Uttarakhand opener made 202 against Sikkim, eclipsing the 187 Ajinkya Rahane had made in 2007-08

Saurabh Somani06-Oct-2018Uttarakhand opener Karn Veer Kaushal became the first batsman to score a double-century in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, hitting 202 off 135 balls in a Plate Group match against Sikkim on Saturday. The previous highest score in the Vijay Hazare Trophy was Ajinkya Rahane’s 187 for Mumbai against Maharashtra in Pune in 2007-08.Kaushal accelerated steadily during his innings, reaching 50 off 38 balls, a century off 71 balls, 150 off 101 balls and his double-century off 132 balls. He put on 296 for the first wicket with Vineet Saxena, who made 100 off 133 deliveries, the highest opening stand in List A cricket in India. The previous highest was the unbeaten 277 that Shikhar Dhawan and Aakash Chopra had put on for Delhi against Punjab in 2007-08.”I never thought or expected I’d get a double-century,” Kaushal told ESPNcricinfo. “I just played as the innings went on. Only when about 30 runs were left did I think that, ‘Okay, I can try for a double-century’. I felt very nice when I completed it, but I didn’t know then that it was a record. I got to know that I was the first one to score a double-century after I came back to the dressing room.”I didn’t know it was Ajinkya Rahane’s record that I broke till you told me now. I didn’t even know our opening partnership was a record till you told me.”Kaushal’s innings drove Uttarakhand to 366 for 2 in 50 overs at the GS Patel Stadium in Nadiad, and he fell only in the 47th over.

Kaushal had been trying, unsuccessfully, to get into the Uttar Pradesh team since a number of years, but the doors to senior-level cricket in India for him opened only when Uttarakhand became among the nine new teams allowed to participate in BCCI’s domestic competitions. “I had been trying to get into the Uttar Pradesh team for the past eight to ten years without success,” he said. “In the last two years, I attended some camps they held also, but never got selected. I attended their T20 camp, and also their Vijay Hazare camp. This is the first time that I’m playing at this level. This year I didn’t try there, because Uttarakhand got a team. I knew that there is very tough competition in the Uttar Pradesh team, and being from Dehradun this (Uttarakhand) is my state so I knew that there will be more support here and people have seen me play cricket here.”This is the third century for Kaushal, 27, in the tournament, during which he made his List A debut. He had made 101 against Puducherry, and 118 against Mizoram. Kaushal now has 467 runs in seven matches at an average of 77.83 and strike-rate of 122.25, second to Punit Bisht, the Meghalaya professional, who has 488 runs. Kaushal’s three hundreds are the most for a batsman in the tournament so far.The doors opening for Uttarakhand, and his own good performances, have meant that his pursuit of cricket has finally paid off. “This is my profession and my passion. I used to earn some money playing local cricket, and managed with that,” he said. “Both my parents are in the police, my father in Uttar Pradesh and my mother in Dehradun. They have both supported me a lot too, telling me to not worry about finances and leaving me free to concentrate on the game.”Yes, with both being in the police, they did think I might follow them. But from the start, cricket was my passion. In fact, till last year, my mother would tell me that, ‘What is this silliness you’ve got yourself entangled in, if you had studied hard, you’d be in the IPS [Indian Police Service] by now.’ But now there is some peace at home and I don’t get chided as much’.”In the Plate Group, Uttarakhand are battling Bihar for the top spot. They have 24 points, just two behind Bihar’s 26 with both teams having one match each remaining. The team that tops the group will qualify for the quarterfinals. Uttarakhand will play Arunachal Pradesh, and Bihar will take on Mizoram, on October 8.

Lionesses star Lauren James provided a no-look assist to Aggie Beever-Jones as Chelsea took the lead with a second-minute goal at West Ham.

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Chelsea take early lead at West HamLauren James provides no-look assistAggie Beever-Jones with opener in WSLWHAT HAPPENED?

After a through ball found its way to James in the box, without looking, the England star laid it off to team-mate Beever Jones – whose strike found the corner to make it 1-0 to the Blues at the Chigwell Construction Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

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Beever-Jones' goal means Emma Hayes' Chelsea are currently back on top of the Women's Super League due to a superior goal difference to second-placed Manchester City. The Blues are aiming to win a fifth straight WSL title in Hayes' last season with the club before taking up the head coach role at the United States Women's National Team this summer.

