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Beating South Africa by 130 runs, India showed just why no one was writing them off even after they had spent two-and-a-half months in Australia without a win

The Report by Sidharth Monga22-Feb-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
2:52

Dhoni pleased with bowlers’ discipline

India showed just why no one was writing them off even after they had spent two-and-a-half months in Australia without a win. They might not be the strongest team in the field, but on big days in limited-overs cricket they stay calmer than most. In a match to potentially decide who finishes top of their group, India sat back and saw South Africa work themselves up into a frenzy, get too funky and wilt under the weight of their own mistakes. This was India’s first win over South Africa in a World Cup match.If at all, India like going old school on big days. Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli began slowly, made sure India had a solid platform before they began to accelerate. Dhawan went on to score his first century in three months spent in Australia – his personal best and also the highest score against South Africa in a World Cup match. Kohli fell for 46, but Ajinkya Rahane scored 79 off 60 to help Dhawan along. India kept the defence simple too: bowl as few bad balls as possible, and once again under pressure South Africa imploded.The execution of both the plans from India was spot on, but that had a lot to do with how simple the plans and preparation were. South Africa called in Gary Kirsten and Michael Hussey for consultation, they picked an extra bowler in Wayne Parnell, they used spinners in unconventional parts of the innings, but the anxiety showed the most in the fielding. Hashim Amla dropped Dhawan on 53, but anxiety was never more apparent in their trigger-happiness with unnecessary throws at the stumps and fumbles on the ground. It’s hard to remember when South Africa last fielded so badly.SA fined for slow over rate

South Africa were fined for a slow over rate they maintained at the MCG as match referee Jeff Crowe found them one over short of their target after time allowances were taken into consideration. Captain AB de Villiers was fined 20%, while his players received 10% fines.
“For a captain to be suspended during an ICC event, he must commit two minor over-rate offences or one serious over-rate offence during the event. Therefore, if de Villiers is found guilty of one more minor over-rate offence during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 while acting as captain, he will receive a one-match suspension during the event. If de Villiers doesn’t get another minor over-rate offence during the event, then he will miss the first One-Day International post the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 as this is his second offence within a 12-month period,” the ICC release said.
De Villiers pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing.

It started much better, though. AB de Villiers sent Rohit Sharma back for a duck with a direct hit from extra cover. India deserve all the credit for not panicking when Dale Steyn was bowling well along with Vernon Philander. It took them 14 overs to reach four an over for the first time, but South Africa looked the more anxious team. Philander had walked off with a hamstring injury, Morne Morkel had begun ordinarily, and Parnell – who would register the worst figures for a South African in a World Cup match – was going to be targeted.Dhawan and Kohli attacked South Africa with proper attacking shots, and not scoops and reverses. They added 127 in 24.2 overs with Kohli taking the back seat to Dhawan’s positive approach. It could have gone better for South Africa. Dhawan had looked in good touch in reaching 53 off 73, Kohli had just about got over a slow start, but South Africa were offered an opportunity to halt the assault. Dhawan cut Parnell to the right of Amla at point, a regulation catch by modern standards, Amla got both hands to it, but dropped it.Before the match Kohli had spoken about sustained momentum and not relying just on the final 10 overs. Dhawan and he then walked the talk, taking 53 off the next seven overs. Parnell was their main target but even the return of Steyn didn’t slow India down. Nor did the fall of Kohli – against the run of play and to a long hop from Tahir – slow them down. Rahane and Dhawan flowed smoothly, building up to a crescendo towards the Powerplay, which brought them 44 runs with no loss of wicket. Rahane and Dhawan added 125 in 16.3 overs.In the final few overs, though, despite some more ordinary fielding, South Africa managed to pull India back a little. Only 80 came off the last 10, but India had a testing total on the board. South Africa don’t have much batting after No. 6 but their top six are as good as any. There is a reason, though, why they have now failed to chase 270 eight times out of nine since they beat India in Nagpur in 2011. There is credit in how they have conceded 270 only nine times, but under pressure their batting invariably falters.Once again India made sure they didn’t make mistakes. South Africa’s arrived shortly. There was hardly a bad ball bowled in the first three overs, and Quinton de Kock went manufacturing something in the fourth, driving Mohammed Shami straight to mid-off with the ball nowhere near driving length. Amla was handcuffed by the lack of easy boundaries before he top-edged a hook. The much-maligned bowling was doing the job for India once the batsmen had put runs on the board.At 40 for 2, Faf du Plessis and de Villiers came together. They added 68 for the third wicket, but they had to earn every run. India hustled in the field and bustled with the ball. There was no freebie on offer. With the asking rate rising, every set of two-three dot balls imparted pressure. De Villiers’ response to four straight dots in the 23rd over was to risk an improbable second, but India’s fielding today gave away nothing. Mohit Sharma swooped in from deep cover, and threw right by the stumps. The asking rate was now close to 7.5, and South Africa now needed a miracle.Miracles rarely happen in such high-profile clashes once you have put yourself under so much pressure. Wickets kept falling as South Africa looked to manufacture runs, and India’s reputation of good players of big matches in limited-overs cricket enhanced even further. They were now all but sure to face in quarter-final the fourth-placed team from the other group.

