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How to watch Middlesbrough against Hull City in the Championship in the US, as well as kick-off time and team news.

Middlesbrough still have a mathematical chance of automatic promotion from the Championship when they welcome Hull City to the Riverside Stadium on Wednesday.

💻 Watch Middlesbrough vs Hull City live on ESPN+ today!

After a three-game winless run, the 5-1 win over Norwich City strengthened Middlesbrough's hold in the top four, as Michael Carrick's men will be looking to keep up the momentum.

Hull City also depend on other results going their way in their bleak chances of making it to the Championship play-offs. Liam Rosenior's side are currently on a five-game unbeaten run in the league.

GOAL brings you details on how to watch the game on TV in the US as well as how to stream live online.

Getty ImagesKick-off timeGame:Middlesbrough vs Hull CityDate:April 19, 2023Kick-off:3pm EDTVenue:Riverside Stadium

The Championship game between Middlesbrough and Hull City is scheduled for April 19, 2023, at the Riverside Stadium in Middlesbrough, England.

It will kick off at 3pm EDT in the US.

AdvertisementGettyHow to watch Middlesbrough vs Hull City online – TV channels & live streamsTV channels & streaming options

Country TV channel Live stream

U.S.N/AESPN+

In the United States (US), the game can be watched live on ESPN+.

(C)Getty ImagesTeam news & squadsMiddlesbrough team news

Middlesbrough's win against Norwich came at the cost of injuries to Aaron Ramsey and Marcus Forss, with the duo expected to be unavailable till next month, along with Riley McGree, who is already sidelined with an ankle injury.

Cameron Archer and Chuba Akpom will hence take on the responsibilities upfront.

At the back, Matthew Clarke will also miss Wednesday's game due to a back problem.

Middlesbrough possible XI: Steffen; Smith, McNair, Lenihan, Giles; Howson, Hackney; Jones, Akpom, Mowatt; Archer

Position Players

GoalkeepersSteffen, Roberts, DanielsDefendersFry, McNair, Lenihan, Giles, Bola, Dijksteel, Smith, FisherMidfieldersMowatt, Barlaser, Hackney, Howson, McGree, Crooks, JonesForwardsAkpom, Walker, Archer, MunizHull City team news

An ankle injury keeps Oscar Estupinan from action, as Ozan Tufan and Adama Traore should continue tu push in attack.

The on-loan attacker from Brighton, Aaron Connolly, is meanwhile ruled out for the rest of the season after breaking his toe in February.

Hull City possible XI: Darlow; Coyle, McLoughlin, Greaves, Elder; Sayyadmanesh, Seri, Slater, Vaughan; Tufan, Traore

Position Players

GoalkeepersDarlow, Ingram, Baxter, Lo-TutalaDefendersGreaves, Figueiredo, A. Jones, McLoughlin, Elder, Christie, CoyleMidfieldersWoods, Slater, Simons, Tufan, Seri, Docherty, C. Jones, Traore, Pelkas, Sayyadmanesh, Ebiowei, Longman, CovilForwardsTettehHead-to-head record

Date Result Competition

November 2, 2022Hull City 1-3 MiddlesbroughChampionshipApril 9, 2022Middlesbrough 0-1 Hull CityChampionshipOctober 2, 2021Hull City 2-0 MiddlesbroughChampionshipJuly 2, 2020Hull City 2-1 MiddlesbroughChampionshipNovember 24, 2019Middlesbrough 2-2 Hull CityChampionshipENJOYED THIS STORY?

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GettyUseful links

Middlesbrough team home page

Live soccer on TV in the U.S.

USMNT's Steffen vents about World Cup snub

Salah, Solskjaer, and the men in white suits.

English football’s fiercest rivalry resumes on Monday, as Manchester United take on Liverpool at Old Trafford.

With 133 major trophies between them, including 39 league titles, this is unquestionably a meeting of the country’s two biggest and most successful clubs, even if both arrive into the fixture in need of a win after underwhelming (Liverpool) or downright appalling (United) starts to the campaign.

Last season’s ‘contests’ were anything but, Liverpool winning 5-0 at Old Trafford in October and following that up with an equally dominant 4-0 win at Anfield in April. The job of Erik ten Hag, the new man in charge at United, is to at least make things competitive this time around.

Whatever happens, though, it’ll do well to match the drama, excitement and sheer quality of some of these classic meetings from the last 30 years…

GettyRuddock’s rescue job: Liverpool 3-3 Manchester United, January 1994

It says a lot about how far Liverpool fell in the early 1990s that a home draw, in which they had trailed 3-0 after 23 minutes, represents one of the high points.

