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The Australia-England T20 marks a welcome return for the game after more than two years

Tristan Lavalette08-Oct-2022On a balmy Monday night three summers ago, Shafali Verma, the then 16-year-old prodigy, lit up the old warhorse of the WACA with an outrageous 39 off 17 balls during India’s victory over Bangladesh at the 2020 Women’s T20 World Cup.The 5000-strong crowd, mostly Indian fans cheering wildly for Shafali’s heroics, hopefully savoured the experience on that electric February 24, 2020 evening because it proved the last international in Perth until Sunday’s drought-breaking men’s T20 clash between Australia and England at Optus Stadium.Of course, just weeks later, right after Australia lifted the Women’s T20 World Cup trophy, the Covid-19 pandemic paralysed the world and closed borders as refuge was sought at home.Related

• At home, and yet not quite – Cameron Green at the centre of unfamiliar homecoming

• WBBL warned not to be complacent as T20 leagues grow

• Buttler eager to unleash Stokes, but World Cup doubts remain over Livingstone

• Australia and England have final World Cup spots up for grabs as run-in gathers pace

With tough-talking premier Mark McGowan ruling with an iron fist, Western Australia tightly controlled its border longer than most. The strict measures mostly kept the virus at bay through to the end of 2021 but WA’s fortress meant a logistical nightmare for those entering the state, which involved 14 days of hotel quarantine.There were some exemptions for sports, but organising international cricket proved too difficult while only six BBL matches and last year’s WBBL final were played in Perth over the past two seasons.In perhaps the biggest blow to local coffers, the fifth Ashes Test last summer was supposed to be played in Perth before being shifted to Hobart after months of hostile debate between administrators, pundits and fans.It all totalled a loss of AU$18 million in revenue for the WACA, said chief executive Christina Matthews.”We had to adjust our operations to minimise the loss,” she told ESPNcricinfo. “It was disappointing that we couldn’t participate in elite cricket at home.”Effectively we were at the whim of the premier and the government that made decisions that meant cricket couldn’t be played here.”The timing proved particularly inopportune with Perth’s ODI against India in 2020-21 scrapped – after originally being overlooked to host an India Test – followed by losing the Ashes Test in January after McGowan refused to open WA’s borders in conjunction with the rest of the country in late 2021.”Losing India and England two years in a row… that’s the high point in our membership,” Matthews said. “When we moved matches to Optus Stadium we were building towards those Tests to maximise our returns, so we have to wait another four years to take advantage of the stadium.”It had a devastating impact on our forward planning and business model. Our financial model is built around BBL and international cricket. But we had relatively small losses compared to what we could have been facing.”With the heart of its home schedule ripped out, some WACA members were left disenchanted. “I know there were some members who renewed because of the Ashes Test, which we kept hearing was going to be played at Optus,” said long-time WACA member Chamara Seneviratne. “But then it was scrapped, so that left some resentment. It was all very frustrating.”The last international match in Perth was India’s T20 World Cup game against Bangladesh•Paul Kane/Getty Images

Matthews, who has had to deal with ongoing tumult amid a spate of WACA board resignations, acknowledged the frustration but said it had a “loyal” membership base. “The members were disappointed but 90 percent of our members kept rolling their fees over and there is now a sense of security with cricket coming back,” she said.Since WA finally reopened in March, Covid-19 pandemic restrictions gradually eased to the point where Perth’s airports are once again teeming, mask sightings are rare and the virus is barely part of the daily conversation.At domestic matches at the WACA to start the Australian season, fans have been allowed to interact with players, with selfies once again a familiar sight, to reinforce that the pandemic is very much in the rearview.Anticipation is now building over the return of international cricket in Perth with many locals particularly excited about the prospect of finally watching hometown hero Cameron Green in national colours. There is the expectation for a crowd of 30,000.”There is a much better feeling among members and fans so far this season,” Seneviratne said. “It’s particularly great for kids who finally can watch Green and their other heroes in person, which is important for the development of the game.”While this exasperating period caused major headaches and sleepless nights for those at the WACA, Matthews said there were silver linings.”One of the benefits was that we allowed community cricket to be played on the WACA, which was a dream come true for many,” Matthews said. “We became closer as an organisation. It was interesting to see how quickly our staff wanted to come back and work from the venue .”It gave us an opportunity to shine in difficult circumstances. But you wouldn’t want to go through it again.”