Douglas Luiz surprised Alisha Lehmann with a Valentine’s Day gift live on camera, with the Swiss star of Aston Villa’s women’s team left stunned.

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Romance rekindled over New YearTogether on February 14Swiss star showered with presentsGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

The pair, who rekindled their romance over New Year, looked loved up as they celebrated February 14 together. They were keen to share their happiness with the world, as a number of images and videos were shared on social media.

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One of those saw Luiz and Lehmann enjoying a celebratory drink, with neither in midweek action with Villa. It had already been revealed that Brazil international Luiz had sent his beau a huge bouquet of red roses – but the present-giving did not end there.

WHAT LUIZ & LEHMANN SAID

Lehmann had no idea that Luiz had another gift lined up as they casually spoke on camera, but the South American pulled out a specially-wrapped box. He said: “Now my girlfriend [will] open the present. Let’s see if she likes or not.” Lehmann added: “I’m so excited!" She went on to say “I love you so much” after discovering that she had been treated to a glamorous piece of jewellery.

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WHAT NEXT FOR LUIZ & LEHMANN?

Luiz will be back in action on Saturday when Villa’s men’s side, who have struggled to pick up wins of late, travel to Fulham. Lehmann will take to the field 24 hours later when making her own trip to London to face Tottenham in the WSL.

Egypt's management team has finally addressed the issue of Mohamed Salah's safety after he was targeted by pitch invaders in Sierra Leone.

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Egypt responds to safety concernsSalah had to be escorted off the pitch by militaryEgypt beat Sierra Leone 2-0WHAT HAPPENED?

Liverpool star Salah was fortunate to escape unscathed after a group of intruders entered the pitch during Egypt's World Cup qualifying game against Sierra Leone on Sunday. The Pharaohs won the clash 2-0 courtesy of Trezeguet's brace. The security at the ground did not let the invaders come close to the superstar and Salah was later escorted off the field by the military.

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A day later, the Egyptian team management has finally responded and assured the superstar's fans and his club Liverpool that the incident was nothing serious, and said the invaders were just passionate Premier League followers. They further claimed that most of the people in Sierra Leone are Liverpool or Arsenal fans, so for them to witness Salah and Mohamed Elneny in action at their home was a rare experience.

WHAT EGYPT'S MANAGEMENT SAID

Speaking to , the team manager for the Egypt national team, Mohamed Ghoraba said: "The story of it being an assault is not there at all. Here, the people are very kind and they support Liverpool or Arsenal.

"For them, Mohamed Salah and Mohamed Elneny are icons, so their presence in the country is something they wish to happen again. For them, that's the only opportunity to have Salah playing in their ground, so it's normal like any fan entering the pitch."

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The Reds star is enjoying a rich vein of form in the ongoing season having scored 10 goals and provided four assists in 12 Premier League appearances. He is currently just three strikes behind Manchester City goal machine Erling Haaland in the Golden Boot race. The 31-year-old will be next seen in action against the Cityzens in the league on Saturday.