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After this match, Chelsea host Ajax in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday, with the Blues currently holding a 3-0 first-leg advantage. Four days later, they take on Arsenal in the FA Women's League Cup final.

The BCCI had asked the fast bowler to limit his workload to 15 overs an innings, but he overshot the mark in Bengal’s game against Kerala at Eden Gardens

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Nov-2018Only days after the BCCI had asked Mohammed Shami to limit his workload to 15 overs an innings, the fast bowler overshot the mark playing for Bengal in the third round of the Ranji Trophy.Shami, who is part of the set of fast bowlers that India are taking to Australia, has had trouble with injuries in the recent past and the board, while granting him permission to play the game against Kerala, also insisted that he shouldn’t take on too much of a burden.However, by the time Bengal bowled their opposition out on the second day at Eden Gardens, Shami had delivered 26 overs to pick up three wickets.”I decided [it] on my own,” he told reporters at the end of play. “it was better to bowl for your team and state rather than practising somewhere else. The more you bowl here, the more it will help in Australia. It was good preparation. For me, bowling in a match is the best preparation. I prefer that any day.”I was feeling well to bowl at home after a long time. All my friends were here. It was after a long time I could play with my team.”Shami was the only Bengal bowler to go past the 20-over mark in the first innings and coach Sairaj Bahutule told that it was entirely the player’s call. “He was absolutely willing to bowl; so he continued. Nobody put pressure on him.”Kerala did win the match, eventually, riding on a century from Jalaj Saxena and a five-for from Sandeep Warrier.Shami’s attention now turns to the four-match Test series that starts in Adelaide on December 6. “I’ve prepared well, had good training and match preparation. I’ve a practice match there. I will be ready for the Tests.”

Pakistan will look to pick up where they left off against Australia last month, while New Zealand play their first Test match since March

Danyal Rasool15-Nov-2018

Big Picture

A series between the fourth and seventh-ranked Test sides in the world begins tomorrow in Abu Dhabi. Tell most people that, and their shoulders might instinctively shrug in indifference. After all, the UAE is unlikely to be the place where Test cricket makes the most persuasive case for attention. In New Zealand, we have one side whose fan base back home is neither large nor arguably the most passionate about cricket, while Pakistan play away from their home fan base altogether. This, after all, is no Big Three series, and it appears these days that if cricket takes place outside those exclusive enclaves, it might as well not happen at all.But in truth, the Test rankings hold little meaning for both sides, given how few Tests they’ve been a part of this year. Put together, Kane Williamson and Sarfraz Ahmed have led their countries in all of seven Tests since 2018 began, five for Pakistan and two for the visitors. There have been four wins, two draws, and just a solitary loss combined, including home and away wins against England, and a home win for Pakistan against Australia. Simply put, these are sides who have little use for the rankings they’ve been assigned, which is only fair, given the neglect world cricket often condemns them to.But as ardent supporters will need no reminding, these two sides provided arguably the most exciting series in the UAE ever since Pakistan started playing Test cricket there. A comfortable Pakistan victory in the first Test was followed by a thrilling draw in the second, where all three results seemed plausible until the final session.The last Test saw a magnificent come-from-behind win from Brendon McCullum’s side, who triggered a Pakistan collapse after the hosts stood at 285 for 3 in the first innings. It involved scoring almost 700 runs in 143 overs, and defeating Pakistan by an innings inside four days. Rarely has cricket been played at that tempo in the Emirates, not least by a touring party that had, after the first Test, looked destined for a whitewash.Pakistan used to be impregnable in the UAE until Sri Lanka snapped the unbeaten record in October last year. A 1-0 series win over Australia last month was perhaps a sign that normal service was resuming, but it will take more than that to win over fans worried about their slide in the longest format. Pakistan will have to do without Fakhar Zaman, rested after a fine debut against Australia, and Shadab Khan, who has been carrying a slight niggle.Predicting how New Zealand might perform is a fool’s errand; you might as well be taking stabs in the dark. They last played an away Test over two years ago, with numerous changes in the squad, as well as the coaching staff, having occurred since then. It is one of the challenges both of being New Zealand as well as playing them. The Black Caps can never quite get momentum going because they wear international colours all too infrequently, while the opposition often has no idea what strategies to deploy against a unit there is scant recent data for.