Pakistan seamer unable to take up deal due to overlap with Pakistan Super League

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Jun-2021Kent have signed Adam Milne, the New Zealand pace bowler, as a replacement for Mohammad Amir, whose Pakistan Super League commitments will prevent him from appearing in the Vitality Blast.Amir had been due to play for Kent in the second half of the Blast, after the completion of the PSL – but the shifting dates for the rearranged competition, which begins on Wednesday, and quarantine restrictions for arriving in the UK from Pakistan mean he won’t be taking up his deal.Instead, Milne will arrive for his fourth spell at Kent, having taken 38 wickets in 28 appearances between 2017 and 2019. He is expected to be available for Kent’s ninth group game, against Somerset at Canterbury on June 28, onwards.”We’re delighted that Adam will be coming back to be a Kent Spitfire once more,” Kent’s director of cricket, Paul Downton, said. “He is a world-class T20 bowler who has made a significant difference to our side every time he has played for the Spitfires. I am sure our Members and supporters will be excited to welcome him back for the later stages of the Vitality Blast.”Milne was part of the Kent side that reached the quarter-finals of the Vitality Blast in 2018, and narrowly missed out on reaching the knockouts a year later. He has also featured at the IPL and the Big Bash, as well as being capped 23 times in T20Is by New Zealand.Milne said: “I love being a Spitfire and I’m really excited that the opportunity has arisen for me to come back to Kent for a fourth time. It’ll be great to see familiar faces in the dressing room but I’m also looking forward to working with the new talent that has joined since my last stint in 2019.”Kent’s other overseas options include South African batter Heino Kuhn and the Afghanistan legspinner Qais Ahmed, who is expected to be available after quarantine from June 13, when the club face Gloucestershire at Canterbury.

Coach Mickey Arthur felt Kusal would be better served training for the white-ball formats at home

Andrew Fidel Fernando14-Jan-2020Suranga Lakmal returned to Sri Lanka’s Test squad after missing the tour of Pakistan due to dengue fever, while Kusal Perera has been dropped.Despite having lost 1-0 in Pakistan, Sri Lanka made no other changes to the 15 that toured Rawalpindi and Karachi in December. This means that Lahiru Thirimanne remains in the squad, despite seemingly having lost his place in the XI to Oshada Fernando, while offspinner Dilruwan Perera also retains his place after having gone wicketless during the Pakistan series.Young fast bowler Asitha Fernando, who was Lakmal’s replacement on the tour of Pakistan, could not find a place. Pathum Nissanka, the highly-rated domestic opener for Nondescripts Cricket Club, has been overlooked as well.Chief selector Asantha de Mel said his committee had dropped Kusal after consulting with new coach Mickey Arthur, who felt it was better for Kusal to remain in Sri Lanka and train for the white-ball series against West Indies in February, rather than tour Zimbabwe without getting a game.”Most probably we will go with the same batting lineup [as we did in Karachi], with Angelo Mathews at four, Dinesh Chandimal at five, Dhananjaya de Silva at six and Niroshan Dickwella keeping,” he told ESPNcricinfo. “Kusal has an issue with his hamstrings where he can’t run around the field as much. And because Dickwella is the main keeper, we thought there was no point taking another keeper.”Kusal had struck Sri Lanka’s innings of the year in 2019, his 153 not out in Durban earning global plaudits, but had had a poor series against New Zealand in August and September last year, in which he made 1, 23, 0 and 0. He was in the squad, but did not play a Test in Pakistan.”Yes, Kusal can make 150s, but we needed someone who can occupy the crease, which is why we chose Thirimanne,” de Mel said. “Thirimanne can also bat in the top order or as an opener.” Thirimanne’s batting average, however, is 22.64 after 68 innings.The selection of 37-year-old Dilruwan was also informed by conversations with coach Arthur, de Mel said. Dilruwan had gone wicketless during the tour of Pakistan, and averaged 112.80 in 2019, taking only five wickets in seven innings. He had been the equal-fastest Sri Lanka bowler to 150 Test wickets (taking 36 Tests to get there, the same as Muttiah Muralitharan), and this, essentially, is why the selectors are giving him another opportunity.”We have the England series at home coming up, and this Zimbabwe series is the test to see if he can still do the job,” de Mel said. “If we dropped him now, we can’t even look at him for the England series, so we’ll see how he does in this series. In terms of offspinners, there’s also no standout options aside from him.”Dilruwan will have left-arm orthodox spinner Lasith Embuldeniya and left-arm wristspinner Lakshan Sandakan to compete with in the squad. On the fast bowling front, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara and Vishwa Fernando have all been picked, in addition to Lakmal.The first Test is set to start on January 19, and the second on January 27. Both matches are scheduled to be played in Harare.Sri Lanka Test squad: Dimuth Karunaratne (capt), Oshada Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dhananjaya De Silva, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Dilruwan Perera, Lasith Embuldeniya, Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Lakshan Sandakan, Suranga Lakmal