But this was the last Liverpool-United game played in front of the old standing Kop, and boy were they given a treat. 

United, en route to their second successive league title, raced into a seemingly-unassailable lead through Steve Bruce’s header, Denis Irwin’s free kick and Ryan Giggs’ perfect chip, but Liverpool hit back before half-time through two goals from the otherwise underwhelming Nigel Clough.

The second half ebbed and flowed until, with 11 minutes left, Stig Inge Bjornebye clipped in a cross and Neil Ruddock attacked it with venom, heading past Peter Schmeichel for 3-3.

United went on to win the league as expected, while Liverpool would part company with manager Graeme Souness a few weeks after this game. They ended the season eighth, their lowest finish for 31 years.

AdvertisementGettyCantona’s comeback: Manchester United 2-2 Liverpool, October 1995

It was all about one man when Liverpool travelled to Old Trafford, early in the 1995-96 season.

Eric Cantona had served an eight-month ban after attacking a Crystal Palace fan during a game at Selhurst Park, but had been convinced to remain at United by manager Alex Ferguson, who thrust him straight into the starting XI for Liverpool’s visit.

Ferguson was rewarded instantly, Cantona creating a goal for Nicky Butt inside two minutes, but Liverpool had their own superstar emerging at that time, and Robbie Fowler levelled with a wonderful strike past Schmeichel, before muscling out Gary Neville to make it 2-1.

Cantona, though, had the last word, equalising from the penalty spot with 20 minutes remaining, celebrating in iconic fashion by climbing the stanchion. 

Liverpool got their revenge when the sides met at Anfield that December, Fowler scoring twice in a 2-0 win, but Cantona would have the final say in the campaign…

GettyThe White Suits final: Manchester United 1-0 Liverpool, May 1996

It will be forever be remembered as the game which cemented the image of Liverpool’s ‘Spice Boys’ in the eyes of the world, but it was also one which secured United their second league and cup double in the space of three seasons. 

Liverpool had, boldly, opted for white suits for their second FA Cup final appearance in four years, taking advantage of goalkeeper David James’ working relationship with Giorgio Armani. 

United, who had sensibly opted for a more classic, were the ones who got the cream, however, Cantona’s late volley – after a poor punch from James – securing victory in an awful game, and ensuring the Liverpool suits would pass into folklore for all the wrong reasons.

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GettySolskjaer’s stunner: Manchester United 2-1 Liverpool, January 1999

Manchester United completed an unprecedented – and as yet unrepeated – treble in 1998-99, winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in the space of 10 days. 

But Liverpool came as close as anyone to ending that dream. Gerard Houllier’s side were just two minutes away from victory at Old Trafford in the FA Cup fourth round, only for United to summon the kind of late drama for which Ferguson’s side became renowned.

First Dwight Yorke equalised in the 88th minute and then, in stoppage time, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer swivelled in the box to fire inside the near post and seal a remarkable comeback.

It would not be the Norwegian’s last great contribution that season…

From getting Ronaldo onside to bloodying the nose of Pep and Klopp, these are the key objectives he needs to nail in his first season…

Erik ten Hag's gigantic task of getting the Manchester United juggernaut back on the road is as big as it gets in a footballing sense, and one that proved too big for David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

With Manchester City and Liverpool setting a new standard and pulling further away from the chasing pack, a Premier League title challenge is beyond them, so what will success look like in Ten Hag’s first year in charge?

GOAL has had a look at seven areas that will define the Dutchman's first season at the helm.

(C)Getty ImagesHandling Ronaldo

Ronaldo is absolutely pivotal to United’s hopes.

He has been labelled the problem and the cure – but the benefits of a fully firing Ronaldo outweigh the negatives.

He proved once again last season that he remains a devastating centre forward with 24 goals in all competitions. And after United had to watch on as targets Erling Haaland and Darwin Nunez joined City and Liverpool, they will have to rely on their veteran striker to provide the bulk of their firepower.

But it will be about Ten Hag finding a way to fit the Portuguese into his system while accepting that he will not press in the manner of modern forwards.

United will have to rely on other players picking up the slack in the knowledge that Ronaldo will deliver in front of goal.

It is a delicate balancing act – and one that could be absolutely critical to Ten Hag’s first season.

AdvertisementGettyRevitalise Rashford and Sancho

Jadon Sancho endured an underwhelming start to life at United – going from a key member of Gareth Southgate’s England squad to a major doubt for the World Cup.

