USA poised to sign lucrative deal

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Sources close to the USA Cricket Association have told ESPNcricinfo the board is close to announcing a multi-million dollar sponsorship deal

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Dec-2010Sources close to the USA Cricket Association have told ESPNcricinfo the board is close to announcing a multi-million dollar sponsorship deal.While details are sketchy, it is believed it was largely driven by Don Lockerbie during his time as chief executive which ended when he was dismissed last month.”This commercial deal will bring millions of dollars to US cricket and lots of fresh ideas and vision to promote cricket to this country,” the source said.

Clarke still in Ponting's shadow

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

The leadership could be Clarke’s for years or it might last the length of the fifth Test, depending on what happens when Ricky Ponting returns from his broken finger

Peter English in Sydney02-Jan-2011Every new captain has to deal with the ghosts of his predecessor, but Michael Clarke will have the real-life version in the dressing room. The leadership could be Clarke’s for years or it might last the length of the fifth Test, depending on what happens when Ricky Ponting returns from his broken finger.The temporary nature of Clarke’s promotion was highlighted by Ponting at an official function on Saturday when he responded to a speech from Julia Gillard, Australia’s prime minister, instead of Clarke. Ponting, who is hanging around to have his injury treated, has also been working as an extra coach by passing on tips to the batsmen in the nets. Yet he has told Clarke to make his own decisions.”Ricky’s made that very clear,” Clarke, Australia’s 43rd Test captain, said. “Once I take that field they [the decisions] will come from me.”The uncertainty over his tenure, and the troubled state of the team, makes it a difficult assignment for Clarke. A photograph of Clarke and Gillard in Sydney’s Sun-Herald today had a caption that said: “One of these people has the toughest job in Australia, the other is the prime minister.”Clarke starts the year with more responsibility, two debutants, concerns over his batting form and a mixed reaction to his appointment. The Ashes have already been retained by England and the hosts’ best-case scenario is earning a win that will draw the series. Australia’s past four captains have been promoted with the team on top of the world while Clarke’s men are taking water at No. 4.The environment limits what Clarke can do, but he has already made a notable alteration. Usman Khawaja and Michael Beer will receive their baggy greens from past Australian players instead of the captain, which has been Ponting’s preferred system. Clarke named the team the day before the game so the debutants could get used to the idea they were playing. Ponting had kept Beer waiting until just before the toss in Perth to tell him of his fate.Clarke received his baggy green from Shane Warne in Bangalore in 2004. While he was too excited to hear anything Warne said back then, he has since listened closely to all his advice and watched the way he played and led.”Warney was a very aggressive captain, I don’t think I’m that aggressive, but I’ve learned from him on the field,” Clarke said. “He’s a friend, first and foremost, but especially when I was a young player, he’s been a mentor as well.”I just hope that come tomorrow, I back myself, back my judgment, back my instinct. That’s what people who have helped me have told me throughout my career, as a leader and vice-captain. Hopefully I continue to do that.”He intends to be true to himself whatever happens. “Some people are going to like that, some people aren’t,” he said. “I’m not that concerned about it. What I’m concerned about is me getting out there and scoring some runs for Australia and helping this team win.”Clarke was relaxed, polite and cautious when he spoke on the eve of the game. He said his first days in charge had been fun, but the serious business of stopping England was about to begin. “There’s been a lot of talking about what’s happened in the past month and not achieving our goals that we set ourselves in India,” he said. “It’s a new focus, a new year.”The results have hurt Clarke and the campaign already feels like a defeat, even though it’s 2-1 to England. “I’ve been involved in four Ashes series and lost three of them,” he said. “I remember fondly in 2007 when we won the series 5-0. We still have so much to get out of this last Test match. We can’t regain the Ashes but we can level the series.”In a quirk of the modern game, Clarke will be captaining his maiden first-class match. When he has played for New South Wales, Clarke has been ordered around by Simon Katich, Brad Haddin or Stuart Clark, while Ponting has been the boss for all off his deputy’s 68 Tests. Clarke wants Ponting back and fit as soon as possible, playing until “in 10 years when he retires”.Clarke said he is “very comfortable” with Ponting being in the dressing room. “Ricky being around throughout this Test is a great thing for all the players, but especially for me to have this chance to be captain,” he said. “I can run things by him and I think it’s pretty important for the team to have him around.” Even though Clarke is the leader, it’s clear it’s not his team yet.