Fast bowler Shaun Tait could come out of one-day retirement this summer, having declared himself available for South Australia’s 50-over campaign for the first time since 2010-11

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Aug-2014Fast bowler Shaun Tait could come out of one-day retirement this summer, having declared himself available for South Australia’s 50-over campaign for the first time since 2010-11. Tait retired from one-day cricket after the 2011 World Cup and for the past three seasons has focused exclusively on Twenty20, but he wants to help his state win more silverware before his career ends for good.The physicality of Tait’s bowling action made first-class cricket a challenge to sustain and he retired from the longer format in 2007-08, but continued as a one-day player for another three years. Now aged 31 and having stayed active in T20 with the Adelaide Strikers and other teams around the world, Tait said he would be available for up to four matches of this year’s Matador BBQ’s One-Day Cup in October.”I was playing T20 cricket and I thought in a couple of years if I’m retired, would I regret anything?” Tait told the . “The only thing I could think of was not having some success with South Australia.”It’s been a while since I’ve been really determined to do something in cricket and this is one of them. I’m determined to play for South Australia and be successful, because I think the state needs it as well.”Tait was a key part of Australia’s successful 2007 World Cup campaign in the West Indies, where he collected 23 wickets and was third on the overall tally, and he also took part in the 2011 World Cup. And while Australia’s coach Darren Lehmann wants his fast bowlers to have genuine pace, a call-up for next year’s home World Cup is not likely to be on the horizon for Tait.”I suppose if everything is going well, if my body is going well and I’m bowling 155kph and taking wickets, why not? But it might not go that way,” Tait said. “Cricket Australia have got their group of players who are pretty good at the moment, the attack against Zimbabwe on Monday night was very good, Johnson, Starc, Richardson and there’s probably five other blokes in the wings.”So they might go down a completely different path even if I am doing well. But if everything was going well, and they came to me and said ‘We’ve got a couple of injuries, come and play’ — brilliant, I’d love to.”

Yuvraj Singh, the most expensive buy of the last IPL auction, has been released by Royal Challengers Bangalore. Royal Challengers had paid Yuvraj Rs 14 crores ($2.33 million), an amount that consumed a massive share of their auction purse

Nagraj Gollapudi15-Dec-20143:10

‘Yuvraj not the only big player released’

Yuvraj Singh, the most expensive buy of the last IPL auction, has been released by Royal Challengers Bangalore. Royal Challengers had paid Yuvraj Rs 14 crores ($2.33 million), an amount that consumed a massive share of their auction purse.Yuvraj was the second-highest run-getter for Royal Challengers with 376 runs at an average of 34 including three fifties. Yuvraj did not bowl much in the tournament, delivering a total of 22.4 overs that fetched him five wickets at an average of 37.40 and an economy rate of 8.25. Despite having a star studded line-up headed by Yuvraj, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle, Royal Challengers finished second from the bottom in the points table with five wins and nine defeats.Yuvraj’s purchase attracted a lot of attention considering the franchise had lodged a complaint with the IPL against Kolkata Knight Riders on the bid. Royal Challengers joined the bid at the 3.5-core mark. The bid escalated fast and reached the 10-crore mark. However, there was some confusion as the auctioneer apparently failed to notice the paddle raised by Knight Riders. Although Knight Riders withdrew from the bidding at Rs 13.5-crore mark, Vijay Mallya, Royal Challengers’ owner, decided to add another 50 lakhs for the buy.Later Mallya revealed the reason he was stubborn about bidding for Yuvraj was only because Kohli, the Royal Challengers’ captain, had been keen to buy 2011 World Cup’s Player of the Tournament.Although there was no official reaction from the franchise, it is understood that the Royal Challengers have not given up completely on Yuvraj. One of their strategies for the next auction is to release high-value players like Yuvraj, use the money to buy other players and attempt to buy Yuvraj back for a smaller amount.