He has it all to do to make Qatar – even after FIFA extended the squad lists to 26 players. But his priority is to kick start his United career.

Sancho was supposed to be the iconic winger United fans have been crying out for since Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure in 2009. He could still be that – and it was hardly ideal for him to see the manager who signed him get the sack a few months later.

He had some of his brighter moments under Ralf Rangnick and Ten Hag will need to build on that.

Marcus Rashford is another who needs some love from the new manager.

He is also fighting for his World Cup place and wants Ten Hag to let him establish himself on the left of attack.

He is hopeful he will finally get the sort of man-management and coaching he has lacked since bursting onto the scene six years ago.

If Ten Hag can get the best out of Rashford and Sancho, it would breathe new life into United’s attack.

GettyChampions League qualification

The absolute minimum requirement in his first season is to get United back to the top table of European football.

They have gone from being a club that would qualify for the Champions League on muscle memory alone, to one that has become all too used to missing out.

The problem for Ten Hag is that the battle for the top four maybe at its most fierce this season, with a rejuvenated Tottenham under Antonio Conte, Arsenal making strides and Chelsea a regular fixture.

Throw in West Ham – and maybe even a newly-monied Newcastle and United have a fight on their hands.

It would be hard to make any claim that the season was a success if United miss out on the Champions League for a second year in succession.

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GettyA trophy… any trophy

It is five years since United last picked up some silverware. Five long years of false dawns and empty promises, reboots and reshuffles.

When Mourinho led them to the double of the Carabao Cup and Europa League in 2017, it felt like the good times were set to return.

He guided them to second place the following season and the FA Cup final.

In the meantime United have had to watch on as City and Liverpool have dominated and set new standards.

It has been painful viewing – and while Solskjaer came within a penalty shoot-out of delivering the Europa League, United have been nowhere near close enough to lifting major honours on a regular basis.

Ten Hag is used to picking up silverware – winning three Eredivisie titles and two Dutch Cups in his time at Ajax.

He would join a select group of United managers if he can deliver any trophy at Old Trafford.

Pakistan’s Interior Ministry has cleared the national men’s and women’s teams to travel to India for the World T20

Umar Farooq and Nagraj Gollapudi11-Mar-2016Pakistan’s Interior Ministry has cleared the national men’s and women’s teams to travel to India for the World T20. The decision came after the government received letters from the West Bengal state government and Kolkata’s police commissioner Rajeev Kumar, assuring special security measures for Pakistan’s men’s team while in Kolkata, where their match against India will be played on March 19. The teams are expected to arrive in India on Saturday.*Najam Sethi, the chairman of the PCB’s executive committee, met Pakistan’s interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Khan on Friday and later informed the media that the government had received “solid assurances” from India’s Ministry of Home Affairs.”We have got the assurances we had wanted from India [the federal home ministry and the West Bengal government] about the security around the Pakistan teams and the good news for the fans is that Chaudhry Nisar has said the teams can travel to India,” Sethi said. “Chaudhry Nisar said that the government has received solid assurances from the Indian home ministry so we can send our teams to India. The team will be leaving either tonight or tomorrow morning.”Cricket Association of Bengal president Sourav Ganguly had submitted the letters from Kumar and West Bengal’s chief minister Mamata Banerjee to the ICC on Thursday afternoon. According to two senior CAB officials, the content in both letters, which were addressed to CAB, was brief: both Banerjee and Kumar stated they will take responsibility for the Pakistan team’s security for the duration of their stay in Kolkata for the match against India.On Thursday, India’s home minister, Rajnath Singh, had said: “Anyone coming to India will be provided security, there is no doubt about it.” Kuldip Singh Dhatwalia, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Home Affairs, reiterated the home minister’s statement. “Home Minister has already said it on record that government of India will provide all the due and proper security. It is not only for the Pakistani team, but for any other team also, the government of India is committed to provide the security,” Dhatwalia told ESPNcricinfo.The match was shifted to Kolkata from Dharamsala due to concerns over security of the Pakistan team. It is understood that the ICC had specifically asked the Cricket Association of Bengal, the host association for the match, to obtain the assurances.Both teams were scheduled to depart for India earlier this week, but the departure was put on hold due to the controversy over security assurances. The Pakistan men’s team is currently in Lahore, while the women’s team is in Karachi. The players were briefed by PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan on Thursday about the security situation in India.The ICC moved the match from Dharamsala to Kolkata, after Pakistan asked for a change in venue. The request was based on the report of a three-member delegation from Pakistan that visited India to assess security arrangements in Dharamsala, and stated that ‘security is not assured’ at the venue.The Pakistan government had initially cleared the team to play in India, but the board decided to put the visit on hold until they were guaranteed foolproof security. The PCB’s move was prompted after the Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh had expressed concerns over providing security for the match in Dharamsala. 1203 GMT, March 11, 2016. The news piece was updated after the Pakistan government cleared the teams to travel to India

