All posts by h716a5.icu

Bangladesh bowling coach Heath Streak said it was unlikely that his team would opt for three seamers for the first Test against India

Mohammad Isam in Fatullah07-Jun-2015The return of Rubel Hossain from injury, and the consistency of Mohammad Shahid have been welcomed by Bangladesh’s bowling coach Heath Streak ahead of the upcoming Test against India in Fatullah. However, Streak said it was unlikely that Bangladesh would opt for three seamers at a venue where pace-bowling has largely been ineffective.”We are unlikely to go with a three-seam attack in this wicket,” Streak told ESPNcricinfo. “We are probably looking at two but it is up to the coach and selectors, once they have a better look at the wicket as we get closer to the game.”Obviously it is nice to have Rubel back in the equation. Normally wickets here are quite tough for the fast bowlers so it requires a lot of patience. I thought Shahid bowled really well in the Pakistan series and showed what he can do. Rubel has been in good form prior to his injury.”Shahid for us is that dependability. He is the guy you rely on to bowl lots of overs like we saw in the Pakistan Test. He comes in, the captain sets a field and he bowls well to it. He asks the questions. He is not an easy guy for batsmen to get on top of. Hopefully he can be that anchor role for us, with the volume of overs with one or two of the spinners and let the other seamer have an attacking option.”Currently, Rubel has a Test bowling average of 75.90 – the worst among bowlers who have bowled a minimum of 3000 deliveries – and takes a wicket roughly every 116 balls. But his form in ODIs, since his four-wicket haul against England in the World Cup, has helped him keep his place in the Test side.Shahid showed that he can be relied on to take the workload in Tests. He bowled 60 overs in his first two Tests, which included 41 in the second Test in Dhaka after Shahadat Hossain got injured in the first over of the match.While Rubel has never played a first-class match in Fatullah, Shahid has taken six wickets in two matches. Bangladesh’s other seam option, Abul Hasan, has played one match at this venue taking three wickets.Whether Bangladesh’s pace bowling is in the shape of a Shahid-Rubel alliance or a single-man unit, they would have to defy conditions, history and current form to be effective against India.

Australia are hopeful a well-grassed Adelaide Oval pitch will provide enough assistance for the hosts’ fast bowlers to dismantle Pakistan and thus prevent their own strong pace battery from doing likewise in the third World Cup quarter-final