Steyn vows to learn from India experience

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Dale Steyn believes that South Africa’s hard-fought series victory over India has taught the side valuable lessons ahead of the World Cup

Andrew Miller26-Jan-2011Dale Steyn believes that South Africa’s hard-fought series victory over India has taught the side valuable lessons ahead of the World Cup, after they battled back from a 2-1 deficit to seal the rubber with victories in the final two matches at Port Elizabeth and Centurion. Even at 119 for 8, chasing 269 for victory in the decider, India refused to yield, with Yusuf Pathan lighting up the closing overs of the contest with a blistering 105 from 70 balls.”It was pretty tough all the way through,” Steyn told ESPNcricinfo’s Switch Hit podcast. “When you’re playing against a team like India you’re always going to struggle, especially as they bat all the way down the order to No. 9 and 10. They are a good side, and a great knock by Yusuf nearly turned it for them, but our fight showed through in the last ODI. We showed we wanted it more that day.”South Africa play India in the group stages of the World Cup at Nagpur on March 12, and Steyn now knows that a player of Yusuf’s class will be hard to contain if he is allowed to get going in that contest. “He smokes the ball, even his mis-hits were going for six,” he said. “It was one of those knocks you have to sit back and say well played, because there wasn’t much more we could do.”We felt we had the game in control until then, but every time he hit the ball it went for six,” he added. “It was a good knock from Zaheer [Khan] as well, but there were some valuable lessons learned for the World Cup, and we can take the experience from a game like that and learn from it if it happens again in the World Cup.”On a personal note, the series win wrapped up an impressive season’s work for Steyn, who has cemented his reputation as the world’s leading fast bowler with a series of searing performances. “I’m bowling nicely but I hope that I can bowl better,” he said. “I never want to restrict myself and say I’m at my ultimate peak, I’m always looking to take myself to a higher level. But things have been going nicely, and I’ve been backed nicely by guys like Lopsy [Tsotsobe] and Morne [Morkel]. When they are bowling well, I can basically play second fiddle and it takes pressure off my shoulders.”South Africa’s World Cup 15 was announced last week, and in the opinion of the captain, Graeme Smith, it is an unpredictable line-up, with a host of players – Steyn included – who have never yet taken part in a 50-over World Cup. “It is a new thing, and we are looking forward to it,” said Steyn. “We’re going to ride the wave that we’ve had against one of the best teams in the world, and we are very excited. There are a lot of new guys, and a new energy, and the atmosphere is fantastic.”One of those new faces is the Pakistan-born legspinner, Imran Tahir, who was kept hidden during the India series, but could well prove to be a trump card come the start of the tournament. “He’s a good bowler, and most of the guys on the county circuit and at domestic level in South Africa have realised that,” said Steyn. “I played with him at the Titans but hardly ever alongside him, but when I batted against him he got me out about 14 times in 10 minutes. I’m not saying I’m the world’s best batsman, but I was bamboozled all the time. So he’s looking forward to his opportunity.”

World Cup defining moment for Pakistan – Shoaib

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Shoaib Akhtar has called the upcoming World Cup his last, claiming it to be the “defining moment” of Pakistan cricket and perhaps of his own career