The ECB has delayed the announcement of the West Indian Test and one-day tour parties, and will now unveil its squads on Wednesday afternoon

Wisden Cricinfo staff17-May-2016

Andrew Caddick: thanks but no thanks
© Cricinfo

The ECB has delayed the announcement of the West Indian Test and one-day tour parties, and will now unveil its squads on Wednesday afternoon. It had been assumed that the selectors would have completed their global consultations over the weekend – involving Duncan Fletcher in South Africa and Rod Marsh in Australia – but they have opted to delay for 24 hours.It could well be that there are one or two last-minute bleep tests to carry out. The bulk of the selectors’ conversation will have been about the fitness – or rather lack of – of their seam bowlers. The main contenders are in various states of unreadiness, and it is not inconceivable than the bulk of the front-line choices could be ruled out on medical grounds.The key man in the whole business of who goes to the West Indies is Peter Gregory, the England doctor. David Graveney, the chairman of selectors, made it clear that no player would make the trip if he couldn’t satisfy Gregory that he was fit.”We have to listen to Peter Gregory and his input will be crucial,” said Graveney. “In view of what has happened last year in Australia, we must be sure that we don’t select players who aren’t going to last. The medical team on tour simply can’t treat ongoing injuries as well as those that are bound to crop up, otherwise it’ll be chaotic.”That leaves three men – Simon Jones, Andrew Caddick and Steve Harmison – sweating by the telephone. Caddick has the most to fear – Graveney said as much – as he has still not resumed bowling following surgery last summer. Jones is reported to be bowling well in the nets but, like Caddick, he is woefully short of any match practice. The selectors will not gamble on both of them, and so Jones’s youth – and the fact that he has at least started bowling – will count in his favour.The questions surrounding Harmison’s suitability are quite different. His fitness is an issue, but perhaps no more than his growing reputation as being a difficult tourist. Stories abound that since his early return from Bangladesh he has been markedly reluctant to fall into line with what England believe is the best rehabilitation for him. Several influential members of the England camp are reported to be less than thrilled with his overall attitude.If all three were to be ruled out, England’s attack looks decidedly weak. Andrew Flintoff is a certainty, James Anderson not far short of being one, and the rest include Matthew Hoggard, Richard Johnson, James Kirtley and Martin Saggers from the autumn tours. It’s not quite scraping the barrel, but with West Indies pace attack in disarray, it will not be a battle of the world-class fast men.The spinners are easy to pick now that Robert Croft has withdrawn his hat from the ring, and the two allrounders – Flintoff and Rikki Clarke – pick themselves in the absence of any realistic alternatives. The same applies to the wicketkeepers.The batting is also more straightforward, with the same six as toured Bangladesh and Sri Lanka almost certain to retain their places.Possible squad Michael Vaughan (capt), Marcus Trescothick, Mark Butcher, Nasser Hussain, Graham Thorpe, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Rikki Clarke, Chris Read (wk) Geraint Jones (wk), Ashley Giles, Gareth Batty, Steve Harmison, Richard Johnson, James Anderson, Simon Jones.

Jackson Bird stunted a Durham afternoon comeback with two wickets in two balls as Hampshire edged the first day of their LV= County Championship Division One clash at the Ageas Bowl

