Constantly under scrutiny and perceived as a weak link in South Africa’s batting line up, Alviro Petersen made his fourth Test century proving his is a steady face among a fashionable order

Firdose Moonda at Headingley02-Aug-2012How different it would have been if Alviro Petersen’s edge off the third ball of the morning had gone to either third slip or gully and not the space in between them. He would have been out for second successive duck in the series and the gorgeous cover drive he played five overs later would never have made its appearance.How different it would have been if there had been a third slip when Petersen next edged in the 11th over. A catchable chance went to the boundary instead of to hand.And how different it would have been had Alastair Cook held on at second slip two balls later, or had Graeme Swann not been dropped and could have taken his usual position. Then Petersen would have been out for 29 and would likely have been criticised for attacking too early instead of being watchful.But none of those things happened.Instead, Petersen went on to record his fourth Test century in 15 matches and proved, once again, that pressure is his best trigger. That he was under pressure at all can only be gleaned from perception, not fact.Having not announced himself on the tour of England, Petersen was written up as being the weak link. He totalled 42 runs in four innings since the squad’s arrival on July 6, less than any of the other batsmen including Jacques Rudolph and JP Duminy, who did not get the opportunity to bat in the first Test. His duck in that Test throbbed in its neon obviousness that he had failed to cash in against conditions and an attack that others had feasted on.The reality is that Petersen had scored a hundred in the Test before the tour of England and was in no danger of losing his place. He was also not facing the chop when he scored his 156 in Wellington in March, having registered a century three matches before against Sri Lanka in Cape Town in January.Why Petersen always comes under scrutiny could have more to do with the people he bats with than who he is on his own. Four of South Africa’s top five are ranked in top ten Test batsmen by the ICC. Guess who is not?Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers have all scored runs in enough places for their positions not to come into question. They are the spine of South Africa’s line-up and it is easy to forget that for that spine to function properly, it needs all its vertebrae.Over the last few years, many different batsmen have been asked to slot in alongside the bigger names. Neil McKenzie did to acclaim for a while, Boeta Dippenaar never really fused with Smith the way he should have and although Ashwell Prince could do it, he simply did not want to play in that position. Unlike Matthew Hayden, Smith has never found his Justin Langer. The closest he came to that was Herschelle Gibbs and since the maverick opener’s retirement, no-one has really been able to call themselves his replacement.

Petersen has showed that the ocean floor is a lot lower than England thought and South Africa’s depth is multi-layered.

Batting with the ghost of opening batsmen of the past may have placed a subconscious burden on Petersen, especially when he was dropped after nine Tests having not done much wrong. Jacques Rudolph’s prolific form at Yorkshire and then the Titans forced his way back into the international game and the only way to include him in the starting XI at the time was to do away with Petersen. Ironic then, that Petersen has taken a big step to cementing his own position at the same ground which revitalised Rudolph’s career.What Petersen also showed is that the ocean floor is a lot lower than England may have thought and South Africa’s depth is multi-layered. He outbatted Graeme Smith to reach his first fifty in 78 balls. Despite the chances he gave and the number of times he played and missed, Petersen’s confidence did not appear to dip. He dug in and no matter how many times the ball beat his bat, he did not shy away.When England bowled the wrong line on his legs, he took advantage on his favoured on-side. When the short ball came, he pulled, twice to bring up his fifty and again to raise the hundred. In between that, he ground it out, particularly after lunch when England found an extra gear. Run scoring became almost as rare as England wickets, especially as Petersen eked over the 80s and into the 90s but his temperament remained solid.”He paced his innings so well,” AB de Villiers, who was with him when the century came up, said. “I found it really difficult out there for my 40-odd and he supported me. The way he played was inspiring.”If De Villiers found it difficult to face 107 balls, Petersen’s struggle can only have been magnified. He spent 266 balls at the crease in an all-day effort that was about batting ugly to usher the team through, not batting beautifully for personal glory. Convincing shots were not in abundance as he contended with old-fashioned line and length but hard fought ones were. Even right at the end of the day, Petersen did not look entirely control but until the last two wickets fell, he made sure South Africa were.