He will link up with the squad ahead of the Boxing Day Test in Christchurch, having signed a contract that will expire at the end of 2019 World Cup

Madushka Balasuriya08-Dec-2018Steve Rixon has been appointed Sri Lanka’s fielding coach in their lead-up to the 2019 World Cup, Sri Lanka Cricket has confirmed. He will link up with the Sri Lanka squad on December 24, ahead of their second Test against New Zealand in Christchurch.The move for a new fielding coach has long been mooted, with Sri Lanka head coach Chandika Hathurusingha having grown visibly frustrated at his team’s propensity to squander potentially match-winning opportunities on a nearly game-by-game basis.These frustrations were brought to a head during the recent home series against England, when the visiting side’s consistent game-changing excellence in the field only served to exacerbate Sri Lanka’s deficiencies.In Rixon, Sri Lanka have hired one of world cricket’s pre-eminent fielding specialists. He was most recently credited for Pakistan’s stark fielding improvements during his stint as fielding coach there, while prior to that he had worked as Australia’s assistant coach and also coached New Zealand – both stints coincided with the sides becoming among the best fielding outfits in the world.He has also coached domestic teams in Australia and sides in the now-defunct Indian Cricket League and the Indian Premier League.Rixon will officially take over duties ahead of the Boxing Day Test, having signed a contract that will expire at the end of 2019 World Cup in England.Outgoing fielding coach Manoj Abeywickrama will remain with national side for the duration of the first two Tests in New Zealand to oversee the transition, after which he will return home to take up a position in the Sri Lanka A set-up.

Cameron White’s career-best 165 off 154 balls – among the ten highest scores in Australia’s 50-over domestic tournament – underpinned Victoria’s 111-run victory over Tasmania

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Oct-2017
ScorecardCameron White smashed 16 fours and six sixes during his 165•Getty Images

Cameron White’s career-best 165 off 154 balls – among the top ten highest scores in Australia’s 50-over domestic tournament – underpinned Victoria’s 111-run victory over Tasmania at the WACA. White’s 130-run stand for the first wicket with Marcus Harris, who contributed 75, set Victoria on the path to 325 for 6. Seamers Peter Siddle and Chris Tremain then claimed three wickets each to spark a Tasmania collapse and secure Victoria’s first win of the JLT Cup.After choosing to bat, Victoria raced to 124 for 0 in 22 overs. Andrew Fekete made the breakthrough in the next over when he had Harris caught by Charlie Wakim. White then combined with Travis Dean and added 87 in 14.1 overs, driving the side past 200. Dean and Will Pucovski fell in successive overs, but White went onto bring up his century off 120 balls. After reaching the landmark, he kicked into higher gear and smashed five sixes in six overs, before being dismissed off the penultimate ball of the innings. Fekete stood out with figures of 4 for 48 and was complemented by Jackson Bird who ended with 1 for 49. All the other Tasmania bowlers went at over six runs an over.In reply, Tasmania lost Ben Dunk and Alex Doolan to Siddle and fell to 21 for 2 at the start of the seventh over. Opener Ben McDermott (97) and captain George Bailey (52) then fashioned a recovery of sorts, adding 103 for the third wicket. However, from 124 for 2, Tasmania careened to 214 all out. McDermott and Bailey were the only batsmen to pass 20 in the chase. It was White who wrapped up the win when he bowled No. 11 Riley Meredith for 2.