Mohammad Isam in Mirpur13-Feb-2011Shoaib Akhtar has called the upcoming World Cup his last, claiming it to be the “defining moment” of Pakistan cricket and perhaps of his own career. In a characteristically free-wheeling chat, Shoaib reaffirmed that he wanted to stay fit throughout, and end the tournament with the trophy in hand.”Is this the twilight of my career? Yes. It is very special, playing in the sub-continent’s World Cup,” Shoaib said in Dhaka. “I am not sure about how long I’m going to be playing, but I will try to make sure it is full of memories”.”My personal target is to play every match and to leave 45-50 days after winning the World Cup,” Shoaib said. “Obviously there’s a huge difference between being 26 and 36. I have experience now but at the same time, I’m still bowling very quick, touching 145-150 kph easily.”
Shoaib used several adjectives to describe the Pakistan team ranging from “dangerous”, “the most balanced” and the one having the cause it needs, but what stood out was him using the word “hurt” to describe the side.”Obviously we are a very hurt side, whatever has happened in the last year or so. Pakistan needs a situation to gather themselves, and playing in India and Sri Lanka in the quarterfinals, that is going to really motivate us. I think the crowds, the situation, what happened to us, whatever the team has been through for the last six-seven months, that will inspire us. We are a very dangerous side but a very hurt side.””We need to win at any cost, the team needs a situation, and what better situation than the World Cup. I think this is a defining moment for Pakistani cricket.Shoaib’s personal motivation for this tournament comes from proving people wrong, not just about himself, but the team too. “I wish Mohammad Amir was playing right now, I would have retired easily but it is not happening. That’s what motivates me to come and play my last World Cup. I want people to realize that still, very honourable people play for our country.”On the field, Shoaib said that Pakistan’s ability to swing the new and old ball both ways is their strong point. “The main advantage for us is reverse swing, that’s where I think Pakistan team’s strength lies. We have the best combination of reverse swing and new-ball fast bowlers. I think we can manage to put it out right,” Shoaib said, adding that the slow nature of the wickets might yet hamper the fast bowlers but will assist the batsmen.Of his possible duel with his old nemesis Sachin Tendulkar, Shoaib confirmed that he hasn’t lost sight of the rivalry or of taking the important wickets.The 2009 World Twenty20 triumph was perfect for the situation at the time in Pakistan, but Shoaib firmly believed that if they can do the job again this time, it could provide the people back home with more than just heroes or a trophy. “Pakistan needs to win this World Cup to bring back cricket to Pakistan, the charm back to the country. People of Pakistan are missing cricket, they are dying to watch players from all over the world playing against Pakistan.”

Warner and Marsh strike maiden centuries

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

David Warner’s maiden first-class century has kept alive New South Wales’ slim hopes of hosting the Sheffield Shield final

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Mar-2011
ScorecardDavid Warner enjoys reaching triple-figures in the four-day format•Getty Images

David Warner’s maiden first-class century has kept alive New South Wales’ slim hopes of hosting the Sheffield Shield final. The Blues need full points from their match against Western Australia to have any chance of hosting the decider and at stumps on the second day, they were 5 for 248 in reply to the Warriors’ 382.Warner fell late in the day for 114, the first breakthrough for the debutant fast bowler Matt Dixon. At the close, Steve O’Keefe was yet to score and Ben Rohrer had 1, and the Blues needed another 135 runs to take first-innings points.Phillip Hughes made 54 and was the first to depart, one of three wickets for Nathan Coulter-Nile, who also picked up Phil Jaques (13) and Simon Katich for 1. Nic Maddinson chipped in with 44 before he was run-out by Mitchell Marsh, who earlier in the day had become Western Australia’s fourth-youngest centurion.Marsh, 19, beat his brother Shaun by 54 in reaching his maiden first-class ton and he finished with 111, a strong contribution in his 248-run stand with Marcus North. The Western Australia captain North made 158, while the teenager Pat Cummins had the best figures for the Blues, with 3 for 111.

'We knew we were going to win' – Kirsten

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Gary Kirsten has called the tough quarter-final against Australia was a tipping point in self-belief in the Indian camp, and that it led to a “sense of destiny” about winning the World Cup