Elly De La Cruz is having a great season. He has improved in every statistical category from his rookie year, collecting more hits, doubles, triples and home runs than he did in 2023. He has also improved his batting average, on-base and slugging percentages in a larger sample size thanks to more than 200 more plate appearances than he had as a rookie.

Of course, it's his speed that truly sets him apart as one of the most electric athletes in the sport. With a week-and-a-half remaining in the season, he leads baseball with 64 stolen bases. He's just the sixth person to steal more than 60 bases in a season in the last decade.

But that's not what makes this season truly historic.

De La Cruz also leads baseball with 203 strikeouts and counting. With 11 games remaining on the Reds schedule, he has 15 more strikeouts than the next most K'd batter in baseball, Ezequiel Tovar.

It's not the best historical achievement, but when you do something that has never been done in the entirety of a sports existence, it's pretty amazing. Especially when that sport has existed for over a century. And they've been keeping incredibly detailed records of stuff like this since the 1880's.

With the postseason rapidly approaching, it appears the Los Angeles Dodgers will finish the year without one of their best pitchers.

Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow is "highly unlikely" to return in 2024 due to a sprained elbow, manager Dave Roberts told reporters Saturday afternoon via Jack Harris of .

Roberts added that Glasnow would be shut down from throwing "for a while" after a setback.

Glasnow, 31, has not pitched since a seven-inning, two-run, five-hit outing against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Aug. 11. The '24 All-Star—who has struggled with injuries throughout his career—is 9-6 this season with a 3.49 ERA and 168 strikeouts in 134 innings.

Los Angeles acquired Glasnow from the Tampa Bay Rays on Dec. 16, and inked him to a five-year contract extension shortly thereafter.

The Dodgers' pitching staff is currently riddled with injuries; seven of the team's starters are on the injured list in some form or fashion. Despite this, Los Angeles leads the National League West division by 4.5 games over the San Diego Padres.

Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts said all the right things after one of the more bizarre incidents in World Series history took place at Yankee Stadium in Game 4. And really, he didn't say all that much after some overzealous fans manhandled him in equal parts comedic and troubling fashion.

“When it comes to the person and play, it doesn’t matter," Betts told reporters after the Dodgers lost Game 4, "We lost. It’s irrelevant. I’m fine, he’s fine. Everything’s cool. We lost the game, that’s what I’m kind of focused on. We got to turn the page and get ready for tomorrow."

After helping Los Angeles make history by becoming the first team to claw back from a five-run deficit to clinch a World Series crown, Betts was asked by FOX's David Ortiz about the incident and could finally speak freely.

'That was wild, man," Betts said. "That was really wild. I’ve never experienced anything like that. I was telling my wife, that was like the second time in my life I’ve ever wanted to fight someone. I get it, man. I get it. I don’t know if he was trying to get the ball, I don’t know what he was really trying to do but he had to do what he had to do and it is what it is."

Winning is the best because no one can say anything about it and you can finally say how you really feel. Betts wanting to respond in the moment highlights just how ridicuous the situation was. These two fans were—and still are—being treated as fun new celebrities whereas Betts would have had his career altered forever had he grabbed them back. And that's why it was so ridiculous it took so long for adults in the room to come out and say they wouldn't be welcomed back for Game 5.

All is well that ends well, though. Betts is a champion and the interferers get to be on podcasts. A win-win for all involved, except the Yankees.

Cricket Australia has said it is up to the on-field umpires and the match referee to decide upon the future course of action with regard to the incident