Daniel Brettig in Adelaide19-Mar-2015Australia are hopeful a well-grassed Adelaide Oval pitch will provide enough assistance for the hosts’ fast bowlers to dismantle Pakistan and thus prevent their own strong pace battery from doing likewise in the third World Cup quarter-final.The captain Michael Clarke and the national selector Rod Marsh were seen in lengthy consultation with the oval groundsman Damian Hough on match eve, Clarke having already expressed his hope that no more grass would be shaved from the surface ahead of Friday’s contest. Ground staff also watered the pitches either side of the match strip, reducing the chances of reverse-swing emanating from the abrasive parts of the square.With the possible exception of New Zealand and South Africa, the match will be a meeting of the World Cup’s two strongest fast-bowling units. Australia will choose one of Pat Cummins or Josh Hazlewood to support Mitchell Starc and Mitchell Johnson, while Pakistan have the tournament’s fast bowler in Wahab Riaz, backed up by Sohail Khan, Rahat Ali and Ehsan Adil. Batsmen on both sides may be in for some hopping around.”Pakistan have some really good quicks in their attack and they’ve shown that throughout this series,” Clarke said. “I think the pitch has certainly got quicker over the years. I think fast bowling will play a big part tomorrow. Especially if they leave that grass on the wicket like there is now, fingers crossed. But I think both teams have good fast bowlers in their line-ups. So the batters, we’re going to have to make sure we play really well.”Two good attacks on a wicket that looks like it’s got a bit of grass on it. It’s going to be tough for the batters but Australia in general. If you do get in as a batsman it’s a wonderful place to bat, it’s just starting your innings is always difficult. I don’t care if it’s 71 plays 70 to be honest, as long as we get the 71, or it’s 350 plays 349, the numbers are irrelevant for me.”Pakistan’s captain Misbah-ul-Haq has preached aggression ever since his side’s surprise success against South Africa in Auckland, and he said this would be particularly important against Australia. As England might also be able to attest, it is impossible to just muddle through and play reactively against the team led by Clarke and the coach Darren Lehmann – they must be attacked.”Australia always plays aggressive cricket, and if you want to really be up there against them, you also need a good, aggressive cricket, good, positive cricket, and that is the key,” Misbah said. “If two teams are playing aggressive cricket, you still have a chance. It’s not like that you go with the defensive approach against Australia and you can just win the game. It’s all about aggression. It’s all about attacking cricket, and that’s, I think, what we are looking forward to.”Clarke shuffled Australia’s batting order in their final group game against Scotland to allow himself and several other players some additional time in the middle. For this match it is expected to be back to the configuration glimpsed against Sri Lanka at the SCG, with David Warner and Aaron Finch followed by Steven Smith and Clarke before Glenn Maxwell and Shane Watson are used at Nos. 5 or 6 depending on the match scenario.”Finchy and Davey will go back to opening, and then we’ll assess,” Clarke said. “I think against Sri Lanka … Maxi came in at 5, but he was down to bat at 6. It was just the situation of the game that we changed the order. I think our order is pretty flexible, so, like I said, apart from the top two that will open the batting and have done so really throughout the whole tournament apart from one game to try to give a few people a hit, the rest is very flexible.”We’ll work out the situation of the game, batting first, batting second and assess. And I think that’s one of our great strengths that we’ve got a number of guys that have batted in different positions through their career and have enjoyed some success in different positions as well. So it’s a good problem to have.”Less pleasing for Australia is the thought of elimination from their home World Cup at the earliest knockout stage. To lose to Pakistan in Adelaide would be more or less the equivalent result to 1992, when they missed the semi-finals due largely to a defeat at the hands of Imran Khan’s men in Perth. Clarke put himself through an extended fielding and catching session after his chat with Marsh, having earlier acknowledged the gravity of the occasion.”We have to treat this like a World Cup final now,” he said. “It’s a crucial game – you lose and you are sitting and watching the rest of the tournament, so we’re just focused on having success tomorrow.”

Fans of rival clubs believe that the Red Devils have benefited from preferential treatment this season, so Goal has reviewed all 19 of their penalties

Not since the days of Sir Alex Ferguson have we heard so much talk about Manchester United getting preferential treatment off referees.

Social media has been running wild with talk of 'VARchester United' and 'Man Utd Penalty Bingo' because of how many spot-kicks Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side have been awarded this season.

However, even Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has voiced his concern over the number of decisions that seem to be going United's way.

But are United really receiving help from the officials?

Below, we review all 19 penalties awarded to the Red Devils this season to see whether there's anything to these conspiracy theories…

Getty1FA Cup: Man Utd 1-3 Chelsea

Callum Hudson-Odoi blatantly tripped Martial as United tried in vain to get themselves back into the semi-final showdown at Wembley.  Fernandes fired home but it was little more than a consolation goal for United as their hopes of FA Cup glory went up in smoke.

Verdict: PENALTY!

AdvertisementGetty2Premier League MD34: Aston Villa 0-3 Man Utd

The most controversial decision of the season? It was certainly a historic one, as United equalled the record for most penalties received in a single Premier League season (13). Jon Moss pointed to the spot after Fernandes had been upended by Ezri Konsa in the area. However, on closer inspection, it emerged that the attacking midfielder had actually initiated the contact. However, VAR inexplicably agreed with Moss, clearing the way for Fernandes to open the scoring. Villa boss Dean Smith called it a "disgraceful" decision and his fury was understandable.

Verdict: NO PENALTY!

Getty Images3Premier League MD33: Man Utd 5-2 Bournemouth

The game at Old Trafford was tied at one goal apiece when Mike Dean pointed to the spot in the 35th minute, after noticing an Adam Smith handball. Rashford took care of the rest as United went on to record an impressive victory.

Verdict: PENALTY!

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty4Premier League MD30: Tottenham 1-1 Man Utd

Eric Dier was bamboozled by Paul Pogba's neat footwork and bundled the Frenchman over in the box. Fernandes scored from the spot to salvage a point for United.

Verdict: PENALTY!

