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Billy Godleman is standing in as captain of Derbyshire, winning cricket matches, scoring runs and enjoying life again

Tim Wigmore at Canterbury09-Jun-2015
ScorecardBilly Godleman, shown here applauded off by Cheteshwar Pujara [file picture]•PA PhotosThere was an understated satisfaction to Billy Godleman as, a little sheepishly, he raised his bat leaving the field. Derbyshire’s captain had engineered a remarkable turnaround in the match. Resolute and undefeated until the end, he had underpinned Derbyshire’s successful chase of 232.Just twelve months ago, Godleman’s very future as a professional cricketer was uncertain. He had not scored a first-class century since 2012. In mid-summer he was marooned in Derbyshire’s second team, a precarious existence for a 25-year-old who was out of contract in the winter.When Godleman was recalled for Derbyshire’s final six Championship games, he returned “100% playing for my career,” as he reflects. “There were times when I was very concerned about what would lie ahead in the future and whether it was actually going to be in the professional game.”No one would have envisaged such struggles when, as an 18-year-old opening batsman, Godleman scored 842 runs at 38.27 in 2007; that remains both his highest first-class aggregate and average in a campaign.”I was reasonably successful straight away from a young age. Then when I started not to do very well I didn’t quite know how to deal with that,” he admits. “I also realised that I wasn’t quite as good as I thought I was when I was 18, 19, 20.”Twice he suffered the pain of being released, by Middlesex in 2009 and again by Essex in 2012. Nine matches for Derbyshire in 2013 brought a miserable average of 17.18. When 2014 began equally badly, Godleman faced “accepting I wasn’t at the level that I thought I was. And then working out a method of dealing with disappointment and looking at every experience as an opportunity to learn something.”Of one thing Godleman was certain: he was not ready to abandon the game. With Derbyshire faring miserably, Graeme Welch sounded Godleman out. “You’ve got our full support, go and show us what you can do,” he was told.And then something seemed to click. At The Kia Oval last September, Godleman finally scored a century – and it was a match-winning one to boot. After his recall, Derbyshire won five of their last games. He earned a new one-year contract. After an encouraging start to the season and an injury to Wayne Madsen, Godleman was even entrusted with the captaincy, quite a turn-up for a man with a somewhat chequered past.It has evidently sat easily with him. Last week Godleman saved Derbyshire from defeat with an unbeaten 64 of 228 balls against Gloucestershire. Here, once again, Godleman’s defence was unbreachable in the fourth innings.Adhesiveness is integral to Godleman’s game. He knew that trying to mimic Chesney Hughes or Tillakaratne Dilshan when they were smiting Kent’s attack would be fool’s gold. Yet, as he showed with a series of rasping cuts and neat pushes through mid-on, he has also expanded his repertoire. Five half centuries at an average of 62.14 so far in 2015 are testament to that.”Previously he used to be a survivor, trying just to get through, and now he’s starting to develop the game to actually influence the play and put the bowler under more pressure and look to be more assertive,” says Neil Burns, who has worked extensively with Godleman.When Essex released Godleman, Burns devised a 60-month programme to turn his game around. “He’s had lots of ups and downs but the great thing about Billy is he’s prepared to look inside himself and do the tough learning.”Here Godleman’s assiduousness was rewarded with Derbyshire’s first victory at Canterbury since 1999; quite the reversal after Kent had cruised to 63-1 in their second innings, a lead of 182, before lunch on day two.Even a bumper crowd of school children on the third day would have done little for Kent’s mood. Darren Stevens was immediately whisked away to Maidstone, to play for the second XI, hoping to find some semblance of form after 16 runs in his last six first-class innings. On the evidence of this game, in which Kent hemorrhaged 20 wickets for just 317 runs, perhaps some of his teammates here should join him.

A collective bowling effort and fifties from R Samarth and KL Rahul underlined Karnataka’s dominance over Assam in Indore

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Feb-2015
ScorecardFile photo: KL Rahul scored 73 off 80 balls to add to his 91 in the first innings•Getty ImagesA collective bowling effort and fifties from R Samarth and KL Rahul underlined Karnataka’s dominance over Assam in Indore. The defending champions stretched their lead to 404 runs at stumps on the third day.Resuming from an overnight 58 for 3, Gokul Sharma and KB Arun Karthik pushed their fourth-wicket partnership to 62 runs before the latter fell to Shreyas GopalTarjinder Singh gave Gokul good support and grafted 30 off 80 balls to keep Karnataka at bay for 61 more runs. However, Vinay Kumar struck twice in the 68th over, first trapping Tarjinder lbw and bowling Gokul for 58.A collapse ensued as Assam lost their last four wickets for 16 runs and folded for 185. Shreyas and S Aravind collected three wickets each, while Abhimanyu Mithun and Vinay picked up two apiece.Buoyed by a first-innings lead of 262, the Karnataka openers Samarth and Rahul shared a partnership worth 124. Rahul struck 11 fours and a six, scoring at close to run-a-ball. The stand, though, ended in the 30th over when left-arm spinner Syed Mohammad dismissed Rahul for 73. Three overs later, Manish Pandey was bowled by seamer Krishna Das for a nine-ball duck, but Samarth and Robin Uthappa, stayed unbeaten on 54 and 6.Uthappa dropped down to No.4 as he was tired after keeping wicket. “CM Gautam was injured and Robin kept, so I asked him to bat at four. Robin was tired, I didn’t want him to open and his wicket is crucial to us. Also, Samarth is an opening batsman himself,” said Karnataka batting coach J ArunkumarGautam, who pulled a muscle while keeping, left the field on precautionary grounds, but is expected to bat tomorrow.