South Australia fast bowler Joe Mennie has expressed his surprise for being named in Australia’s ODI squad to tour South Africa later this month

Brydon Coverdale05-Sep-2016Six weeks ago, Joe Mennie was happily flying under the radar, much as he has for the past few years. A call-up for Australia A was exciting, but his attitude remained the same. “I’m not one for putting myself out there massively,” Mennie told ESPNcricinfo at the time. “I’m at the stage where not a lot of people, unless you really know cricket, know my name. I’m not too dissatisfied with that.”But that desire sat at odds with his other goal: to play for Australia. Now, that is about to become a reality for Mennie, who has been named in Australia’s ODI squad to tour South Africa later this month. His name will not only be known, but will be emblazoned on the back of an Australia shirt. It is a scenario that is yet to sink in for Mennie.”I was very shocked actually,” Mennie told reporters in Adelaide on Monday. “I got the call from [national selector] Rod Marsh and I didn’t know what to say, there was a bit of silence on both ends from us. It was something I didn’t see coming and something I’m very happy with and looking forward to.”Mennie is one of three uncapped fast bowlers picked in the ODI squad, along with his South Australia team-mate Daniel Worrall and Victoria’s Chris Tremain. All three having been performing well for Australia A over the past few weeks in Queensland, and with Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood rested for the South Africa tour, space opened up for some fresh faces.Perhaps the most surprising thing for Mennie is that his chance has arrived in one-day cricket, which has not been his strongest format. Last summer in the Matador Cup, Mennie picked up seven wickets at 50.85 and conceded more than five an over, while he topped the wickets tally in the Sheffield Shield. However, he believes the call-up has come at the best possible time.”The body is feeling good, the ball is coming out the best it ever has, so from that point of view I’m hitting my straps pretty well and probably you’d say the form of my career,” Mennie said. “The last couple of years I’ve hit my straps and found my game. I was really happy to get the opportunity to represent Australia A and then to get the call-up for the one-day tournament coming up is very pleasing.”Although Mennie does not possess the sheer pace preferred by Australia’s selectors – he tends to operate around the 130kph mark – his consistency and accuracy have been key features of his game over the past few seasons. At least his record in South Africa is encouraging, if brief: five wickets at 14.60 for the Perth Scorchers during the 2012 Champions League T20.Stepping up to international cricket will be a different challenge for Mennie, who will find himself competing with Worrall, Tremain, John Hastings and Scott Boland for the positions as specialist fast men during the South African trip.”That’s the next test for me, going over and putting what I do well into practice in that next level,” Mennie said. “That’s where a lot of people come undone. That’s the next challenge for me. It’s about me performing and doing what I do.”

Batting collapses aren’t new to Pakistan cricket, but after falling from 32 for 1 to 152 for 7 in 37 overs on the second day in Pallekele, even Azhar Ali, the team’s vice-captain, could not offer an explanation

Umar Farooq in Pallekele04-Jul-2015Ever since the Galle turnaround, Pakistan’s batting has combusted time and again. Batting collapses aren’t new to Pakistan cricket, but after falling from 32 for 1 to 152 for 7 in 37 overs on the second day in Pallekele, even Azhar Ali, the team’s vice-captain, could not offer an explanation.Azhar, like several of his team-mates, was guilty of throwing his wicket away despite being one of the few batsmen settled at the crease. Before that, on a pitch that was not unplayable by any means, Ahmed Shehzad was done by his own remiss, and Asad Shafiq played across the line to be trapped lbw.Was it fair to call Pakistan’s batting careless?”I don’t think careless is the right word, but you can say misjudgment,” Azhar said. “We all were out there with a positive frame of mind and were very much focused but it didn’t work out. You sometime hit a ball for a boundary and the same ball gets you out as well, which is part of the game. You can’t just say that we were careless.”They (Sri Lanka bowlers) bowled in the right areas this time, again otherwise the wicket is still very good for Test cricket as it has everything for everyone. The main point we lacked today was not building big partnerships otherwise it could have been different scenario. We anchored small partnerships but converting them into bigger partnerships was the only thing missed. Small partnership in intervals looked easy for us for a while, but then again, we lost few wickets in the wrong time and we never got time to get settled.”The collapse undid most of the good work done by the Pakistan bowlers, who bundled Sri Lanka out for 278, as the visitors still trailed by 69 runs with just one wicket in hand going into day three. Before the Test, Misbah-ul-Haq had suggested that his team had their best chance of beating a weakened Sri Lanka side at their home, but Pakistan’s performance on Saturday did little to justify that belief. Azhar, though, felt the game was still open.”We still have a chance to beat Sri Lanka by trying to exploit the absence of big names in their team. But at the same time, whoever they have are very good players representing their country. We are applying ourselves with full strength to beat them but we have to be on top of our game.”This Test is still open and the closer we get to their score, it will increase our chances to pull this in our way. The third innings is always important and if we managed to get them out early, we are capable of turning things around like we did in Galle as well. So there is plenty of time in the match and we are positive about everything. From tomorrow, it will be a new day and we look forward to it.”Pakistan may sound optimistic, but at the moment, only Yasir Shah is on top of his game. The game may not be lost, but the momentum most certainly has.”It’s Test cricket because it test you in different sessions, and if we managed to pull ourselves together in the coming days and play our best cricket, then we can win this game and we are positive about this,” Azhar said.”The only problem we have had so far is that we couldn’t convert the smaller partnerships into big ones. It’s not like the pitch wasn’t good, it is equally good for batsmen, but each one of us have to apply ourselves and have to work hard to get the best out of this.”