Suriname’s withdrawal from the ICC World Cricket League Division 5 due to violations of player-eligibility guidelines was the culmination of a five-month investigation sparked by documents submitted by Vanuatu Cricket Association president Mark Stafford

Peter Della Penna04-Mar-2016Suriname’s withdrawal from the ICC World Cricket League Division 5 due to violations of player-eligibility guidelines was the culmination of a five-month investigation sparked by documents submitted by Vanuatu Cricket Association president Mark Stafford. According to an ICC statement announcing Suriname’s withdrawal from Division 5, disciplinary charges were brought against the Surinaamse Cricket Bond with respect to player-eligibility regulations following the ICC’s own investigation into the matter.”We believe the material we have collated is more than sufficient to create a ‘reasonable suspicion’ that breaches of the Regulations have occurred and that the Head of Legal should carry out a detailed investigation in which copies of all passports, entry visas, employment records, playing records and related documents should be furnished to the Head of Legal to enable him to verify the claims made as to eligibility,” Stafford wrote to ICC head of legal Iain Higgins in a 15-page document on October 7, a copy of which has been obtained by ESPNcricinfo; the document was submitted along with a 19-page supplementary evidence document.Vanuatu had finished third after losing to eventual champions Suriname in a semi-final at WCL Division 6, held between September 7 and 13 in Essex, and Suriname was promoted to Division 5 at Vanuatu’s expense. Following Suriname’s withdrawal, Vanuatu will now replace Suriname at Division 5, which will be played from May 21-28 in Jersey.Stafford’s letter on behalf of the VCA included detailed notes from Vanuatu’s own investigation and asked for Higgins and the ICC to take the matter further with their own investigation. Stafford’s submission cast doubts pertaining to the eligibility of at least six members of Suriname’s squad including star allrounder Wasim Haslim, WCL Division 6 leading wicket-taker Muneshwar Chris Patandin, and Player of the Tournament Gavin Singh, who all originally hail from neighbouring Guyana.The ICC announcement claims that the SCB has now accepted that “it failed in its duty to ensure the provision of accurate residency information to the ICC in respect of a number of players.” Prior to participating in any ICC tournaments in the future, the SCB “will be required to satisfy to the ICC that it has put in place robust processes for maintaining accurate residency records and ensuring the compliance of all Suriname teams with the player eligibility regulations.”According to ICC eligibility guidelines, non-citizens must be residents of the country they are aiming to represent for a minimum of 183 days per year in the four years prior to the start of a tournament in order to qualify. Much of the evidence compiled and submitted are links to scorecards from various club matches played by the players outside of Suriname, demonstrating their participation in club seasons in the UK, Guyana, Canada and the USA.Stafford’s letter made a case that the evidence demonstrates the improbability of each player being able to fly back and forth to Suriname in between matches during the club cricket season, therefore reducing the likelihood that they satisfied the 183-day residency requirement. The scorecard evidence was also complemented by other documents including numerous time and location stamped social media posts made by the players or their family members showing them consistently outside Suriname for lengthy periods of time, as well as public property records showing players owning and operating residences and businesses in the USA.Another point raised by Stafford is that ICC eligibility criteria also states a player needs play in “50% of the domestic league matches that his club was scheduled to play within the relevant domestic structure in any 3 of the preceding 5 domestic league seasons”. Vanuatu’s letter contends that a traditional season runs for 15-20 weeks but that Suriname allegedly manipulated this by scheduling a five-team round-robin domestic tournament in which each team played four games, meaning that a player would only have to play two games in Suriname to meet the 50% stipulation.Stafford wrote that concerns over the eligibility of many of Suriname’s players were brought to his attention prior to the start of the Division 6 tournament. Stafford served as the team’s tour manager at the tournament and writes that Vanuatu team management tried to raise the issue with ICC officials at an ICC technical meeting on September 6, the night before the first match of the tournament, but says that his attempt was unsuccessful.The VCA’s 19-page supplementary letter with appendices also states that they received supporting evidence from Botswana Cricket Association, whose national side also played at Division 6, to demonstrate that Suriname fell foul of the eligibility rules. Among the other pieces of supporting evidence were press conference and interview transcripts from cricket officials in the Nickerie district of Suriname, who claimed that local players were losing interest after being passed over in favor of Guyanese players that were suspected of being ineligible to represent Suriname due to their foreign residency.

Phil Parkinson has claimed that the international call-ups for James McClean and Jacob Mendy demonstrate Wrexham's "profile" is "different level".

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McClean called up IrelandMendy made it to the Gambia bench against BurundiParkinson thrilled with international call-upsWHAT HAPPENED?