N.B. Jon Moss awarded United a penalty in the dying minutes for another perceived foul on Pogba by Dier but the referee was correctly overruled by VAR.

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami’s “old” squad will be “lucky to win one trophy” in 2024, says Taylor Twellman, with a quadruple bid being ruled out.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Veteran superstars at DRV PNK StadiumFour trophies to chase down in 2024Questions asked of durability in FloridaWHAT HAPPENED?

The Herons have acquired a number of former Barcelona stars, with Messi being joined in Florida by Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez. They boast vast experience and countless trophy triumphs between them, but are all into their mid-30s.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

That could work against Inter Miami as they prepare for a gruelling MLS campaign that will also deliver shots at a second Leagues Cup crown, CONCACAF Champions Cup glory and a U.S. Open Cup triumph. Those at DRV PNK Stadium have been talking up a clean sweep of major honours.

WHAT TWELLMAN SAID ABOUT INTER MIAMI

Twellman is not convinced that things will play out as planned, with the former USMNT star telling : “I can’t believe everyone and their mother has them as title contenders for four trophies. I don’t see it. I look at MLS history and the way the league is built on parity and I get it – Alba, Busquets, Suarez and Messi, but those are older players without a ton of tread left on those tyres. From what I’ve seen of Suarez, he has been offside 21 times in his first four games for Inter Miami. There is not continuity in the final third. A lot of people are saying ‘they're going to set a record, they’re going to win the Supporters’ Shield’. Let’s see, I think they are up against it.

“I think [Facundo] Farias ACL injury has made things real difficult. [Benjamin] Cremaschi has got a sport’s hernia that he’s going to have to deal with. The rumours that they are going to bring in [Federico] Redondo, if they do then they have to get rid of two players – is that [Robert] Taylor, is it [Serhiy] Kryvtsov, is it [DeAndre] Yedlin? Because of the salary cap and the way that they are trying to build this roster, you are relying on four old players and the X-factor being the 37-year-old Luis Suarez – who from all accounts can’t train four days in a row without having his knee balloon up. He had 43 goal contributions in Brazil. I don’t think the Brazilian Serie league is really good in defending. He’s going to come to this league and he’s going to come into this climate, with the time zones and the travel. I think they are up against it. I think they are lucky if they win one trophy.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesDID YOU KNOW?

Twellman went on to say, with there enough quality at Inter Miami's disposal to suggest that they will be competitive if key men can stay fit: “In saying that, when Messi says he wants to come, when Suarez says he wants to come, when Busquets wants to come – these are generational type players that con still contribute on some level. I just think the bigger debate is that you put four in one team, does it really work?”

Phil Parkinson is not concerned about Wrexham's away form and says his side couldn't have done much more on their recent travels.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Wrexham struggling to pick up winsParkinson not worried by away resultsFace Accrington Stanley at home nextGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Paul Mullin's stoppage-time penalty rescued theWelsh side a 1-1 draw against relegation-threatened Forest Green Roverson Tuesday night, meaning they have won just two of their last eight League Two matches. And despite having the 10th-best away form in the division, manager Parkinson says the overall points total is more important than home and away results.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT PHIL PARKINSON SAID

He said, via Welsh publication The Leader: "What will determine the top-three finish hopefully will be the points total whether they are home or away. We drew at Forest Green, lost at Gillingham, were outstanding when we drew at MK Dons and we beat Sutton so we have lost one out of the last four If you look at the last four away games, we can't do much more. We have freshened the team up, we have had a plan B from the bench if we needed it. We are trying everything but for the dominance we have had, and you go back to six weeks ago when we didn't get any control in the away games, these last four away games have been different. We have controlled the games a lot better and the moments will come if we keep playing in that manner."

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Wrexham had the chance to go back into the automatic promotion spots in midweek but Crewe Alexandra currently occupy third spot. The Red Dragons are just three points behind league leaders Mansfield Town and they have the best home form in the division. But if they want to finish in the top three, they cannot afford to drop so many points in the remainder of the season.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

WHAT NEXT?

Next up for fourth-placed Wrexham is a home clash against 15th-positioned Accrington Stanley on Saturday at the Racecourse. The 'Owd Reds won the reverse fixture 2-0 back in November so the Welsh outfit will want to exact revenge this time out.