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Mar-2018Following an off-field altercation between David Warner and Quinton de Kock on the fourth day in Durban, Cricket Australia has said it is up to the on-field umpires and the match referee to decide upon the future course of action with regard to the incidentCA had said early on Monday morning – the fifth day of the Test – that it would investigate the incident, which was caught on CCTV and first aired by South African outlet . “The incident was discussed between the two team managers and the match referee last night and it is now in the hands of the on field umpires and the match referee,” CA said later on Monday. “Both teams were reminded by the match referee of the spirit in which the game should be played.”The footage shows Warner being moved away from the incident by team-mates, including captain Steven Smith, after walking up the steps during the tea interval on the fourth day.Australia had managed just one wicket between lunch and tea with de Kock and Aiden Markram forging a partnership that would threaten to take South Africa close to their 417-run target before Australia struck back late in the day.In the video, Warner’s anger is directed at de Kock, who is following the Australians up the steps. At the start of the clip, the Australian players first up the stairs are seen peering back over the handrails then Warner emerges around the corner and is already involved in a heated exchange.He is ushered up the steps by Usman Khawaja but does not immediately enter the away dressing room, even though Tim Paine also urges him to move and go inside. Smith then drags his vice-captain away as de Kock squeezes past into his dressing room. There was no indication from the footage what started the incident.South Africa team manager Mohammed Moosajee said: “It’s rather unfortunate that the incident took place and certainly not in the spirit of the game. The match referee has spoken to us after the day’s play. We will await any further communication from the ICC around this incident.”Warner’s behaviour came under the spotlight earlier on the fourth day when he ran out AB de Villiers after a mix-up with Markram with him then yelling in Markram’s direction during the celebration. Warner was not charged for that incident, but Nathan Lyon was, because the bowler had dropped the ball in de Villiers’ vicinity.

The South Africa fast bowler was punished for a level two breach of the ICC’s code of conduct, when he brushed against Australia captain Steven Smith’s shoulder while celebrating a wicket

Firdose Moonda12-Mar-2018Kagiso Rabada will not play any further part in the ongoing series against Australia after he was found guilty of a level 2 code of conduct offence. The incident took place on Friday when the South African fast bowler made physical contact with outgoing batsman Steven Smith.Rabada received three demerit points, taking his total to eight within 24 months. According to the ICC’s rules, that activates a suspension of two Test matches.CSA and Rabada have 48 hours to decide whether to will appeal the decision and are seeking legal counsel to that end. Should they opt to appeal, the ICC then has 48 hours to appoint a judicial commissioner to hear the appeal, which must take place within seven days of the commissioner’s appointment. In total, the whole process can take a maximum of 11 days. But the third Test in 10, which should rule Rabada out, even if he appeals successfully.There is a chance, though, that CSA could present an argument to the judicial commissioner to allow Rabada to play while the appeal is pending. If the commissioner agrees, that could open the door for Rabada to be part of the XI at Newlands.Rabada was found guilty of a Level 2 ICC code of conduct offence for ‘inappropriate and deliberate physical contact with a player,’ and fined 50% of his match fee by match referee Jeff Crowe. The 22-year old had come under the scanner in the 52nd over of the Australian first innings, when he trapped Smith lbw. In celebration, Rabada screamed “yes, yes, yes,” in Smith’s face and then brushed his shoulder as he went through to the slips.Though Rabada maintained he did not feel any contact at the time, Crowe felt otherwise. “I found that there was contact between Rabada and Smith, and in my judgement the contact by Rabada was inappropriate, and deliberate. He had the opportunity to avoid the contact, and I could not see any evidence to support the argument that the contact was accidental,” he said. “It is also disappointing that this has happened the day after the pre-match meeting I had with both teams, where the importance of respect for opponents was highlighted.”The briefing Crowe referred to took place after an incident-filled first Test, after which three players were charged with disciplinary breaches. Nathon Lyon earned a demerit point and was fined 15% of his match fee for a Level 1 offence while David Warner and Quinton de Kock were involved in a stairwell stoush which escalated to unpleasant levels involving personal insults. They were fined 75% and 25% of their match fees respectively with Warner receiving three demerit points and de Kock one.The nature of the de Kock-Warner spat opened a debate about sledging and Crowe took it upon himself to address the captains and team managers about their behaviour on the eve of the Port Elizabeth Test, where he stressed the need for players to avoid bans.”The conversation we had with the match referee after the Durban Test – he was telling us that it’s important for the rest of the series that we don’t just get players out of matches,” Faf du Plessis said at the post-match press conference. “Obviously talking about Davey Warner’s issue, that he still wanted to keep him in the series. Level three would have been suspension straight away. So I just said I would like the same to apply to KG [Rabada].Faf du Plessis and Kagiso Rabada’s love extended into the press conference•Getty Images