Nagraj Gollapudi04-Apr-2011Gary Kirsten has called the tough quarter-final against Australia a tipping point in self-belief in the Indian camp, and that it led to a “sense of destiny” about winning the World Cup. Though no host country had won the World Cup before, Kirsten said he thought there was “never any doubt” about India becoming champions as the knockout stage progressed.”I felt we were going to do this thing. And to the point the day before the final we knew were going to win,” he told ESPNcricinfo on Monday (full interview here). “We actually even spoke about it. That we were going to win this thing. It [the issue] is how we prepare to deal with the success because we are going to win. There was never any doubt at that stage.”Kirsten said he was thrilled with the resilience of the Indian team, which managed to win though their opponents were generally viewed to have the edge at the halfway stage of each of the knockout matches. “The one thing what really worked for us in the tournament was that we got ourselves into tough situations in virtually every game,” he said. “Even the games against Ireland and the Netherlands were tough. But I believe that really helped us. We were battle-hardened. We had no easy build-up.”For me the key moment was the Australian game where we chased down 260, which was a tough ask. And from that moment I just got a real sense that within our unit that now we can actually believe that we can win this (World Cup) because we can confront any situation.”We just believe that we can do anything. It stems from Harbhajan Singh scoring hundreds. It stems from Ishant Sharma batting with [VVS] Laxman to save a game. It stems from Gautam Gambhir batting out a day against South Africa in really tough conditions at Newlands. And then all the one-day efforts from difficult situations.”One man who rescued the team from tight situations in several matches was Yuvraj Singh, who had lost his place in the one-day side last year after struggling with form and fitness, but transformed into a match-winning allrounder in the World Cup.”Yuvi had a turnaround I would say about six months ago when he got left out of the side in Sri Lanka. From that moment he did a lot of work with Paddy [Upton, the mental conditioning coach]. He made some personal decisions about what he was going to do in preparation for the World Cup: one of them was his fielding, one of them was his fitness.”He had been through a tough six months, and to end up being the player of the World Cup that is as good a turnaround I have seen in world sport. He just personified the desire and the pride that these individuals have in playing for the country.”Among the people who inspired Yuvraj and the rest of the Indian team in the build-up to the tournament was Mike Horn, a high-altitude climber and Arctic explorer, who returned to help the team in the knockout phase as well. Among Horn’s extreme adventure feats are climbing a 8000-metre peak without oxygen, navigating 7000km of the Amazon river besides traversing the Arctic circle without the help of motorised transport.”The guys were really impressed with Horn’s first session, which was during the Kolkata Test against South Africa last year,” Kirsten said. “So we got him again during the pre-tournament stage. And again he went down remarkably well with the players, really connected with them, players love him, gave a couple of chat sessions, got involved in the practices.”We wanted him (again) from the quarters but he said he couldn’t make it but he came for the semis. The players were unaware when he entered the room in Mohali. He gave three very really inspirational talks leading into the final. He really just shares his personal experiences about his life and his adventures. He was the X-factor. He was that little bit of extra kick we needed.”Horn may have provided the extra kick, but it was Kirsten’s low-profile coaching technique that constructed the base for the team to succeed. Everyone from Sachin Tendulkar to Virender Sehwag have repeatedly spoken of how Kirsten has helped them with their game, and the respect with which the players hold Kirsten was demonstrated when they chaired him around the ground during the victory celebrations at the Wankhede Stadium.Despite the high esteem in which he is held within the Indian establishment, and the many successes during his three years in charge, Kirsten ruled out continuing to coach the national team and said he hadn’t been approached by the BCCI to change his mind. The time away from his young family in South Africa was one of the factors in his decision, and he was yet to decide on what his next job would be.”There is a lot on the table, you know. South Africa have approached me, and a couple of IPL teams have approached me,” he said. One of them is the Mumbai Indians, and the other is a team that he has “forgotten” but for now it seems the only way in which he may remain connected to Indian cricket will be through the IPL.

Warne v Gilchrist in Mohali

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

ESPNcricinfo previews the IPL game between Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals in Mohali

The Preview by Sidharth Monga20-Apr-2011

Match facts

Thursday, April 21, Mohali
Start time 2000 (1430 GMT)Colours have changed, teams have changed, but life’s still good•Getty Images

Big picture

Adam Gilchrist contributed to 59 of Shane Warne’s Test wickets either through catches or stumpings, one more than Ian Healy did. And then there were the endless plans that the two would have worked out together. On Thursday, they will be using their cricket expertise and their knowledge of each other’s games to try and beat the other guy’s team. More than other captains, perhaps, Gilchrist and Warne have left deeper imprints on teams they have led in the IPL. They have won the thing once each too.

This year, Gilchrist seeks to leave his imprint on a new side, the Kings XI Punjab, while Rajasthan Royals have loyally retained Warne. They have had contrasting starts to their campaign. Rajasthan began with two wins before running into two defeats at the hands of Kolkata Knight Riders. Punjab lost their first game, didn’t bowl exceptionally in their second, but then Paul Valthaty changed it all, winning them that game and the next. While Punjab will look to carry on that momentum, Rajasthan will look to arrest the slide.

Team talk

The last time Rajasthan played, they missed the injured Rahul Dravid and Johan Botha. While Dravid should walk into the XI if he is fit, it will be interesting to see if Rajasthan drop Shaun Tait for Botha. On current form, and considering the all-round skills of Botha, they should. Amit Paunikar hasn’t got going as an opener, and his place could also come under scrutiny.
In their last game, Punjab brought in an extra seamer in Vikramjeet Singh Malik. It will be interesting to see if they persist with that winning combination in Mohali.