The preview of the match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Daredevils in Hyderabad

The Preview by Devashish Fuloria03-May-2013Match factsSaturday, May 4, 2013
Start time 2000 (1630 GMT)Nearly there? Morne Morkel is yet to do a reprise of last year’s form•BCCIBig PictureSunrisers Hyderabad are among the four teams who are closer to achieving the magic number of nine wins – Chennai Super Kings having already touched the marker – to qualify for the playoffs, assuming there are no major upheavals. They need at least three more wins out of their remaining six matches, four of which are to be played in Hyderabad, their fortress. They take on a resurgent Delhi Daredevils side, the captain of which had his smile restored after consecutive wins in Raipur.Daredevils’ campaign is under life-support – they need six wins in six matches – but every extra breath they draw will be at the expense of others, a fact Sunrisers need to be wary of. Daredevils have a strong pool of impact players; the same group took them to No. 1 in the points table last year. David Warner has been the best of them all this year – with four half-centuries – and has been pushed down from his usual top-three batting spot to lend some stability to a fragile middle order. Their bowling is pace-heavy, but slightly more dependable than their batting. Now if only Virender Sehwag and Mahela Jayawardene – the only other two batsmen to have scored half-centuries for Daredevils this season – can raise their games against arguably the most well-rounded bowling attack, Daredevils can continue to smile.The pitch in Hyderabad is on the slower side and offered generous turn to the spinners in the last match. It also helps the faster bowlers because the batsmen find it difficult to hit through the line. The pace-bowling spearheads of both teams have a similar make-up – Dale Steyn and Ishant Sharma against Morne Morkel and Umesh Yadav – but there is a wide gulf otherwise. Amit Mishra, Karan Sharma and Thisara Perera have tasted success this season. If Shahbaz Nadeem, Irfan Pathan and Ashish Nehra are able to adjust to the conditions, another tight contest can be expected.Form guideSunrisers Hyderabad WLLWW
Delhi Daredevils WWLWLWatch out for…73*, 0, 63*, 187, 63, 0, 110, are Shikhar Dhawan’s most recent scores. Dhawan also accumulated 969 runs in the last two editions of the IPL without getting noticed. That one innings against Australia, however, has propelled him to the spotlight and he is reveling in it. His shots are the same, but they now create a flutter, his name crops up frequently in post-match presentations and his Poirot-esque moustache adds weight to his on-field persona. That swagger has translated into two unbeaten half-centuries in three innings this IPL, taking his tally to 15 half-centuries in the tournament – 10 more than Yuvraj Singh.Umesh Yadav and Morne Morkel are Daredevils’ antidote to Steyn and Ishant. They hunted as a pair last season, picking up 19 and 25 wickets respectively. This year, Yadav is the top wicket-taker for Daredevils, but Morkel hasn’t had the same impact – he has six wickets against Yadav’s 13. Morkel has leaked runs too; his economy rate is 8.41 this year while it was 7.19 last year. If he can find his form – the signs of which he showed in his last match – Sunrisers could get a taste of their own medicine.Stats and trivia Both teams have bowled 195 overs in the tournament. But whereas Daredevils have conceded 1506 runs, Sunrisers have only given away 1356 runs. Karan Sharma’s economy rate this season is 5.71, the lowest for any bowler who has bowled a minimum of 10 overs. Quotes”Now we are playing winning and entertaining cricket. You never know what can happen with that – we can even sneak into the playoffs through the back door.”

Sussex needed little more than an hour to wrap up victory in the County Championship over Nottinghamshire by an innings and five runs