ECB/PA19-Jul-2015
ScorecardMichael Richardson fell nine runs short of his hundred•Getty ImagesJackson Bird stunted a Durham afternoon comeback with two wickets in two balls as Hampshire edged the first day of their LV= County Championship Division One clash at the Ageas Bowl.Australian fast bowler Bird produced a thunderous spell with the second new ball to first end a frustrating 142-run fifth wicket stand between Michael Richardson and Gordon Muchall before getting Ryan Pringle out for a duck with his next delivery.Richardson departed nine runs short of what would have been a fifth career first-class century and Muchall ended on an unbeaten 85 as Durham reached 278 for 6 at the close.After losing the toss under blue skies and a green-tinged wicket, Division One’s bottom side Hampshire struck in the first over of the match as Mark Stoneman was trapped on the pads by the pacy Bird.He nearly had Scott Borthwick with the next delivery but Liam Dawson – who was recalled from his successful loan from Essex last week – shelled it at second slip.James Tomlinson was not included in the last two County Championship games at Middlesex and Worcestershire after only taking 16 wickets in his first seven matches of the season.But he came back with a bang as he picked up two scalps before lunch, trapping debutant Graham Clark in front before Paul Collingwood chipped to Jimmy Adams at mid-off.Dawson dropped Borthwick for a second time on 15, but had the last laugh when he had him lbw to the last ball of the morning session attempting to play an ugly sweep – departing for one short of a third fifty in four innings.Richardson and Muchall came out after the lunch break with survival on their mind and steered Durham back on track with a hard grafted 142-run stand.Richardson in particular impressed with his slow paced 122 ball fifty – his fourth of the season – before his batting partner reached the same milestone in an equally sluggish 136 balls.Hampshire’s attack bowled with more control than in previous four-day matches this season, but could not make a breakthrough in the afternoon.Neither batsman offered a sniff of a chance until Bird made the double breakthrough with the second new ball.Bird fashioned an in-ducker to Richardson, who did not offer a shot as he was struck in front, before Pringle edged to James Vince at first slip next ball – giving Bird his 150th first class wicket – and the Australian finished with figures of 3 for 80.Usman Arshad blocked out the hat-trick delivery, but was lucky in the next over after Gareth Berg spilled his edge to third slip and he composed himself to reach 19 not out at stumps.

Kumar Sangakkara has said that he made his decision to retire after careful consideration with his family

Andrew Fidel Fernando in Colombo27-Jun-2015Though 37 years of age, Kumar Sangakkara has recently been in the form of his life. In 2014, he played Tests against Pakistan, England, South Africa, Bangladesh and New Zealand to hit 1438 runs at an average of 71.90. In the 12 months, he hit more international runs, across formats, than have ever been struck in a calendar year. In March, he became the first batsman to hit four ODI centuries on the trot, at the World Cup. And as his catching in the Pakistan series have shown, he remains as sharp as anyone in the Sri Lanka side.So why is he quitting now? Sangakkara said it was his father, who has been a well of advice to him throughout his career, who first suggested it may be time to step away.”My father, when I was at home with him a couple of years ago in Kandy, asked me: ‘Don’t you think it’s time you started thinking about retirement?’ I got a shock. I thought, ‘What are you trying to tell me? That I’m not good enough?’ But then speaking to my mind, it actually made some sense. It was back in 2012 or 2013 when he asked me that, and it struck home. I thought, ‘Maybe it was time I paid attention to what’s happening.'”Then when I had my back injury against India in October last year and I came back, it just kind of felt right. The voice in my head was there from maybe that July South Africa series when Mahela decided to retire. It was strange because I had decided before him to start writing a letter, when he called me and told me that he was retiring. I said, ‘Okay, that’s fine. We can’t have two people going at the same time.'”But I spoke to my father, and I spoke to my family. My wife told me that playing for Sri Lanka would be great for us as a family, because that meant I’d be spending a year at home. But even she felt that it was time for me to call it a day. When I heard that, I realised it was absolutely the right decision for me to make.”Had Sangakkara stayed on, he