Form guide

Pakistan: WDLWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand: DWWWDNeil Wagner gets in position to collect the ball•Getty Images

In the spotlight

For Pakistan, there is little doubt most of the attention will be affixed on the unassuming shoulders of Mohammad Abbas. The medium-fast bowler had an extraordinary series against Australia last month, taking 17 wickets in two Tests. Such was the discipline and consistent menace with which he bowled that it prompted Dale Steyn, a fast bowler so far removed from Abbas they may as well be in different professions, to predict Abbas would soon be ranked atop the world rankings. Gone was the myth the UAE was only the spinners’ hunting ground, blown away the perception that only an express pacer who took the pitch out of the equation would have a chance here. Abbas belongs to the school of fast bowling – call it old-fashioned, conservative, even – that believes as long as you pitch the ball on a length regularly with the slightest shape and the whiff of a plan, you will trouble batsmen. New Zealand know fully well he will provide a unique challenge in the upcoming series quite unlike anything they faced in 2014.Neil Wagner wasn’t part of the side that toured the UAE in 2014, but one can’t help wonder if he isn’t the ideal attritional bowler for these surfaces. His strategy, often controversial and unpopular, of bowling short and into the body for long spells might not be the most elegant, but 149 wickets in 36 matches suggests it has proved effective throughout his career. It keeps him in the game when fast bowlers who rely on the newness of the ball and the spice of the pitch are rendered ineffective, testing batsmen’s reserves of concentration just as they might expect run-scoring to become easier. Pakistan have often struggled against the short ball, particularly the out-of-form Azhar Ali and the potentially psychologically scarred Imam-ul-Haq, who will be playing his first match tomorrow since a Lockie Ferguson bouncer rattled his helmet in the ODI series. He took nine wickets in two Tests when Pakistan visited New Zealand in 2016, and while these surfaces might not bounce as high as those in Christchurch and Hamilton, Wagner is skilled enough to ensure batsmen will, often literally, be on their toes when facing him.

Team news

With Fakhar Zaman not part of the side, Mohammad Hafeez will open alongside Imam. Shaheen Afridi is unlikely to make his Test debut tomorrow, leaving Mir Hamza and Hasan Ali to compete for the one remaining fast bowler’s slot.Pakistan (possible): 1 Imam-ul-Haq, 2 Mohammad Hafeez, 3 Azhar Ali, 4 Haris Sohail, 5 Babar Azam, 6, Asad Shafiq, 7 Sarfraz Ahmed (capt & wk), 8 Mir Hamza, 9 Bilal Asif, 10 Mohammad Abbas, 11 Yasir ShahThere was some doubt surrounding the fitness of Williamson, but he today said in a press conference that he would most likely lead his side out tomorrow.New Zealand (possible): 1 Jeet Raval, 2 Tom Latham, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 BJ Watling (wk), 6 Henry Nicholls, 7 Colin de Grandhomme, 8 Neil Wagner, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Ish Sodhi

Pitch and conditions

Clear skies across the next five days mean the rain that washed out the final ODI in Dubai should cause no problems in Abu Dhabi this week. As always in the UAE, posting a big first-innings score will be pivotal.

Stats and trivia

• New Zealand have won just 10 Test matches of the 55 they have played against Pakistan. Three of those, though, have come the last three times the two have faced off.
• No other player in the Pakistan squad was over 18 when Mohammad Hafeez made his Test debut in 2003. It would be another seven years before any of the current squad made their own Test debuts

Quotes

“We had a great series last time we were here but that’s a long time back. A lot has changed in terms of personnel since then. I think it’s important that we adapt with this inexperienced side that we have come with “

Ryan Reynolds praised Wrexham's fighting spirit after their comeback win at Colchester United & paid tribute to Paul Mullin in a "WTF-bonkers" season.