Wrexham will miss the services of Mendy and McClean against Accrington Stanley in League Two as the players have been called up by Gambia and the Republic of Ireland, respectively. While McClean was set to retire from international football against New Zealand on November 21, injuries to Will Smallbone and Festy Ebosele forced manager Stephen Kenny to call him up for the weekend's Euro 2024 qualifier against the Netherlands as well.

The international call-ups have been well welcomed by Parkinson as, despite losing key players, he believes they reinstate the quality his side have despite plying their trade in League Two.

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Speaking to he said: "It just shows that playing for Wrexham you're getting recognition, irrespective of being in League Two. The profile of the club, it's kind of a different level for a normal League Two club because of the reasons that everybody knows."

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Mendy was an unused substitute during Gambia's 3-2 loss to Burundi, but Parkinson hopes that he will get some minutes in the next match against Ivory Coast on Sunday to prove his mettle on the international stage.

"The Gambian manager has been monitoring him, closely," Parkinson said. "There's other players in his position and he's got competition as you'd expect. But he's done well to get in there. Obviously, he wants to have some minutes to show what he can do. I'd like to see him get some game time and not have a trip where he goes there and is just a squad player. Obviously we've got a lot of belief in Jacob and we think he's a really good player."

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WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

Parkinson will have to trust his squad depth against Accrington on Saturday as McClean and Mendy are away with their respective national teams. On the other hand, McClean will be itching to get a run against the Dutch on Saturday. It could end up being his final competitive match for Ireland before calling curtains on his international career against the Kiwis next Tuesday.

Lionel Messi has sat out four successive games for Inter Miami, but the Argentine superstar may figure in MLS again before the 2023 season is over.

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All-time great nursing a knockHas sat out four games in a rowNo risks taken on his fitnessWHAT HAPPENED?

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner has been ruled out for the Florida-based franchise at the worst possible time, with a dip in results seeing their play-off dreams fade. A 4-1 defeat at the Chicago Fire last time out may have put the final nail in that coffin.

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Messi is nursing an injury picked up while on 2026 World Cup qualifying duty with Argentina in September, with no risks being taken on his fitness, but Tata Martino has said when asked if the all-time great will figure in any of Inter Miami’s final three games of the current campaign in America: “I think he’s getting closer to playing again. As we said, we’ll evaluate him tomorrow and Friday to see if he’s in condition [to play]. The most important thing is he’s leaving his injury behind and slowly discovering his best form… we’ll see what’s most convenient ahead of the next game. I suppose just like Barcelona in their moment, PSG [Paris Saint-Germain] in their moment, the Argentine national team in their moment, why wouldn’t we miss having the best player in the world? Even when we win, we miss him.”

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Messi inspired Inter Miami to a historic Leagues Cup triumph within weeks of his arrival in the United States, while also helping them to the U.S. Open Cup final, but Martino says acquiring the South American superstar was always part of a long-term plan. He added: “I always thought that these six months were to shape the club, and have an excellent 2024.”

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Inter Miami may have to turn their attention towards next season, when Messi will be fully rested and recovered, as they have just three more games to take in this term and a five-point gap to try and bridge to the Eastern Conference play-off places.

Scotland captain Preston Mommsen’s unbeaten 44-ball 68 went in vain after his bowlers and fielders conceded too many runs, to allow Netherlands to amass 191 for 6, for a 32-run win