“The charge against KG is a level 2 with three demerit points, and the charge against Davey is a level two with three demerit points. For me, if you look at those incidents, one is brushing of the shirt, the other is a lot more aggressive. My question was: why are both these incidents labeled the same? For me they are not. The contact was very minimal, it was a shirt flick of two players and you would get one or two demerit points as a slap on the wrist because it wasn’t full body contact. But that’s where I’m sitting as a player, not as an official.”The difference lies in the players’ track records. Warner had to be physically restrained from de Kock and could have faced a level three charge but it was his first offence under the current demerit points system and so received the lesser sanction. Rabada also only faced a level two charge but was carrying five demerit points into the match. South Africa carried hope that Crowe would not rule Rabada out of the series, but the trend of repeat offences worked against them.”I take no pleasure in seeing a player suspended, particularly a young player of Kagiso’s talent, but he has now breached the ICC Code of Conduct on a number of occasions,” Crowe said.Rabada also admitted guilt in a separate charge – brought against him in the same match – for his send-off of David Warner on Sunday. He had violated clause 2.1.7 of the code of conduct, which relates to “using language, actions or gestures which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batsman upon his or her dismissal” and was a further 15% fine of his match fee. That means he will only take home 35% of the fee for this Test – and an additional demerit point bringing his total to nine. The next threshold for sanctions is 12, which would result in a three-Test ban.Rabada was not the only one in trouble after the second Test. Australia’s Mitchell Marsh accepted a Level 1 charge after violating section 2.1.4 of the code for “using language or gesture that is obscene, offensive or insulting during an international match,” and was fined 20% of his match fee. Marsh was caught on television saying “f*** you, c***” to Rabada after he was dismissed in the first over of the fourth morning.While it may be hoped the dust settles during the break, with three code of conduct violations on each side and the series poised at 1-1, tempers may still flare in the next two matches. Both Smith and du Plessis have endorsed an aggressive, engaging style of play but du Plessis called for consistency in applying sanctions and allowance for personality to come through.”Everyone asks for consistency. One match referee or umpire interprets in another way. For me, if you make it so sensitive, guys will interpret it the wrong way, that’s why I think we’re just going too far on the sensitive side, because every incident on the cameras it’s, ‘Did you see that? Did you see that? Did you see that?'” Du Plessis said. “It’s Test cricket. We as a team have got no issues with the way the Australian team play their brand of cricket. It’s good for the game of Test cricket. People talk about where is the future of Test cricket. This, for me, is an important part of Test cricket – the battles that you face. That is KG running in for 15 overs trying to get someone out and eventually when he gets him out, he has to show that passion. Otherwise you could just put a bowling machine and a robot to bat.”

The visitors survived a late attack from debutant Christiaan Jonker to ensure they went home with both limited-overs trophies