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• Wrexham beat Colchester 2-1
• Up to second in League Two
• Reynolds reflects on 'bonkers' season

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Wrexham came from behind to beat Colchester 2-1 to climb to second in League Two on Saturday. After Paul Mullin cancelled out John Akinde's opener, Max Cleworth scored five minutes from time to secure a priceless three points. After the victory, co-owner Reynolds lauded his team and gave a special thanks to Mullin, who scored his 100th goal for the club.

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• WHAT RYAN REYNOLDS SAID

  In an Instagram story, the Hollywood actor wrote: "Four matches remaining. Come from behind win, tick. Paul Mullin's 100th goal, tick. Max Cleworth's first goal, tick. Life-threatening tension and gut-wrenching suspense as we come to the close of another WTF-bonkers season, tick."

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  The result means Wrexham strengthen their grasp on the automatic promotion spots, with Phil Parkinson's men holding a three point gap over fourth-placed Mansfield Town – although the Stags do have a game in hand. The Welsh outfit, who are two points ahead of MK Dons in third and have played a game fewer, are now so close to securing back-to-back promotions.

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  Reynolds' Wrexham, who are four points behind league leaders Stockport County and they have played a game more, next host in-form and play-off chasing Crawley Town at the Racecourse on Tuesday evening.

India’s No. 3 made his third century of the series, helping his team into a position of strength to perhaps take more than a share of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy

The Report by Alagappan Muthu02-Jan-2019He just bats and bats and bats. Cheteshwar Pujara came to the crease in the second over and refused to budge until the end of the day. He has faced 1135 balls in this series. As a consequence of that, he’s made 458 runs. One hundred and thirty of them came in Sydney where India have established a position of strength to perhaps take more than a share of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.Australia would believe they haven’t quite lost that much ground. They’ll be thrilled to have kept Virat Kohli to a mere 23 and Ajinkya Rahane for 18. And considering they went in with only four specialist bowlers, a score of 4 for 303 at stumps is a reflection of some decent work. The only problem is that India keep finding ways to be better.4:44

Manjrekar: Agarwal shouldn’t give up starts like this

Or more accurately, Pujara keeps finding a way to be better. At lunch, he was 16 off 59. He was sussing out the conditions, deciding what shots to play and which bowlers he needed to worry about. The conclusion – it seemed – was that he didn’t want to be driving on the up. Over the first 50 deliveries that the Australians bowled outside his off stump, he left 15, defended 17 and drove at only three. Only three. No letting those hands stray from the body. No giving the easy edge to slip.At tea, he was 61 off 138, showing mastery over Nathan Lyon and disdain for part-timer Marnus Labuschagne, who was hit for three fours in an over. Pujara averages 178 against spin bowling since January 2018. And he ruddy well showed it. Australia knew the value of his wicket, which was no more apparent than when they burned a review after Pat Cummins beat his inside edge in the 15th over. Several overs – and barely any further chances later – Pujara whipped Mitchell Starc to the fine-leg boundary to celebrate his third century of the series. He went to stumps unbeaten. #NuffSaid.Mayank Agarwal was the other major contributor for India. He made 77 off 112 deliveries but those bare facts do little to capture how he overcame a sustained effort by the Australian quicks to bounce him out. Soon after drinks, when it became clear that sideways movement was in short order, Starc came back for his second spell of the day and hit the opener on the glove and the helmet. An unplayable delivery at 146 kph clanging into the head is liable to scramble the brain a bit – and he took further blows on his body too – but he didn’t give up.Agarwal’s wicket – trying to hit Lyon over the top and being caught at long-on – looked terribly off. But had he succeeded, and planted doubt in Australia’s mind about their holding bowler, at a time when they had dropped the allrounder from the XI, their big three quicks might have had an even tougher outing.Cheteshwar Pujara celebrates his hundred•Getty Images