would have had several Test milestones on his horizon. He is fifth on the Test run-scorers list now, but on form, he might have conceivably finished with close to 14000 runs. He is also two short of 40 Test hundreds, though, in the five potential innings that remain, there remains a chance he could hit one more double-century to match Don Bradman’s tally of 12.”In Sri Lanka, we take pride in winning away from home and scoring runs away from home in conditions that are tough”•PA Photos”I’ve been told if I play another year or two years, I could score another 1000 runs. I might be the second highest run scorer, or I might be able to break the Don’s double-century record,” Sangakkara said. “But if you really think about it, if that’s the only reason you want to prolong your career, then it is really time to say, ‘Thank you very much.'”I’ve always prided myself on performing well for the side as an individual, but at the end of the day I want to be able to look my teammates in the eye and say I went out there because I really wanted to do well for the side, and it was nothing to do with individual records. I can do that right now. Extending my career for a year doesn’t make a lot of sense. Two to three years maybe, but then I’ll be 40, which is too long.”I still remember what Muttiah Muralitharan told me when he was retiring. When the selectors sat with him, and he said he’ll be playing only one Test in the India series, but he still needed eight wickets to reach his 800 wickets mark. We told him to play more matches and go for that 800 wickets. He said, ‘If I can’t take eight wickets in one match, there’s no point. If I take eight, we’re going to win that match.’ I’ll play my last two Tests the way I get them. I consider myself very fortunate to play for my country for 15 years.”Sangakkara said he took particular satisfaction from the runs he made overseas. He averages over 60 in Australia, New Zealand and the UAE, and more than 40 in England, with Test hundreds in all nations apart from the West Indies, where he’s played only seven innings.”In Sri Lanka, we take pride in winning away from home and scoring runs away from home in conditions that are tough. So I’ve enjoyed every hundred I’ve scored, but the ones away from home are special.”The third Test against South Africa in Centurion in my second Test series, I was batting on 98 – and I hope I don’t get in trouble with the ICC – but I got a pretty bad decision. I was on 98 batting with Ruchira Perera at the other end. That was a really important innings for me because I played against a really tough pace attack – quick wickets – and that was probably the first time I thought I can become a Test player. My first Test series in Sri Lanka, I had had a terrible time.”Then scoring a century against Australia was special. I had a grade two hamstring injury, and I managed to get back in 16 days and score a century in Hobart, in a losing cause unfortunately. Everyone wants to score runs against Australia, because you consider them the toughest side.”Then there was the hundred in England at the Rose Bowl, which was very, very satisfying. I’ve found England very hard to bat in. I’ve watched Marvan score runs there, Dilshan, Mahela, Aravinda, Sanath all got runs. I watched all these players, and when I found it difficult, I had to come to terms not only with conditions, but also my own expectations.”Sangakkara’s major disappointments were no surprise. He was captain when Sri Lanka were runners up in the 2009 World T20 and the 2011 World Cup. He also played in the 2007 World Cup final and 2012 World T20 final, both of which Sri Lanka lost. He is part of the reigning World T20 champion team however, having hit an unbeaten fifty in the final of that tournament, in Dhaka.What is Sangakkara’s biggest regret?: “I think there have been about four sad days – all the World Cup finals where we didn’t cross the line.”•Getty Images”I think there have been about four sad days – all the World Cup finals where we didn’t cross the line. You wish you’d been on the other side, but you can’t help it. Imagine if I’d been able to walk away with two 50-over World Cup wins and three T20-over World Cup wins. That would be amazing.”But I’ve been a part of some very special teams. I’ve watched Aravinda de Silva, Arjuna Ranatunga, Sanath Jayasuriya and Marvan Atapattu bat. I’ve watched Murali and Chaminda Vaas bowl amazing spells – Vaasy especially on the dirt tracks in Sri Lanka. Rangana Herath – who would have thought, looking at Rangana, that he’d have the record he has? It’s unbelievable. I’ve been part of some special teams and some special wins. There are sad days, but a lot of better days that I remember.”

