayya, are expecting their second child to be born “some time after the first Test” according to team manager Mohammad Moosajee.Amla will leave Dubai as soon as the match is done and “depending on when the baby arrives”, a decision will be made on his availability for the second match. There is a four-day turnaround between games and if Amla does not make it back in time, Elgar, who has batted in the top-order for most of his career, could assume the spot.Everyone else in the South African squad is fit. Dale Steyn has recovered from the assortment of injuries that plagued him at the Champions Trophy. Rory Kleinveldt’s toe laceration has healed and Wayne Parnell’s heart issue has also been sorted out.

Bermuda batsman David Hemp feels that the team’s thumping win over Suriname may be the spark that launches the team to victory in their rematch against USA on Thursday

Peter Della Penna in Indianapolis07-May-2015Bermuda batsman David Hemp has said the thumping win over Suriname may be the spark that launches the team to victory in their rematch against USA on Thursday to keep alive hopes of finishing in the top two at the ICC Americas Division One T20 in Indianapolis. Bermuda came close to beating USA on the opening day before Fahad Babar stole the match with a thrilling assault in the 19th over, but Hemp says the team is prepared for the rematch.”For us we look at USA and we came close, so that’s a game that we feel … well we feel we can win all three,” Hemp told ESPNcricinfo. “Obviously we’ve got to play well to do that but if we don’t believe we can do that we might as well not rock up in a day’s time. We believe we can go forward from here and build on that but we still are going to have to play well and that’s the key to it all.””We felt a little bit hard done by in the first game. We felt we did enough to win that against the USA but one of their players played exceptionally well to bat through and pinch the game at the end. I mean that’s Twenty20. So that was a little bit disappointing.”Bermuda were in a hole following losses to USA and Canada in the first two days of the competition but turned things around on Tuesday with an 87-run win over Suriname. Hemp scored an unbeaten 72 before Bermuda bowled out their opponents for 55. Though Bermuda remained two points behind USA in the standings, the margin of victory over Suriname lifted Bermuda’s net run rate ahead of USA’s.If they can beat USA on Thursday, the teams would be equal on points but Bermuda would hold an edge over USA toward finishing second due to the net run rate tiebreaker. Despite starting the tournament at 0-2, Hemp says the team is not feeling any added pressure to pull off three wins.”For me, Twenty20, the nature of the game is that any side is in it. If you look at past World Cups, your top international sides have lost to Associate countries and that’s similar here. You’ve got to keep believing that you can turn situations around and the game of Twenty20 cricket can change in an over. That’s why you’re never out of the game. Just like the USA game with us, 30 off three and winning it within two overs, so the game can change.”Bermuda have never beaten USA in an ICC T20 tournament match. The closest they came was their very first encounter during the 2010 ICC Americas championship in Bermuda, which USA won by two wickets off the last ball chasing a target of 138. After Sunday’s result, USA held a 6-0 record in the format against Bermuda.