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jul-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsWesley Barresi struck five sixes and seven fours during his 40-ball 75•ICC/Donald MacLeodScotland captain Preston Mommsen’s unbeaten 44-ball 68 went in vain after his bowlers and fielders conceded too many runs, to allow Netherlands amass 191 for 6. Netherlands’ 32-run win was set up by Wesley Barresi’s quick start and Peter Borren’s surge at the end which helped them collect 56 runs in the last five overs, after Scotland had dropped Barresi twice early on in the same over.Opting to bat with an unchanged side from the game against Afghanistan, Netherlands lost their first wicket, that of Stephan Myburgh, to Alasdair Evans in the third over before Ben Cooper joined Barresi. In their second-wicket partnership of 82 runs, Cooper’s contribution was only 12 off 14 as Barresi unleashed several orthodox shots, including drives and cuts before he was given two reprieves in three balls in the sixth over. He soon struck a six to make Scotland realise the price of that. He was particularly harsh against Michael Leask and Richie Berrington, collecting 25 runs off eight balls, put together. Evans provided a bit of respite by getting both batsmen out in the 11th over, but that only brought Borren on the pitch.The run rate was over nine when he walked out and he made sure it fell only fleetingly. After relying on singles early on, he let loose with two leg-side heaves in the 15th over, and pelted Watt for 19 runs in the 17th over with slog-sweeps and a reverse-sweep. His fifty off 24 balls acted as the a burn in the wounds after Scotland had hurt themselves to allow Barresi’s fifty off 27 balls. An 18-ball 24 from Roelof van der Merwe lifted them past 190. Evans took two more in his last over to finish with a career-best 5 for 24.Scotland, in response, were in a spot of bother early on after losing their openers in the first nine balls. They struggled to get partnerships going as left-arm spinners van der Merwe and Pieter Seelaar got the next four batsmen out, three of them holing out in the deep, to leave them reeling at 75 for 6. The required rate had shot up to 14 when Safyaan Sharif joined Mommsen with eight overs to go. Mommsen chaperoned the partnership of 80 runs for nearly eight overs, but it was a near-impossible task to accomplish with the tail and despite some meaty blows till the end, Scotland were all out for 159.

Glamorgan’s veteran left-arm spinner Dean Cosker has brushed aside whether he might be included in Kevin Pietersen’s list of “muppets” as he prepares to play a supporting role in his Cardiff comeback

David Hopps02-Apr-2015Glamorgan’s veteran left-arm spinner Dean Cosker has brushed aside whether he might be included in Kevin Pietersen’s list of the “muppets” that he believes are filling up the lower ranks of professional cricket in England to no apparent purpose.But he has taken the chance nonetheless to reference the “respect and humility” that he believes are the cornerstones of the county game.There was no disguising the anticipation from Cosker, in common with all of county cricket’s relatively unsung professionals, as Pietersen prepares to make a startling re-entry to Championship cricket this month in the hope of forcing his way back into England’s Ashes line up.Cosker, 37, is about to notch up his 20th season in first-class cricket, a commendable record but a world away now from his time as an England A tourist in Sri Lanka when he briefly hoped to break into international cricket in the early 1990s. That break never came, but he knows he will be playing a supporting role in the most highly-trumpeted comeback of the season when Pietersen pitches up in Cardiff on April 19.He has dismissed Pietersen twice before – two wickets of the 589 he has taken in first-class cricket – and he knows that his bowling style has been held to cause the batsman problems at the height of his career.“Luckily enough, we’ve got a left-arm spinner that might be able to get him out,” Cosker said, with a grin. “That’s the plan.”Pietersen’s renewed hope of a Test recall – despite his sacking after the 2013/14 Ashes whitewash – has been encouraged by several conversations with the ECB’s incoming chairman Colin Graves after Graves suggested that if he wanted to be considered he would first have to play county cricket.As he prepares for this unfamiliar feeling, and wondering if he can rekindle his ambition in front of modest crowds on the county circuit, Pietersen might regret his reference to some English professionals as “muppets” who might be better advised to get another job.Cosker, speaking at the ECB’s launch of the county season, made light of that but there was no missing his keen anticipation of the joust to come. “I don’t think professional players really take that on board,” he said. “Every professional cricketer has that professional pride, so I don’t think it needs anyone to rile them in that way.”I’ve always been taught to respect the game in any way you can. As soon as you start disrespecting the sport, then it gets a little bit awkward.”It’s respecting your opposition, whoever they are, and I’m sure Kevin has played against worse, and better, players than myself. So it’s all about humility and respect.”That reminder delivered, Cosker expressed the frisson of excitement in the Second Division this season as Pietersen attempts to challenge assumptions – still firmly implanted for many – that his England career is at an end.”`It’s great to see Kevin playing in championship cricket – we want to be bowling against those kind of players,” he said. “I’ve played against him quite a few times, and managed to get him out a couple of times. That’s not to say he hasn’t smashed me out of the park as well.”There’s been a lot of hype about how he does or doesn’t play left-arm spin very well. But I’ll just be going about my usual business.”