Azim Bassarath, the president of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Association, has asked the country’s government to help ensure that T&T players represent their country and not the IPL franchises in the 2013 Champions League T20

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Jan-2013Azim Bassarath, the president of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Association, has asked the country’s government to help ensure that T&T players represent their country and not the IPL franchises in the 2013 Champions League T20. T&T qualified for the CLT20 for the third time in a row – and fourth time overall out of five editions – after beating Guyana in the Caribbean T20 on Sunday.T&T made it to the inaugural CLT20, in 2009, and then the 2011 and 2012 editions. In the inaugural tournament, several of their players caught the eye with their performances, and they finished runners-up behind New South Wales. Those performances – and the ones that followed in later editions – got some of their players, including Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine and Kevon Cooper, IPL contracts. Thereafter, based on which IPL teams qualified for the CLT20, these players and Dwayne Bravo – who had an IPL contract from the outset – represented the franchises ahead of T&T in the tournament.”For the past two years that we went to the Champions League, T&T didn’t have their best players available. This year, I want to ask for the assistance of the government,” Bassarath was quoted as saying in the . “What I think we should do is that, as early as possible, put something in place where we can negotiate with the personnel of the Indian Premier League, asking and begging and requesting that we have available to us all our international stars.”Bassarath pointed out that this could possibly be the last time that T&T, the country, is represented at the CLT20; from next season, the Caribbean Premier League, a franchise-based tournament, will replace the region-based Caribbean T20 as the West Indies’ domestic T20 competition. He said: “We should leave no stone unturned to make sure that we have our best team available for the 2013 Champions League. If we [the officials] have to travel [to India] before the tournament, as I said before, we should travel and we will be begging the Government in that regard.”Last year too, there was uncertainty over who the players would represent after the T&T sports minister, Anil Roberts, said that Pollard, Bravo and Narine would play for the country in the CLT20 instead of their respective IPL teams. An ‘agreement’ had been reached with the three players to represent their national team, he said. However, the three still turned out for Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders in the tournament.

A round-up of the second round of matches in the Ford Trophy 2011-12

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Dec-2011Jimmy Neesham’s all-round effort helped Otago pip Wellington by six runs at the Basin Reserve and pick up their second straight win in the Ford Trophy. Otago had lost their top six for just 97 by the 23rd over, and Wellington looked to have control of the game at that point. However, Neesham, batting at No.8, smashed his way to 55 from 51 balls, hitting seven fours and a six to lift his team to 219. He built a 60-run partnership with Derek de Boorder (31) for the seventh wicket and a 45-run partnership with Neil Wagner (21) for the eighth. Still, Otago were bowled out with 10.1 overs to spare – New Zealand seamer Andy McKay took 4 for 34 – and Wellington had a gettable target to chase.Neesham would not be denied though, despite Wellington appearing, once again, to be ahead at 157 for 5. Neesham took three of the last five wickets to fall – including that of New Zealand allrounder James Franklin, who top scored for Wellington with 58 – to earn his side the victory. Neesham ended up with figures of 5 for 44, as Wellington lost their last five wickets for 56 runs. Fittingly, it was Neesham who finished the game, dismissing Franklin and Scot Kuggeleijn off consecutive deliveries to wrap up the innings in 39.4 balls, one fewer than Otago faced.The game between Northern Districts and Canterbury at Blake Park in Mount Maungauni was called off because of rain after Canterbury had made 267 for 9. Former New Zealand batsman Peter Fulton top scored with 66.The Auckland v Central Districts game in Auckland was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