A round-up of IPL news on April 5, 2015

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Apr-20150:42

Starc to join Bangalore after ‘three of four games’

Virat Kohli believes that Royal Challengers Bangalore’s three key batsmen – himself, Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers – will be able to play more freely this season due to the franchise’s improved batting depth, following the acquisition of players such as Dinesh Karthik and Darren Sammy.”I think this season is pretty different for us because for the past three or maybe four years, myself, Chris and AB have played under a lot of pressure because the batting revolved around the three of us,” Kohli said. “If you look at a few of the other teams they had a lot of depth in batting so guys could go in and play freely. But we had to be cautious and at the same time look to score runs.”But this time we have got Dinesh Karthik, Darren Sammy. We have got youngsters like Mandeep Singh, and Badrinath as well. It is a very strong batting unit this time and we have got really good depth and some really good power hitters.”I think myself, Chris and AB can play the way we always wanted to play in T20. Like you see AB playing the way he did in the World Cup, I am sure he will be feeling relieved that he can go out there and start playing like that from ball one. That is pretty exciting for us as a team.”Donald backs Aaron’s aggressionAllan Donald, the Royal Challengers bowling coach, is impressed with fast bowler Varun Aaron’s attitude and backs him to come good this IPL season. Although Aaron can hit speeds of 150 kph, he can be inaccurate and expensive. But Donald reasoned that extra pace was always a gamble worth taking.”When you look at guys like that – first of all your Brett Lees, (Mitchell) Johnsons so these guys always go for few runs but it’s their aggressive nature, their attacking nature that they bring to the game,” he said, “They are always hunting for wickets so pace brings a bit of looseness but it also brings wickets. So you won’t change that attitude. I’ve been in the same position before. May be narrow down the channels a little bit but not too much. We don’t want to take away that aggressive nature from Varun.”Donald was similarly pleased with the depth in fast-bowling resources and hoped they can compensate for the initial absences of Mitchell Starc and Adam Milne.”I heard last night that Starc has pulled out for three weeks. I think he will probably miss two to three games in this IPL and he will be coming over. Its a bit of big loss for us. Adam Milne is also struggling with a bruised heel, so he is very close to be back bowling again. But that’s an opportunity for other guys to step up.”The presence of Sean Abbott, David Wiese gives us great balance here. I followed especially Sandeep Warrier in the domestic competition. Ashok Dinda does what Ashok Dinda does. He always brings something new to the table.”‘Take Ranji Trophy seriously’ – DravidRahul Dravid, Rajasthan Royals’ mentor, urged India players to prioritise domestic cricket if they wanted to succeed in IPL.”My advice to young players is they also [should] take the Ranji Trophy very very seriously, because I think, without playing consistently successful domestic cricket, it is very very unlikely that you will be able to succeed coming to the IPL,” he said.”When we pick players, we look a lot at their Ranji Trophy performance as well. Of course there are specific T20 skills that we are looking for but we also want to see hunger, we also want to see consistency and we also want to see somebody who can deliver under pressure.”Royals had recruited Karun Nair last year on the back of three successive centuries in his debut season of first-class cricket. This year, Delhi Daredevils snapped up Shreyas Iyer, who made 809 runs at 50.56 in the Ranji Trophy. Siddesh Lad, 562 runs at 43.23, went to Mumbai Indians. Sheldon Jackson racked up 819 runs at 68.25 and found a place in Kolkata Knight Riders’ squad.T20 is easier for pacers than ODIs – IshantSunrisers Hyderabad pacer Ishant Sharma felt T20 was easier than ODIs for fast bowlers with the four-fielder rule absent in the shortest format.”T20 is still easy for a fast bowler than ODIs,” Ishant told in an interview. “At least in T20 cricket, there is an extra fielder outside the circle to give you protection unlike in ODI cricket which has the four-fielder rule in progress. So at least in T20 cricket, we can do the containing act with the added fielder.”Yes, the four-fielder rule is a problem, you ask any bowler. But there [are] certain things which are beyond your control. So, one has to abide by the rules that are being implemented by the international body and respect them. So, it’s important to rise above the challenges and do the most within the rules.”

Suresh Raina’s 32-ball 62 set Chennai Super Kings on course to 181 for 8, before Ashish Nehra’s four wickets for 10 runs sent Royal Challengers Bangalore’s chase into the Chinnaswamy Stadium dirt

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando22-Apr-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details4:54

Agarkar: Super Kings doing what they do best

Suresh Raina’s 32-ball 62 set Chennai Super Kings on course to 181 for 8, before Ashish Nehra’s four wickets for 10 runs sent Royal Challengers Bangalore’s chase into the Chinnaswamy Stadium dirt. Not even a half-century from Virat Kohli could lift his team off the bottom of the table, as Super Kings caught superbly, and bowled with discipline to find the hosts 27 runs short.Dwayne Smith struck his customary early boundaries, blasting two successive sixes and a four in David Wiese’s seventh over, but it was when Raina began to accelerate that Super Kings appeared to be headed to a daunting score.He had hit Harshal Patel for successive fours, then launched Wiese into the sightscreen in the Powerplay, having arrived soon after Yuzvendra Chahal’s legspin undid Brendon McCullum. But it was Raina’s dominance of spin that was the feature of his knock, and Iqbal Abdulla was his first slow-bowling victim. Raina advanced to send Abdulla’s first ball way back into the stands beyond long-on, before cracking him for a four past point then lifting him into the long on stand again two overs later.When Chahal came back into the attack, Raina became even more bloody-minded. A still out-of-sorts MS Dhoni turned the strike over to him at the start of the 13th over, and Raina went on the rampage. He ran down at the bowler and lifted him over long on, again, for six. He expected Chahal to drop the next one short, and stayed in his crease but, even when the bowler delivered a good-length ball, swung it high and hard over cow corner. The next slog-sweep was stuck less cleanly, but still comfortably cleared the rope. His undoing came when he tried to hit his first six against the spin, next ball. Rilee Russouw ran around from long off to pouch him comfortably.At 124 for 3 after 13 overs, Super Kings may have had designs for a score over 200, but Royal Challengers’ bowlers claimed wickets often enough to rein the run rate in. Dhoni holed out for a run-a-ball 13 attempting a big shot over cover, his promotion to no. 4 not having worked. Then Ravindra Jadeja and Dwayne Bravo both fell to Abdulla after mediocre knocks of their own.Faf du Plessis took a liking to Mitchell Starc towards the close, cracking two fours off the 17th over, while the remaining Super Kings batsmen gave him scant support. His unbeaten 33 from 18 balls lifted Super Kings above 180, even after Starc delivered a four-run final over.Having dropped Chris Gayle for this match, Royal Challengers’ chase began brightly enough. Manvinder Bisla hit a boundary either side of the wicket in Ishwar Pandey’s first over, then he and Russouw plundered 19 off Mohit Sharma. Nehra struck twice in the fourth over, and the hosts’ run rate plummeted from there.Virat Kohli began cautiously then freed his arms to hit two fours and a six off R Ashwin in the eighth over, but he could not hold onto his partners, thanks in part to Super Kings’ excellent fielding. Dinesh Karthik was out to a good diving catch from Dwayne Bravo at long-on, then when AB de Villiers turned to take a second run three overs later, Dhoni turned a mediocre throw into a run-out, by flicking the ball briskly onto the stumps to catch the batsman short of his ground.Kohli continued to watch wickets fall at the other end, and the chase foundered in the middle overs. With six overs to go, Royal Challengers needed 83 runs, with five wickets remaining. Kohli would battle on to 51 from 42 balls, but Nehra struck in successive balls to remove him and Harshal Patel in the 17th over, effectively sealing the game.