The Report by Firdose Moonda24-Feb-20184:23

South Africa’s lack of depth exposed – Cullinan

India sealed the T20 series against South Africa with a victory in the decider that was almost snatched away from them by a feisty South African lower-order effort.South Africa were asked to pull off the second-highest successful chase at Newlands and then fell so far behind the required run-rate that they needed 59 runs off 21 balls. Then, debutant Christiaan Jonker and old-hand Farhaan Behardien plundered 51 runs in the last three-and-a-half overs but could not get the hosts over the line.South Africa were 114 for 5 in the 17th when Behardien joined Jonker. If Jonker was nervous, he didn’t show it. He took 18 runs off Shardul Thakur’s final over to reconstruct his figures of 3-0-17-1 into 4-0-35-1 and leave South Africa with 35 to win off the final two overs.Together, Behardien and Jonker scored 16 runs off Jasprit Bumrah and needed 19 off the last over and 12 off the last three balls but the mistakes their team-mates had made earlier were too big to rectify.A slow start – South Africa were 25 for 1 after the Powerplay and 52 for 2 after 10 overs – on top of a clumsy fielding effort left South Africa so close, yet so far from the win that would answered some of the questions about their depth and their ability to handle pressure.Shikhar Dhawan was India’s top scorer but only fortuitously so because South Africa, in the form of Tabraiz Shamsi, let him off twice. Dhawan was on 9, and India 54 for 1 in the sixth over, when he cut a Chris Morris ball to short third man, where all Shamsi had to do was accept, but he was unstable as the ball popped out of his hands.Seven overs and 49 runs later, Dhawan, who was on 34, top-edged Aaron Phangiso to Shami at short fine leg. Shamsi ran back but reprieved Dhawan again. Between the two chances, Dhawan found the boundary for the first time, off the 29th ball he faced, delivered by none other than Shamsi.But, Shamsi also saw some success in that period. Suresh Raina, who had announced himself with a six off Junior Dala, tucked into Andile Phehlukwayo’s first two balls and taken boundaries off short balls from Morris and JP Duminy, eventually holed out off Shamsi for a feisty 43. It was not Raina’s dismissal, but Manish Pandey’s that allowed South Africa to pull India back.Pandey hit his one meaty six off Shamsi and then tried to do the same off Dala, who returned in the 14th over and immediately banged in a short ball. Pandey could not control the pull and was caught at long-on. In addition to the wicket, Dala only conceded six runs in that over, none in boundaries, and Phehlukwayo followed up with an eight-run boundary-less over of his own. That was enough to create some pressure and Dhawan was run-out off the first ball of the over that followed.He hoicked a Shamsi delivery to deep midwicket, where Dala was stationed. A single was on, but Dhawan wanted a double and Dala effected a direct hit before Dhawan could complete his return to the striker’s end.At the end of 17 overs, India were 136 for 4, and had only scored 25 runs in the previous four overs. Instead of turning to Phangiso, who had kept things tight, Duminy opted for Morris, who conceded 21 runs in his last two overs, though he did also take two wickets. Still, India would have been satisfied especially with the way their attack started.South Africa were kept quiet early on and in-form Reeza Hendricks was dismissed by a Bhuvneshwar Kumar knuckle ball, a variation India’s seamers sprinkled liberally in their spells. David Miller started to find his touch with Duminy at the other end but before he could hit full flow, gifted a catch to Axar Patel at deep midwicket.The asking rate when Miller was dismissed was almost 12 runs an over, and Duminy had to accelerate. He found his first boundary off the 20th ball he faced, the delivery after Miller had fallen, and hit back-to-back sixes off Axar. He reached his fifty off 38 balls with a gorgeous cover drive but three balls later top-edged a Thakur slower ball to mid-off and South Africa’s hopes all but went with him. However, Jonker and Behardien mounted some fight but India had that little bit more.

With his team’s World Cup dreams all but shattered, a devastated Zimbabwe captain lamented the two missed opportunities to qualify against West Indies and UAE

