Lance Klusener becomes Proteas' assistant batting coach for T20Is against India

Agencies
August 23, 2019

Johannesburg, Aug 23: Former South Africa all-rounder Lance Klusener was on Friday appointed as the assistant batting coach of the national team for the three-match Twenty20 series against India in September.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) also announced that former pacer Vincent Barnes will serve as the assistant bowling coach. While Justin Ontong will retain his position as the assistant fielding coach in Enoch Nkwe's Proteas management.

"In terms of the new team structure the Team Director appoints his three assistant coaches who have specific skills focus in the three key disciplines of batting, bowling and fielding," CSA Acting Director, Corrie van Zyl, said in a statement.

"Former Proteas all-rounder Lance Klusener will fill the role of assistant coach (batting) for the T20 Series only as he is currently not available for all formats."

Klusener, considered one of the best all-rounders of his generation, has collected 1906 runs and 80 wickets in Tests, as well as 3576 runs and 192 wickets in ODIs.

He took up coaching with domestic side Hollywoodbets Dolphins from 2012-2016 before being appointed as batting coach for the Zimbabwe national team.

In July this year, he was appointed as the head coach of the Glasgow Giants for the cancelled inaugural edition of the Euro T20 Slam cricket tournament.

"His record as one of the best all-rounders in the world, particularly in white ball cricket, during his playing career speaks for itself and he also has extensive coaching experience both at franchise and international level," van Zyl said.

Barnes has a long history with the Proteas, having served as the bowling and then assistant coach from 2003 until 2011.

"Vincent Barnes will be the assistant coach (bowling). He also has extensive coaching experience at international level and his knowledge of playing conditions in India will make his contribution invaluable. Vincent currently also fills the role of the HP Bowling Lead for CSA."

Ontong, who has represented the national side in all three formats, also served as South Africa's fielding coach under Ottis Gibson before the restructuring.

"Justin Ontong will fill the role of assistant coach (fielding). He has built up a strong relationship with the players over the last two years and is an acknowledged expert in this department," the statement said.

Van Zyle also said: "Team director Enoch is targeting a batting coach who has extensive knowledge of Indian conditions for the Test series and we will be in a position to announce this successful candidate shortly."

Van Zyl added that all the technical staff -- performance analyst Prasanna Agoram, strength and conditioning coach Greg King and physiotherapist Craig Govender -- will continue in their positions, although Govender will be replaced temporarily for the India tour after he had knee surgery.

South Africa will travel to India for a three-match T20 series starting September 15. The two sides will then compete in a three-match Test series.

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News Network
April 5,2020

New Delhi, April 5: England batsman James Vince lashed out at people for not taking proper measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic and said people are going out as if "everything is normal".

"Just seen the pictures of people out and about today as if everything is normal. What selfish people, surely by now they've realised this is serious. Well done to everyone who's doing their bit and staying in," Vince tweeted.

On March 13, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said that Europe was now the 'epicentre' of the disease.

The death toll due to the novel coronavirus in the UK has exceeded 4,313 with at least 708 new deaths in the last 24 hours, the largest one-day rise since the start of the outbreak as confirmed by the Department of Health and Social Care.

The total number of cases in the UK as on Saturday is 41,903, a rise of 3,735 cases in the last 24 hours.

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News Network
May 7,2020

Melbourne, May 7: Australia opener Joe Burns is eyeing the Tests against India should they take place later this year, to stabilise his stop-start international career, saying "you want to play in and do well in" in this kind of series.

India is scheduled to play four Tests in Australia in December-January, a series which is currently in doubt due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has claimed over 2.5 lakh lives across the world.

"They are obviously world class team. I think the two teams going at each other will be very exciting to watch and players playing against each other as well," Burns told reporters in a video conference on Thursday.

"You look at the world ranking, they were number one and now we have got to number one, so I know that series will be anticipated by everyone and as a player this is a sort of series you want to play in and do well in."

With the coronavirus also threatening the T20 World Cup, Cricket Australia is under financial stress and has gone on a cost-cutting drive, which included standing down 80 per cent of its staff at 20 per cent salary.

There are also speculations that the Sheffield Shield for 2020-21 would be curtailed to cut costs.

Burns, however, hoped it won't be tinkered with.

"I love the fact we have a really strong first-class system. The 10 games, where you play everyone twice," Burns, who was struck down by a fatigue illness after an indifferent season, said.

"It leads to world-class players coming into Test teams. You don't want to see that get changed.

"Obviously it is unique circumstances at the moment and There's a lot of things to work through ... the players' association is consulted on those things."

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News Network
January 15,2020

Jan 15: Australia openers David Warner and Aaron Finch both struck superb centuries to complement their bowlers’ inspired display as the touring side handed out a 10-wicket thrashing to India in the opening one-day international in Mumbai.

India, world-ranked No 2 in ODIs, suffered a middle-order collapse on their way to being bundled out for 255 in the final over of their innings after Australia captain Finch won the toss and opted to field in the first of the three-match series.

Warner and Finch then smashed the Indian bowlers to all corners of the ground, picking up boundaries seemingly at will to chase down the target with 74 balls to spare at the Wankhede Stadium.

Left-handed Warner successfully used the decision review system twice to overturn the umpire’s decision on his way to his 18th ODI century, hitting three sixes and 17 fours in his unbeaten knock of 128, from 112 balls. Finch completed his 16th century in the format, his unbeaten innings 110 from 114 features two sixes and 13 fours.

Earlier, Australia’s left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc, who made his ODI debut in India 10 years ago, picked up three wickets to set up Australia’s victory. He struck the first blow with the new ball when he sent back Rohit Sharma for 10.

India managed to recover from that early loss through a second-wicket stand of 121 between opener Shikhar Dhawan, who top-scored for the hosts with 74, and KL Rahul. However left-arm spinner Ashton Agar broke the stand by dismissing Rahul for 47 before Agar caught Dhawan off Pat Cummins in the next over.

The hosts were hoping for a solid innings from captain Virat Kohli, who batted a position lower than his usual No 3 spot to accommodate Rahul, to get them out of trouble. However, he lasted only 14 balls, hitting leg-spinner Adam Zampa for a six before offering a return catch to the bowler on the very next delivery to be out for 16.

Starc then returned to the attack, removing Shreyas Iyer cheaply as India lost four wickets for 30 runs to be reduced to 164 for five. Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja then fell just short of a half-century partnership, before the remaining four wickets falling for 42 runs, with Cummins and fast bowler Kane Richardson picking up two wickets apiece for Australia.

To compound India’s woes, wicketkeeper Pant suffered a concussion after being hit on his helmet by a short-pitched delivery from Cummins. The Indian cricket board said Pant, who did not come out to keep wicket and was replaced behind the stumps by Rahul, was under observation. The two sides will meet in Rajkot for the second ODI on Friday.

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