Starc, who is one wicket shy of 200, Cummins and Josh Hazlewood did their best to stay threatening through the day, bowling at 140 kph and above. But India were resolute. Pujara was resolute. And after a good day’s work – that started with winning the toss – they are in a position to reap the advantage of some bold selections. The SCG has not been as conducive to spinners over the last 10 years as it has been in the past, but the experts still suggest it will break down and turn big later in the game. Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav – included for this Test with R Ashwin injured – will hope that’s true.India’s top order then got to work procuring the scoreboard pressure that will further enhance the bowling attack. Well, all except KL Rahul. His struggles as opener continued, a good length ball from Hazlewood grabbing his edge and going to first slip.Mike Hussey, who was on commentary at the time, recalled a chat he had with Rahul in Melbourne where the India batsman said he felt like he was in an awkward phase of his career. Hussey said that Rahul, at the start of his career, was focused on batting time but now, having had T20 success, he wants to take the bowlers on whenever he ends up under pressure. His game is lacking balance, both at the crease and in the mind. He is in need of help. And maybe also a break.There were 33,678 people at the ground for the first day of the New Year’s Test. Steve Waugh’s son Austin was on the bench as one of Australia’s substitutes, soaking in the occasion. The locals cheered their team on. The fast bowlers kept charging in. There was expectation in the air. For wickets, for tension, for mayhem.Pujara disagreed. Big time.

Jude Bellingham came up with a hilarious reaction after a foul did not go his way, as he returned to Real Madrid action from suspension on Sunday.

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Bellingham's hilarious gesture after not getting foulProvided assist in Real's win Los Blancos beat Athletic Club 2-0 WHAT HAPPENED?

Bellingham picked up a red card against Valencia on March 3 for hurling abuses at match officials after a late Los Blancos goal was disallowed. He served a two-match suspension and returned to action only on March 31 against Athletic Club.

It seems the England international has now learned his lesson as he was seen making a 'zipping his lip' gesture after the referee did not give him a foul.

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The Spanish giants extended their lead to eight points over rivals Barcelona at the top of the table as they defeated Athletic Club 2-0 riding on Rodrygo's brace. While the former Borussia Dortmund midfielder could find the back of the net, he did provide the assist for the Brazilian's second goal.

DID YOU KNOW?

With his assist on Sunday, the 20-year-old became the first La Liga player to reach double digits in both goals and assists across all competitions this season. He has scored 20 times and provided 10 assists.

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Carlo Ancelotti's side will now prepare to take on reigning European champions Manchester City in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final fixture on April 9.

Left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican credited his team-mate Shannon Gabriel for bringing West Indies back into the game on the first day in Chattogram after Bangladesh had reached a “commanding” position earlier. The hosts were cruising on 222 for 3 after opting to bat, but Gabriel’s third spell broke the back of Bangladesh’s innings with four quick wickets.Gabriel dismissed Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah and Shakib Al Hasan single-handedly to reduce them to 235 for 7 before Bangladesh’s lower order “put the momentum back” in their innings.”Obviously Bangladesh were in the commanding seat from the morning until the tea break,” Warrican said. “I think Shannon bowled very well to get those four quick wickets. He brought us back in the game. But unfortunately they finished well as a team and put the momentum back in Bangladesh’s hands.”Warrican had an eventful outing on the first day, finishing with 2 for 62 from 21 overs, but it could have been better. He dismissed Imrul Kayes for 44 at the stroke of lunch but he could have removed the batsman earlier for 16, had he not overstepped when Imrul swept a catch to deep square leg earlier in the morning session.West Indies dropped two clear chances too. The first came in the fifth over when Imrul was on 3 and Roston Chase dropped him at second slip. Later, wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich put down centurion Mominul Haque on 67 off Devendra Bishoo.”I won’t say we were unlucky. I think we create our own luck,” Warrican said. “As a team you don’t want to drop catches or get wickets off no-balls. I don’t think it is luck. It comes down to discipline and doing the right things.”Amid all this, Gabriel produced a brilliant spell at the start of the third session, in which he took 4 for 26, sparking the middle-order collapse. Warrican said that Gabriel’s advantage is his pace that he extracts from his height, that adds to his discipline.”I think Shannon’s pace really works for him. He is very tall, so pace with height is very crucial,” Warrican said. “He bowls good areas as well. He is just not someone who bowls quick, but he is also very disciplined. It is very important as a fast bowler.”Warrican said that West Indies were aware of the dangers of the Chattogram pitch as it already started to turn, adding that the batsmen must be wholly alert.”It is very good for batting but assists the spinners,” he said. “I think the spinners can get something out of it if they bowl in the right areas. Also, the ball is coming on well for the batsmen but the bounce is inconsistent. You have to watch it closely.”