Liam Brickhill22-Mar-2018

With his team’s World Cup dreams all but shattered, a devastated Zimbabwe captain Graeme Cremer lamented the two missed opportunities to qualify against West Indies and UAE. Zimbabwe needed a win in either match to be sure of their place.”It’s very painful,” Cremer said. “We had two bites at getting to the final, and we’ve stumbled at the last hurdle.”We were so hungry [to win today]. The ball was in our court, we just needed to turn up today and play some of our best cricket, then it might have been a different story. Guys are shattered in the change room. I’m sure most Zimbabweans are.”This tournament has seen packed terraces for all of Zimbabwe’s games, and Harare Sports Club was filled to capacity for their match against UAE. At one point in the afternoon, the gates were closed and people were being turned away from the match. But despite the vocal home support, they once again fell short.”The fans have been excellent, from Bulawayo to here, and another great turnout today. They’ll probably be more disappointed than anyone, because they’ve turned out and at least expected us to win one of these two games to qualify. So there was big expectation on us. We’re really sad that we couldn’t give them what they wanted.”Zimbabwe had found success in this tournament by setting totals, but after winning the toss on Thursday, Cremer opted to bowl. Zimbabwe picked up the early wicket of Ashfaq Ahmed, but UAE’s top five rallied to put them into a good position, with Rameez Shahzad top-scoring with 59. Once again, Zimbabwe weren’t quite as sharp as they needed to be in the field.”We were a bit unsure but we backed ourselves that whatever we did, bat or bowl, we will come out on top. We gave them a few too many, and then to only have 40 overs with the bat, that cost us a bit. We’d still back ourselves to chase 230 in 40 overs, but a poor start again. We keep losing wickets in that first Powerplay, which has probably cost us.”Zimbabwe lost Solomon Mire, Hamilton Masakadza and Brendan Taylor cheaply in their chase, but were revived by Sean Williams and Sikandar Raza. Williams raced to 80 at a run a ball, while Raza was quickly into his groove with a 26-ball 34. Neither was able to take their side home, however, and with their dismissals, UAE took control of the game.”When we were batting we got a few partnerships going but we lost wickets in crucial periods,” Cremer said. “When Raza got out, that was crucial for us. Because he could have won that game with a couple of overs to spare, the way he was batting. When Sean got out, that was another big moment in the game.”While Cremer rued a missed opportunity that could have far-reaching consequences for Zimbabwean cricket, UAE captain Rohan Mustafa celebrated what is a major milestone for his team: taking down a Full Member.”A great achievement for the UAE team, because we have never won against a Test nation team,” Mustafa said. “So it’s a great achievement, and it shows the world that UAE, and the other Associate countries, are getting better.”We can take confidence from this match, because we beat such a good team. Zimbabwe is one of the best teams in this tournament, and we beat them. So there is a lesson for us, and it will help us.”

Allrounder Pieter Seelaar takes over the captaincy, while Jeroen Smits, the former Netherlands wicketkeeper, has been appointed the new team manager

Peter Della Penna18-Apr-2018

Netherlands captain Peter Borren, 34, has retired from international cricket with immediate effect. Pieter Seelaar, the 30-year old left-arm spinner, will take over the captaincy. Jeroen Smits, the former Netherlands wicketkeeper, has been appointed the new team manager.The Royal Dutch Cricket Association (KNCB) paid tribute via a press release issued on Wednesday evening. Though Borren is only 34, the KNCB’s press release said a “mutual decision” was reached between Borren and the selectors, with an eye towards building a squad for the 2020 World T20 and 2023 World Cup.Borren had been captain since July 2010, when he took over the role from Smits. Among teams that currently have at least ODI status, the only players with longer ongoing captaincy reigns are Ireland’s William Porterfield, and Nepal’s Paras Khadka.Borren last featured for Netherlands in the World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe in March, where he could manage just 52 runs in six innings and passed double-figures just once. Netherlands won just once in the group stage, failing to reach the Super Sixes, before bouncing back with two wins over Hong Kong and Nepal in the playoffs to finish seventh.Born in New Zealand, Borren was the leading wicket-taker for the country at the 2002 Under-19 World Cup, where he played alongside Ross Taylor, Jesse Ryder, Neil Broom, Rob Nicol and Michael Bates. Three months after the tournament, he began his first season in the Dutch Hoofdklasse for VRA, eventually settling for good in his adopted homeland.After completing the four-year residency requirement under ICC eligibility guidelines, Borren made his Netherlands debut against Denmark in June 2006, and his ODI debut a month later against Sri Lanka. He ended his career with a total of 58 ODIs and 43 T20Is across 12 years, making him the most capped player in both formats for Netherlands. He is one of just four Dutch batsmen to score 1000 runs in ODIs, and is their third highest wicket-taker in the format, behind Mudassar Bukhari and Ryan ten Doeschate. In T20Is, he in their third-highest scorer with 638 runs at 19.33, just 24 behind current leader Wesley Barresi. Borren’s replacement as captain, Seelaar, debuted in 2006, the same year as Borren, and has represented Netherlands in 37 ODIs and 39 T20Is.Borren played a huge part in Netherlands establishing themselves as a thorn in England’s side at the World T20. His 30 off 25 balls in a 50-run stand alongside Tom de Grooth while chasing 163 propelled Netherlands to a famous win over England on the opening day of the 2009 tournament at Lord’s. Under Borren’s captaincy, Netherlands repeated the feat in Bangladesh in 2014, where they won by 45 runs in Chittagong.But perhaps Borren’s finest hour came earlier in the same tournament, in a stunning chase against Ireland. Needing to get 190 in 14.2 overs to pip Ireland on the net-run-rate tiebreaker for a Super 10 spot, Borren promoted himself to open, and produced an inspired effort, his 15-ball 31 setting the tone for a stirring victory.That win was particularly meaningful as it came just two months after one of the biggest lows in Dutch cricket, when a loss to Kenya at the World Cup Qualifier in New Zealand resulted in the loss of ODI status, and broke their streak of three consecutive World Cup appearances. The sting of that defeat could have crippled Dutch cricket, with a reduction in ICC funding resulting in the downsizing of central contracts. Instead, it chastened them to work harder to climb back up the world rankings.Borren was reduced to tears after Netherlands’ triumph in the 2015-17 World Cricket League Championship in December: the conclusion of three years of hard work to reclaim ODI status, and a spot in the upcoming 13-team ODI league, beginning in 2020. It wound up being the emotional climax for Borren as a captain and player.For all his on-field achievements, Borren was just as well-known for being outspoken in criticising ICC decision-making that resulted in reduced opportunities for Associate teams. It earned him admirers, not just in the Netherlands, but throughout the Associate cricket community.The KNCB said of Borren: “Peter Borren has been of tremendous value to the Dutch team, leading the national side over the last nine years.”He has seen the Netherlands team grow into a much more professional set-up resulting in winning the World Cricket League and qualifying for the ODI Championships in December 2017. With his inspirational leadership, Peter has played a more than important role in this success.”