Steven Finn marked his first Ashes Test by claiming a career-best 6 for 125, which – as a 21-year-old with just eight months of international experience to his name – is no mean feat whatsoever

Andrew Miller at the Gabba27-Nov-2010Regardless of the toil that preceded his rewards, Steven Finn marked his first Ashes Test by claiming a career-best 6 for 125, which – as a 21-year-old with just eight months of international experience to his name – is no mean feat whatsoever. In so doing he emulated Bill Voce and John Snow as the only other Englishmen to collect such a haul at the Gabba, but afterwards he remained reassuringly downbeat about his achievement.As a man who models himself on Glenn McGrath and who has, in Angus Fraser, the perfect role-model for parsimonious seam bowling, Finn was well aware that his economy rate of 3.71 was England’s most expensive of the day, and at times during the 307-run stand between Brad Haddin and Michael Hussey he was powerless to restrict the run-flow. Nevertheless, having finally persuaded Hussey to hook to square leg for 195, he ran through the tail with an effectiveness that augurs well for future challenges, as Australia lost their last five wickets for 31 runs.”I picked up the wickets but I was the least consistent bowler and I’m aware of that,” he said. “Jimmy and Broady and Swanny at times bowled fantastically well, and when we work together as a unit that’s when we get our wickets. These wickets are for the unit, but personally, there are still a lot of areas I need to improve on and I’m well aware of that. I want to go for less runs, take more wickets and I’ve got a lot of work to do.”England’s day could well have gone a whole lot better, however, had Anderson been rewarded for a fine new-ball spell, in which Hussey survived two lbw appeals on 82 and 85, the first of which was overturned by the Umpire Decision Review System, before the second was left hanging as a plain not-out, after England had unsuccessfully used up their own appeals on day two.Finn admitted that the situation had been frustrating, especially after believing they had made such a key breakthrough in the third over of the day. But, he added, they had refused to let it derail them, despite how it might have appeared as they ended up going wicketless throughout the first two sessions.”It was a frustration that wasn’t going to affect our performance,” he said. “We realised we didn’t have any reviews left and so there was nothing we could do about it. We had to keep putting the ball in the right areas. When you’re in the huddle there and you think you’ve got the wicket, you’re over the moon and then it gets taken away. But if it gets you emotional then it takes you away from what you want to do and how you want to play the game.”It’s easy to look at things in retrospect, but we have to push forward,” he added. “We can only play what’s put in front of us. If those decisions had gone our way we’d be in a different position but it’s something we can’t look at. Those two guys played really well, they didn’t give us a chance, they rode their luck and survived the tough times, and that’s what it takes to score hundreds like that in Test cricket. That’s all we can look at.”Another distraction for England in the past three days has been the health of their coach, Andy Flower, who spent the day in hospital recovering from an operation to remove a cancerous melanoma from under his right eye. Finn, however, insisted that for the squad it had been business as usual, with Richard Halsall, the fielding coach, taking temporary charge.”I wouldn’t say it’s an upset,” he said. “Obviously we’re concerned about Andy, but he’s fine, he’s pulling through, but it hasn’t drawn anything away from what we’ve been doing as a team. We’ve got highly capable back-room staff who are filling in, and we’ve gelled together as a unit, and that helps us through times like this.”Despite the team’s predicament, Finn was sure that the two sides were far more evenly matched than the state of the game would suggest. “I think Test cricket ebbs and flows,” he said. “That’s the nature of the game and to say there is a gulf in class is grossly wrong because I think we’ve played some good, hard cricket these past few days. Australia are on top at the moment but the nature of the way we’ve played our cricket over the past 18 months will stand us in good stead in that dogfight.”