Former Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward is back in football after landing his first job since his Old Trafford exit.

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Woodward left Manchester United in 2022Has now taken up new football-related roleWill work with London-based charityWHAT HAPPENED?

Woodward has been appointed to the board of trustees for Bloomsbury Football Foundation. The charity has described Woodward's appointment as a "huge signing" as he takes up his first football-related position since leaving United in 2022.

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Woodward spent a decade at Old Trafford but was unpopular with supporters, largely due to some poor transfer decisions. He took up a position in 2023 as a non-executive director at eSports company EStars but his latest role is his first football-related position since leaving United. The Bloomsbury Football Foundation is a London-based charity that offers an inclusive football programme aimed at young people.

WHAT WOODWARD SAID

He said: "I am thrilled. This is an exciting opportunity to join a charity that is already having a significant impact on the lives of young Londoners using the power of football. Visiting a Bloomsbury Football session reaffirmed my belief that football has the power to change lives. It is clear the support the charity is already receiving is making a real impact on the pitch. The session represented the diversity of London – the coaches were supportive, players were engaged, and they seemed to be enjoying every minute."

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Woodward will be hoping he can make an impact in his new role but will likely also be watching events at Manchester United with interest. The Red Devils are also set for major changes this summer, with Omar Berrada set to take over as CEO, while the club are also hoping to bring in Dan Ashworth and Jason Wilcox as part of a shake-up.

Rarely has a line-up been made to look quite so wrong-headed as in Barbados, but here are five more blunders that came back to haunt selectors.

Andrew Miller29-Jan-2019

Selection is easy in hindsight, claimed Joe Root in the wake of England’s 381-drubbing in the first Test against West Indies. But rarely has a line-up been made to look quite so wrong-headed as in Barbados. ESPNcricinfo looks back on five other selection shockers that the brains trust came to rue.India v England, Calcutta, 1992-93Arguably the most scandalous selection of England’s tour of India in 1992-93 occurred before a ball was bowled: David Gower’s and Jack Russell’s omissions outraged MCC to such an extent that a special general meeting was convened in protest. But even if those two causes célèbres had been picked, there’s no chance on earth that it could have made a difference in the series opener at Eden Gardens – thanks to the catastrophic line-up with which Graham Gooch took the field.The facts of the contest speak for themselves. England picked four frontline quicks (combined figures: 6 for 321), with the legspin of Ian Salisbury elevated ahead of John Emburey and Phil Tufnell on account of his greater rhythm in the nets. India, on the other hand, opted for three frontline spinners – Venkatapathy Raju, Anil Kumble and Rajesh Chauhan – who claimed 17 for 354 between them.Kapil Dev and Manoj Prabhakar (both allrounders) bowled just a handful of seam-up in either innings, while England’s only threat came from the part-time offspin of Graeme Hick (5 for 28 in the match). Mohammad Azharuddin (182) outscored England (163) in their first innings, and the tone for the series had been set.India’s Mohammad Azharuddin after scoring a century•Getty Images

England v Australia, Headingley, 1997On his day, Andrew Caddick was as awkward a seam bowler as England have selected in a generation – but it was his awkwardness as a character that seemed to count against him on far too many occasions. His non-selection for the 1998-99 Ashes tour was self-defeatingly dim-witted – he proved his point by taking 10 wickets at Sydney four years later – but a harbinger of that call had come at Headingley in the fourth Test of England’s home Ashes campaign in 1997. The series was locked at 1-1 but, after being stung into action by England’s incredible win at Edgbaston, Australia were the team on the march. They were denied by rain at Lord’s before Steve Waugh duked a dogfight at Old Trafford.But then came Headingley, a traditional seamers’ paradise – and what did England choose to do? In their infinite wisdom, they decided the time was ripe to ditch Caddick, their leading hit-the-deck exponent, and choose instead a rookie left-arm swing bowler. I mean, who’d do such a thing?With Australia wobbling at 50 for 4 in their first innings, legend has it that the series turned when Matthew Elliott, who made 199, was dropped by Graham Thorpe on 29 off the debutant Mike Smith. And yet that narrative ignores the fact that Smith never again came so close to claiming that elusive maiden wicket.Graham Thorpe drops Matthew Elliott off the bowling of Mike Smith during the 4th Ashes Test in 1997•Clive Mason/ALLSPORT