James Vince and Mark Stoneman produced valuable fifties to build on England’s hard-earned advantage at Christchurch

The Report by Andrew Miller01-Apr-2018England 307 (Bairstow 101, Wood 52, Southee 6-62, Boult 4-87) and 202 for 3 (Vince 76, Stoneman 60) lead New Zealand 278 (Watling 85, Broad 6-54) by 231 runs

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAt the Gabba in November, James Vince and Mark Stoneman began a long and arduous winter as a pair of question marks in England’s Test-match top three. At Christchurch in April, the pair came good in a vital century partnership for England’s second wicket – good enough, that is, to set their side up for what may yet turn out to be a series-levelling victory against New Zealand, if not quite good enough to assuage the lingering doubts about their futures at the highest level.For the record, Vince made 76, and Stoneman a career-best 60 – a pair of crucial, balm-applying performances that helped to turn a slender 29-run first-innings lead into an overall advantage of 231 on the third day at Hagley Oval, with seven wickets in hand.By stumps, Joe Root and Dawid Malan – himself in a lean run of form – had added 37 for the fourth wicket with few alarms beyond a mix-up between the wickets, as the Barmy Army went through their full repertoire at a sleepy and autumnal venue, where the overnight changing of the clocks had lent a decidedly end-of-season feel to the contest.And if, in two days’ time, England do manage to secure their first overseas win in 13 attempts, they will owe a major debt to a 123-run stand for the second wicket between Vince and Stoneman, who showcased from the outset the sort of fluency and resolve that the selectors have long believed was within their capability.They came together in the ninth over, following another troubling failure for Alastair Cook, and were not separated until the 47th, by which stage the shine had long gone from the new ball and New Zealand’s over-reliance on the brilliance of Tim Southee and Trent Boult was beginning to be felt.Both men began their innings knowing that further Test chances could not be guaranteed, especially after such a winter of underachievement from England’s red-ball outfit. And Vince in particular – recalled for this Test having sat out in Auckland – seemed determined to go out on his own terms. He lashed his second delivery from Boult for a typically glorious cover-drive, the sort of flash of beauty that has earned him selectorial forgiveness in spite of his very average average.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Vince added two more off-side boundaries in his first seven deliveries (one of them a bit chancy, if truth be told), to establish the parameters of his innings. And his commitment to calculated aggression served him well in a typically attractive performance studded with ten boundaries, arguably the best of which was a trademark creaming through the covers, shortly before tea, to bring up the third half-century of his Test career.At the other end, Stoneman took a more attritional route to the top – at least in the early part of his innings – as he drew the sting of New Zealand’s new ball before cashing in with a quartet of rifled boundaries through the covers. He played his strokes with less flourish than Vince, maybe, but no less authority, as he bided his time on each occasion and made sure he punished the loose delivery.But then, on 35, the composure of Stoneman’s innings seemed to dissipate after he was struck on the shoulder by a Neil Wagner lifter and given out caught behind. He successfully reviewed the decision, but seemed unable thereafter to shake off the shadow of impending doom, as he developed a death wish to balls outside the off stump, particularly against the medium pace of Colin de Grandhomme.Twice in the space of three balls, he edged de Grandhomme into the slips from round the wicket – the first looped safely away to the boundary but the second, an open-faced steer, went into Ross Taylor’s right hand at first slip and straight out again. Two overs later, Stoneman brought up his fifty with another chancy slap over the cordon, off Southee, and was dropped for a second time off de Grandhomme when Southee himself, now at first slip with Taylor off the field, tipped a flying edge over the bar.In the end, it took a brilliant spring-loaded leap from BJ Watling to bring Stoneman’s innings to an end, but the manner of his departure had been sadly telegraphed for several overs before his demise.And the same, cruelly, could also be said of Vince, who had not played with such fluency since that fateful 83 on the first day of the Ashes in Brisbane. That effort eventually ended with a “what if?” run-out, but today’s provided a more familiar ending. Another ball in the channel, this time from Boult, and a cramped drive straight into the hands of first slip. He’s not the first batsman whose greatest strength is also his greatest weakness – David Gower, for one, endured a career of stick for getting out so often on the drive. But Gower also averaged 44.25 to Vince’s 24.90.Still, at least England’s Nos. 2 and 3 produced scores that enhanced their reputations. The same unfortunately could not be said of Cook, England’s leading Test run-scorer, whose dismissal for 14 took his tally for the tour to a dismal 23 runs in four innings, at an average of 5.75 that is, by a distance, his worst return in any completed Test series.Stuart Broad finished with a six-wicket haul•Associated Press