15-Sep-2011
Scorecard
Sussex needed little more than an hour to wrap up victory in the County Championship over Nottinghamshire by an innings and five runs as the home side collapsed for the second time in the match.Resuming on 103 for 4 and needing 74 runs at the start of the day to force Sussex to bat again, Nottinghamshire lost their last six wickets for 54 runs in 11.3 overs. Seamer Naved Arif picked up a Championship-best four for 41 and despite some lusty blows from tail-ender Luke Fletcher, who hit three sixes and three fours before he was last out for 39, the game was finished by 11.40.The result meant the two sides switched positions in the Division One table, with Sussex finishing in fifth on 182 points, nine ahead of Nottinghamshire. With a pleasant morning’s sunshine and not a breath of wind, the two teams could not have wished for better conditions for the final day of the season.But the Nottinghamshire’s batsmen were already thinking ahead to their holidays with a succession of feeble shots. Steven Mullaney’s nightmare season came to a close when two bouncers from James Anyon proved too much for the right-hander, who hooked straight to deep square leg for 24.Skipper Chris Read was the first of Arif’s four victims, losing his off-stump after failing to go forward. None of the tail-enders looked likely to keep out Arif’s in-swinging deliveries and it was no surprise to see Graeme White comprehensively cleaned up, with Andre Adams edging to first slip two balls later.Fletcher brought out the long handle to clobber three sixes in six balls, but saw Paul Franks sky Arif to point before he holed out to long-off in the next over from Amjad Khan.

Ousmane Dembele and Vitinha both scored brilliant goals for Paris Saint-Germain in an eventual 5-2 win over Monaco on Friday.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Dembele controlled brilliantly and finishedVitinha bent a stunning effort into the top cornerPSG comfortable against Ligue 1 rivalsWHAT HAPPENED?

PSG recorded a comfortable win over Monaco on Friday, running out 4-2 winners. Goncalo Ramos scored the opening goal, before an equaliser from Takumi Minamino. Kylian Mbappe then put PSG ahead from the penalty spot.

Ousmane Dembele then scored a brilliant third goal, controlling the ball on the run before slamming it home, and Vitinha followed that up with a stunning effort from the edge of the box. Folarin Balogun responded to make the score 4-2, before Randal Kolo Muani added a fifth in the 96th minute.

AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPTHE BIGGER PICTURE

PSG have been in fine form this season and their win over Monaco has now moved them four points clear of second-placed Nice. Monaco remain third, and are now six points back.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyWHAT NEXT?

PSG face Newcastle in a huge Champions League clash this week, and their massive win on Friday will be a major confidence boost. They will play Le Havre in Ligue 1 next weekend.

A round-up of the seventh round of Ranji Trophy’s Group A matches on December 18, 2012

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Dec-2012
ScorecardDevendra Bundela, the Madhya Pradesh captain, hit a century in each innings to bring Punjab’s unbeaten run this season to an end in Gwalior. It was an unbelievable run. Four outright wins, including two by an innings, in six games, and first-innings leads in the remaining two. MP were 8 for 2 this morning in their chase of 190, before the allrounder Jalaj Saxena and Bundela took over. Saxena was unbeaten on 72 to go with his 84 in the first innings, and Bundela added an unbeaten 100 to his 108 as MP scored at a run-rate comfortably above four an over. There were seven wickets for the MP fast bowler Anand Rajan, and five each for Gaurav Yadav and Amarjeet Singh, as Punjab were dismissed for 364 in their second innings. MP now have 20 points and are second in Group A behind Punjab.
Scorecard
Railways won their first game of the season, thrashing the defending champions Rajasthan by an innings in Bhubaneshwar. Rajasthan began the morning on 153 for 2 in their follow-on innings, still trailing Railways by 117. The legspinning allrounder Karan Sharma ran through the line-up, taking a career-best 8 for 97 as Rajasthan could not even make Railways bat again. There were fifties for Robin Bist and Ashok Menaria but no resistance from the batsmen after them. Rajasthan remained bottom of Group A with five points from six games while Railways now have 14 from six and are in fifth position.
Scorecard
Mumbai took three points with a 306-run first-innings lead over Saurashtra in Rajkot. Aarpit Vasavada, who completed his maiden first-class hundred, finally ran out of partners, with Dhawal Kulkarni picking up four wickets. With Saurashtra batting for 131.5 overs, and the next round starting after three days, Mumbai chose not to enforce the follow-on. Wasim Jaffer and Rohit Sharma reeled off half-centuries in the inconsequential second innings, but Ajinkya Rahane had his second failure of the match when he was caught behind off Siddarth Trivedi for 6. Saurashtra are third in the group while Mumbai are sixth.