Caddick, on the other hand, still went on to glean 24 wickets at 26.41 in the other five Tests of the series – comfortably England’s outstanding performer.England v India, Lord’s, 2018For all that they have been the pre-eminent Test team of the past couple of years, India’s selection has let them down on more than a few occasions – particularly in South Africa and England in 2018, where they slumped to hard-fought series losses that looked more comprehensive on paper than they actually had been in reality.Cheteshwar Pujara’s omission at Edgbaston was a case in point, but nothing was more self-defeating that their absurd team balance for the second Test at Lord’s. The left-arm wristspin of Kuldeep Yadav had been a sensation in the one-day leg of the England tour, so the urge to include him at some stage of the series was overwhelming.Kuldeep Yadav delivers the ball•Getty Images

But, given that the whole of the first day of the second Test had been washed out by rain, and that the second dawned dank and overcast too, the inclusion of Kuldeep, alongside a second spinner in R Ashwin and instead of the seamer Umesh Yadav, beggared belief.Sure enough, James Anderson claimed 5 for 20 to rout India for 107, and in reply, Kuldeep was called upon for just nine flaky overs as England pounded out 396 for 7 declared to set up a thumping innings win, and a 2-0 series lead.England v South Africa, Headingley, 2008One of the weirdest selections of all time, and that’s saying something given England’s reputation for pinning donkeys onto their tails. There was something distinctly amiss about the latter months of Michael Vaughan’s England reign – the team was in transition and Graeme Smith’s South Africa (after finding their feet in a towering rearguard at Lord’s) were suddenly itching to outgun them on home soil.But when Ryan Sidebottom, one of the few stalwarts of that mini-era, went lame on the eve of the match, the selectors decided to replace him with an Australian roof-tiler, two weeks shy of his 30th birthday, whom Vaughan admitted at the toss he knew next to nothing about – Darren Pattinson.Apart from anything else, the decision was a final kick in the teeth for the hard-toiling Matthew Hoggard, who had been dumped unceremoniously during the winter tour of New Zealand, and who now wasn’t even trusted for an emergency encore on his Yorkshire home ground. England were duly stuffed by 10 wickets, and though Pattinson was an all-too-easy scapegoat, Vaughan admitted afterwards that the bizarre circumstances of his selection had left the dressing room baffled and unsettled.Unsurprisingly, he never played again, though his brother James went on to play in the 2013 Ashes … for Australia.Darren Pattinson lies on the pitch after failing to catch Mark Boucher off his own bowling•PA Photos

England v Australia, The Oval, 2009Long before Nathan Lyon rocked up to provide Australia with their most reliable spin option since the mighty Shane Warne, Nathan Hauritz had been plugging away on a diligent line and length, fulfilling an unglamorous role with as much skill and professionalism as he could muster. He was, in short, an easy player to overlook.But by doing just that, Australia squandered arguably their best chance of an Ashes win in England in nigh on two decades. Hauritz had picked off ten wickets in the first three Tests of the series when he was justifiably omitted for the fourth at Headingley – an extraordinary contest in which England were blitzed inside three days to draw the series level at 1-1 and leave everything hanging on the decider at The Oval.Nathan Hauritz at training ahead of the fifth Ashes Test in 2009•Getty Images

But flushed with familiar Aussie confidence, and reassured that their pace attack had the measure of an England team that had seemed to be living on its wits for much of the summer, they failed to pay heed to a suspiciously dry Oval deck. And though Stuart Broad set up the win with the first of his now familiar Ashes rampages, the sight of Marcus North claiming four second-innings wickets was an indication to Australia of what they might have overlooked.Sure enough, England’s own spinner Graeme Swann sealed a nervy victory with four scalps of his own, just when it seemed that a target of 546 might not be completely out of the question.