After his tentative displays in the first three innings of the series, Cook seemed determined to make his presence felt this time out. His footwork was more confident as he latched on a brace of short balls from Southee to pick up his first boundaries of the series, but from his very next delivery, he was trapped in no-man’s land by his nemesis Boult, who nipped a length ball off his outside edge to claim his wicket for the ninth time in Tests. Cook trudged off for 14 with a huge amount to ponder before England’s next Test engagement, against Pakistan in May.Cook might have anticipated being called on to bat earlier in the day, but for a combative morning’s work from New Zealand’s lower order. Stuart Broad eventually wrapped up the innings for 278 with figures of 6 for 54, but not before Southee had posted his first Test half-century since 2014 and Wagner and Boult had reduced the deficit to 29 in an enterprising 39-run stand for the tenth wicket.After resuming on 192 for 6, Southee signalled New Zealand’s intent by pulling the fourth ball of the morning over wide long-on for the 64th six of his Test career, drawing him level with AB de Villiers for the most by any active player, and it took the arrival of the second new ball for England to regain a measure of control, as Watling was uprooted for 85 by the ball of the innings, a full-length outswinger from James Anderson that bent from leg to off to smash the stumps. Watling had been denied his seventh Test century, but having hauled his team off the canvas at 36 for 5, he had more than played his part.Ish Sodhi edged to the keeper to give Broad his first five-wicket haul since the Johannesburg Test against South Africa in January 2016. And when Anderson ended Southee’s fun, plucking out his middle stump three balls after he had reached his fifty, England were looking at a substantial lead.Boult and Wagner, however, had other ideas. Wagner, pinned on the helmet by a fierce Broad lifter early in his stay, slapped Anderson out of the attack with a 13-run over, including an impulsive hook over fine leg for six, while Boult – as idiosyncratic as Courtney Walsh in his pomp – ducked and dived at the crease, and occasionally connected with power. He rattled along to 16 from 22 balls before top-edging Broad to fine leg to ensure, for the second innings in the match, that all ten wickets were shared by just the opening bowlers.