In the spotlight

At the moment, Paul Valthaty seems to be incapable of committing a mistake. In the last two games, he has scored a century and a fifty, and has also taken four wickets with his split-finger slower balls. If he keeps going in this vein, he is likely to stay on the winning side.
Shane Watson was one of the cornerstones of the success that Rajasthan Royals tasted in their first season. This time, though, he has got off to a slow start, scoring only 33 in two games. Rajasthan will look for some of what he did in Bangladesh immediately before coming to the IPL.

Prime numbers

  • Valthaty needs 36 runs to take back the orange cap from Sachin Tendulkar.
  • Rajasthan’s leadin run-getter, Johan Botha with 118, is only the 15th best in the overall list. That represents some of Rajasthan’s problems.

The chatter

“He is known to spring surprises on the opposition. So we have to be ready for the challenges thrown at us.”

Side strain rules Anderson out of rest of Test

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

On a frustrating day in the field England were given cause for concern over James Anderson who needed treatment for back and side stiffness

Andrew Miller at Cardiff27-May-2011James Anderson will not bowl for the rest of the first Test in Cardiff, after scans revealed he had sustained a Grade 1 side strain, having left the field for treatment during the second day’s play against Sri Lanka.Anderson was the pick of England’s pace attack on Friday and produced a superb spell of swing bowling during the morning session to remove Mahela Jayawardene, but spent time off the field during the afternoon and was only able to bowl one over after tea before heading back to the dressing room.”It’s a huge concern for us,” said his new-ball partner Stuart Broad, who was himself ruled out of the latter stages of the Ashes after sustaining a side injury during the Adelaide Test in December. “He felt a bit of tightness in the back and side, and I know what side injuries are all about after this winter. If you do get a little bit of pain it’s not great, so we’re being pretty cautious.”Anderson came into this match having completed 71 overs for Lancashire in the build-up to the first Test following a winter where he was the stand-out bowler during the Ashes and claimed 24 wickets.Although Anderson was dropped during England’s World Cup campaign, and missed part of the one-day series in Australia to return to the UK, he was the only one of England’s quicks not to pick up an injury throughout the winter. However, he did suffer a serious stress fracture of his back in 2006 which forced him to miss all but the final match of the home season.There was encouragement for England when Anderson emerged from the pavilion as nightwatchman after Andrew Strauss’s dismissal in the final over of the day’s play. However, Broad explained that the requirements for batting and bowling are entirely different when it comes to side strains, and that his fitness should not be taken for granted as a result.”With my side injury I could do anything but bowl, so it’s one of those frustrating ones as a bowler,” he said. “Hopefully it will just be a bit of tightness and [the scan] won’t show a huge amount, but Jimmy’s not feeling pain when batting, so hopefully can have one of those frustrating hours for us tomorrow where he wears a few, but gets some away.”Anderson’s injury compounded a difficult day in the field for England, as Sri Lanka’s wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene belied a career average in the low 30s to produce a doughty third Test century. Nevertheless, having experienced the placid nature of the Cardiff wicket against Australia two years ago, Broad was confident that a first-innings total of 400 was not insurmountable.”We got 420-odd against Australia in 2009 and we were under the pump for last 120 overs,” he recalled, after Australia had posted a post-war Ashes record of 674 for 6 declared. “That has got to be the mindset, to do what Australia did to us – bat big, bat once, and then hopefully Swanny will be in the game on last day.”But that doesn’t come about by focussing too much on that game,” he added. “Tomorrow is going to be the key day in the game. The ball moved about a bit in the morning, and they could easily have nicked a few more than they did, so it’s important we get through that session tomorrow morning and build big partnerships. Having watched the guys in Australia we can do that.”On a personal note, Broad reached a notable milestone in the evening session when he had Thisara Perera caught at mid-on to bring up his 100th wicket in Test cricket. At the age of 24 years and 337 days, he was the second-youngest Englishman to do so after Ian Botham, although the moment had been a long time coming. He had been limited to just two scalps in Australia before injury curtailed his Ashes campaign, and then had to wait a further 105 overs in Cardiff before finally breaking through.”I felt in really good rhythm,” he said. “The rub of the green didn’t go my way with a few decisions and nicks, but that happens in Test cricket from time to time, and our percentage of runs to third man was pretty frightening to be honest, so that’s something we might look at for the rest of the series.”It was hard work out there. We bowled pretty well and stayed together. It would have been quite easy to get quite ragged this afternoon but I thought we actually bowled pretty well, and created chances. We’re still in a decent position in this Test.”