In the sixth episode of Contenders, a special ten-part buildup to the 2015 World Cup, Rahul Dravid and Graeme Smith discuss England’s chances

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Jan-2015England arrive at the World Cup having endured a few torrid months, especially in one-day cricket. After series losses to India at home and in Sri Lanka, the selectors decided to axe Alastair Cook as captain in favour of Eoin Morgan. In this episode of Contenders, former India captain Rahul Dravid and former South Africa captain Graeme Smith reflect on England’s chances in the tournament. Can the three-time finalists leave the distractions behind and finally win a World Cup? Is their formula for playing ODI cricket archaic? And could some of the emerging players make an impression on the biggest stage in the game?What they said about…Cook’s axing as captain
Dravid: Better late than never. It would have been really difficult for them to go into a World Cup with the captain in such poor form.
Smith: It’s very important that as a captain you perform yourself, that you lead by example and often that benefits your leadership. But for Alastair he just carried a huge amount of baggage since the Ashes.Pietersen’s absence
Dravid: In my opinion, they made that decision a little too early because he’s been a great player. And irrespective of what your feelings are about him, he’s a kind of player that can impact a game, change a game.
Smith: I think he’s very much an individual style cricketer and one of the things we also said was you either love him or you hate him. Probably within the team you also found that happening.England’s brand of ODI cricket
Dravid: I think England got stuck playing the same old form of cricket that they have always played and that got them great success till 1992. They never really adapted to and changed the way the game just changed all across the world.
Smith: If you look at England, it’s very methodical. It’s people who can do okay, maybe get you an 80 or 90.But there aren’t any guys there that can really break games at the moment and they need to start developing that mindset within their teams before the World Cup so that they can get say a 100 off 70 balls and win the game for the team.The opening game against Australia
Smith: I think for them to be playing against Australia at the MCG is going to be a huge motivation. They have an opportunity to say, ‘We are going to stamp our authority and we are going to beat the host in the first game up’.Morgan as captain
Dravid: When he first came on the scene, he was not burdened with the responsibility of trying to be the main batsman in the side or like the leader in the team. I just think over the last year, he almost feels like that, because a lot of younger players are coming in.
Smith: His greatest challenge is more behind the scenes – to give confidence to the guys, and give them a style of play that will suit them, create balance, and to relieve the darkness.Moeen Ali’s emergence
Dravid: He’s a lovely player to watch. He plays positively and looks to take the opposition on, which is a good thing. It allows England to have a left-right combination at the top, which is another advantage.
Smith: He surprised me. I thought he would be more methodical than what he has been, he’s shown a little bit of flair, and bowled offspins, which has been a bit of a surprise. He’s become an all-round package.James Anderson leading the attack
Dravid: He is important. Like Dale Steyn, he does swing the new ball upfront. He can take wickets upfront. His death bowling, remains to be seen, that for me is the uncertainty.Playing in Australian conditions
Dravid: What’s happened to England in the last few World Cups is that they’ve always played a lot of Test cricket and come into the World Cup after a really long winter. This time it’s relatively relaxed. They played a lot of ODIs in Sri Lanka, they are playing ODIs in Australia before the World Cup so I think that’s definitely going to help them.
Smith: They need the ball to swing, they need the ball to do something, they maybe lack a little bit of pace, but maybe Finn can provide it. Experience is certainly on their side with the two opening bowlers.