ESPNcricinfo previews the first West Indies-Australia ODI, in Kingstown

The Preview by Daniel Brettig16-Mar-2012Match factsMarch 16
Start time 0930 (1330 GMT)Dwayne Bravo is back into the West Indies fold•Associated PressBig PictureThe last time West Indies beat Australia in an ODI, at the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy, Adam Gilchrist, Damien Martyn, Ricky Ponting, Andrew Symonds, Nathan Bracken and Glenn McGrath were among the names on Australia’s team sheet. West Indies had almost as many players no longer in contention for spots, and it is poignant to note that the top scorer in Mumbai that day was Runako Morton, who was killed last week in a car accident in Trinidad. Since that time both sides have gone through an enormous amount of changes, though one thing has remained consistent – Australia have dominated West Indies, winning 13 of 14 matches, with one no-result, since.So it is no surprise that most are expecting an improving Australia to enjoy themselves against Darren Sammy’s hosts, and the visitors’ coaches and selectors have expressed the view that their team should “win well” in the Caribbean. But Sammy and his players have been building recently, developing a team of more united intentions and greater work ethic than some of whom represented the region in the past. Sammy has shown himself to be a capable leader, while in Darren Bravo the team has perhaps the most compelling young batting talent in the world. Ravi Rampaul’s bustling seam and swing will be missed. The hosts also have the advantage of slow, teasing conditions that Australia must adapt to, and Arnos Vale should provide a solid example of the surfaces expected throughout the tour.Following on from a richly successful home summer, Australia’s squad is a little thin for the moment, as injury has ruled out Ben Hilfenhaus and James Pattinson while Brad Haddin has caused contingency plans to be swung into action by withdrawing from the tour due to personal reasons. All these factors will present challenges for the acting captain Shane Watson, as he guides the team abroad for the first time.Form guideWest Indies LLWLL (Most recent first)
Australia WLWLWIn the spotlightDwayne Bravo is returning to the West Indies side for the first time since mid-2011, when he withdrew from the team in order to regain his focus. He has been handed the vice-captaincy, and is keen to make an impact as one of the few members of the team to have meaningful experience against Australia. “We have a very young team and, as one of the senior players, I have to step in and make my presence felt,” Bravo said this week. “The fire is still blazing in me. I will be bringing the same level of enthusiasm and commitment that I always had. That is the only way I know how to play, by giving my all to the team.”Much has changed for Matthew Wade on match eve. Brad Haddin’s return home to Australia for personal reasons leaves Wade to contemplate the possibility of his elevation to the Test team, while he also knows that for the time being he is the only qualified gloveman on the tour. Having made a highly promising start to his international career, demonstrating a fighting instinct as well as plenty of skill, Wade’s position is growing in responsibility.Team newsJohnson Charles may debut at the top of the order, while the hosts must juggle a surfeit of allrounders with the possibility of a slow, turning surface.West Indies (possible) 1 Kieran Powell, 2 Johnson Charles, 3 Marlon Samuels, 4 Darren Bravo, 5 Dwayne Bravo, 6 Kieron Pollard, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Carlton Baugh (wk), 9 Darren Sammy (capt), 10 Sunil Narine, 11 Kemar Roach.With Ben Hilfenhaus and James Pattinson not yet fit to play and Brad Haddin flying home from the tour, the tourists’ options are limited. George Bailey will debut, while Shane Watson is a chance to return to opening while Matthew Wade drops down the order.Australia 1 David Warner, 2 Shane Watson (capt), 3 Peter Forrest, 4 Michael Hussey, 5 David Hussey, 6 George Bailey, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 Daniel Christian, 9 Brett Lee, 10 Clint McKay, 11 Xavier Doherty.Pitch and conditionsArnos Vale is known for producing a slowish pitch that can take turn, and early inspection of the surface by both sides suggested something similar for the series opener.Stats and trivia West Indies have won two of three encounters against Australia at the Arnos Vale Ground, the first in 1995. But the visitors were victorious the last time the two teams met there, in 2008. West Indies have not beaten Australia in an ODI for 14 matches, last doing so during the ICC Champions Trophy in India in 2006.Quotes”An unknown opposition does present a lot more challenges.They can certainly hit you hard up front and we could be chasing our tails for the rest of the series.”
“We’re playing Australia but we’re not going to play names, we’re just going to go out there and play good positive cricket and hopefully we could come out on top. We’ve got to believe we have it.”