Petersen puts Surrey to the sword

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Alviro Petersen was the toast of Wales after an unbeaten 178 off 289 balls helped Glamorgan to a mammoth 352 for 4 on the opening day of their County Championship clash with Surrey at the Oval

24-May-2011
ScorecardAlviro Petersen was the toast of Wales after an unbeaten 178 off 289 balls helped Glamorgan to a mammoth 352 for 4 on the opening day of their County Championship clash with Surrey at the Oval.The Glamorgan skipper’s first hundred for the visitors was complemented by Michael Powell’s 99 from 178 deliveries in a 225-run third-wicket stand in 57 overs, a new Glamorgan record against Surrey.After winning the toss and electing to bat on a well-grassed pitch the visitors raced to fifty inside 11 overs and at lunch had reached 111 for 2. The Welshmen were fortunate to see off the new ball for the loss of just one wicket – that of Gareth Rees, who was trapped on the crease by Jade Dernbach in the fifth over.In the first hour, limited foot movement coupled with a policy of presenting the bat to anything remotely loose also prompted a number of appeals for catches behind the wicket – and even one at second slip – but umpire Steve O’Shaugnessy’s hands remained firmly behind his back.At one stage Will Bragg cut Dernbach over backward point for six and the opening session would have belonged exclusively to the visitors had Bragg not fallen to Zander de Bruyn shortly before lunch. Despite needing treatment to his back, Petersen was still there at the break, on 48. The Glamorgan captain duly moved to his fifty, off 84 balls, in the fourth over after lunch.Petersen nearly perished on 67 when Chris Jordan, running in from deep fine leg, could only get a hand to a top-edged hook off Dernbach. But for much of Petersen and Powell’s third-wicket alliance, the ball scarcely beat the outside edge.Gareth Batty’s first over brought a sweep from Petersen that sailed over the square leg boundary for six, though not before the South African had driven Tim Linley majestically straight down the ground for four.In the 55th over, Petersen went to three figures, from 163 deliveries, when a single to long-on off Batty had four overthrows added to it. His century featured 10 fours, a six, that five and a bizarre seven when a push for three to long-on was returned wildly to the third man boundary by Dernbach.Powell took an immediate liking to Chris Schofield, pulling his first ball for four and repeating the dose from his fifth and again from the first delivery of Schofield’s next over, taking Powell to a 102-ball half-century just before tea.In the 78th over, Petersen cover drove Batty to bring up his 150, in 227 deliveries, and take his side past the 300-mark. Five overs later, Powell was within touching distance of a hundred when a bottom edge trickled agonisingly onto his stumps. Shortly before the close Ben Wright was caught at second slip for a 23-ball duck, giving Dernbach a second scalp to celebrate on the day he was awarded his Surrey cap.

Taylor shines against Sri Lanka A

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

James Taylor hit an unbeaten 161 to provide nearly half Leicestershire’s total on the opening day of Sri Lanka A’s tour

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Jul-2011Leicestershire 332 for 8 v Sri Lanka A
ScorecardJames Taylor hit an unbeaten 161 to provide nearly half of Leicestershire’s total on the opening day of Sri Lanka A’s tour. The county side reached 332 for 8 as Kosala Kulasekara took 4 for 64 for the visitors at Grace Road.Taylor hit 17 fours and two sixes in his first first-class hundred of the season after averaging a slightly disappointing 34.50 in the first half of Leicestershire’s County Championship campaign. He added 109 with Matthew Boyce (43) after the hosts had been 33 for 2.While unable to remove Taylor, Sri Lanka chipped away at the other end. Kulasekara removed Josh Cobb and Wayne White to leave Leicestershire 182 for 5 before Tom New joined Taylor to add 86 for the sixth wicket.Again Sri Lanka struck back to keep themselves in the contest as legspinner Seekkuge Prasanna claimed two wickets but couldn’t wrap up the innings. Nathan Buck survived the final 50 minutes alongside Taylor who will hope the final two wickets can see him to a double hundred.