A pair of teenagers and a trio of New York Red Bulls headline Goal's selections as the best values, based on salary, in Major League Soccer

Salaries in Major League Soccer continue to rise, and have seen a considerable spike since the infusion of targeted allocation money in the past two seasons. That has led to a near doubling of the number of million-dollar salaries in the league, and a sizable jump in the number of players making more than $500,000.

That doesn't mean there still aren't some super-sized bargains to be had. Players signed via homegrown player deals and those who enter the league via the MLS draft continue to give MLS teams a steady stream of bargains, several of which make up the squad chosen by Goal to be part of the MLS Bargain XI, the best values in the league.

Here is the 2018 MLS Bargain XI, with salaries based on guaranteed compensation as released by the MLS players union last week .

Greg BartramGK Alex Bono, Toronto FC, $102,200The 24-year-old goalkeeper is in the midst of his second full season as Toronto FC's starter and is continuing to show improvement, building on his MLS Cup-winning 2017 season. His exploits in TFC's CONCACAF Champions League run turned heads, and he has also broken into the U.S. national team picture. Still playing on his rookie contract, Bono should be securing a new contract soon, assuming he doesn't head to Europe via transfer.AdvertisementRB Julian Gressel, Atlanta United, $111,250A midfielder who has thrived this season since being moved into a right wing-back role, Gressel has carried over the success from his MLS Rookie of the Year award-winning 2017 into the 2018 season. He has been one of the key reasons Tata Martino has seen his team enjoy such success playing in a 3-5-2 formation. The 24-year-old German-born standout should be drawing attention from scouts and will have a strong case for a new contract this winter.Mark J. RebilasCB Tim Parker, New York Red Bulls, $115,935How is Parker so underpaid? He's still playing on his original rookie contract, which expires at the end of this season. He is in line for a big payday this winter, either in Europe or in a new MLS deal. The Vancouver Whitecaps traded him rather than making him one of the league's highest-paid defenders. Since joining the Red Bulls, Parker has been outstanding and has helped his new team forge the best defense in club history.ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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CB Aaron Long, New York Red Bulls $73,125A repeat selection on the MLS Bargain XI, Long has followed up his breakout 2017 season with a strong start to 2018. His skill on the ball, coupled with an improving defensive skill set, make him one of the league's most underrated defenders. It shouldn't be long before the 25-year-old central defender secures a new contract with the Red Bulls.

Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham could reportedly face a 10-match ban for allegedly calling Getafe loanee Mason Greenwood a "rapist".

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Bellingham allegedly called Greenwood a "rapist"Spain's football federation investigatingMadrid star could be banned for 10 gamesGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The two England youngsters clashed during Madrid's 2-0 win at Getafe on February 1, with Bellingham allegedly mouthing the word "rapist" towards the Manchester United loanee. After Getafe lodged a complaint with La Liga's representative and a lip reader looked into the incident, writes that the league has referred this to the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE EXPLANATION

The report adds the RFEF are appointing a judge to fully investigate the incident and they will decide within the next two weeks whether the 20-year-old will be punished. If found guilty and it falls under the 'serious' category, the former Borussia Dortmund star could get a four-match ban but if considered 'grave', Bellingham may be suspended for 10 games. Both Madrid and Getafe would have 10 days to appeal that verdict.

Getty ImagesDID YOU KNOW?

Greenwood, 22, joined Getafe on loan last September – seven months after charges of attempted rape, assault, and coercive control were dropped. The forward was first arrested in January 2022 in relation to distressing images and audio released on social media. Despite the charges being waved, Greenwood has not featured for United again and may have already played his last game for the club.

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WHAT NEXT?

adds that Madrid and Bellingham are "surprised" that La Liga have decided to get RFEF involved as reports suggest there is inconclusive evidence on the matter. It remains to be seen what punishment, if any, will be handed out to Bellingham.

Erling Haaland made history when he scored his 50th Premier League goal to give Manchester City the lead against Liverpool on Saturday.

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Haaland fired in opener against LiverpoolNow has 50 Premier League goals to his nameNeeded just 48 matches to reach milestoneWHAT HAPPENED?

The striker took on a Nathan Ake pass and smashed it beyond Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson to give City the lead after 27 minutes. The effort takes the Norwegian's tally up to 50 goals in just 48 games – no one has ever reached the milestone so quickly in the Premier League.

AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Haaland has now broken Manchester United legend Andy Cole's record as the fastest to reach 50 Premier League goals. Cole managed to reach half a century of goals in 65 matches. Haaland now has 70 goals for Pep Guardiola's men in all competitions, needing just 72 games to hit that figure.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR HAALAND?

Haaland and his City team-mates will attempt to hold onto their lead at the Etihad Stadium and ensure they stay top of the Premier League by collecting the three points against the Reds.

Tharanga Paranavitana has had a long run at the top of Sri Lanka’s order to try and make the opening position his own. He hasn’t done it yet

Andrew Fernando04-Dec-2012As Australia ponder the output of their Test openers, Sri Lanka have an opening conundrum brewing of their own. In ODIs, Sri Lanka are so awash with talent, they routinely play four capable openers in the XI, yet in Tests there has been a dearth of men with technique and mettle to chisel out a long-term role atop the batting order.Sri Lanka’s last tour of Australia in 2007 was Marvan Atapattu’s swansong, and his long-time partner Sanath Jayasuriya played his final Test not long after. Though Tillakaratne Dilshan has advanced Jayasuriya’s legacy in the years since, Sri Lanka have not found a bona-fide successor for Atapattu, though several have been trialled.Tharanga Paranavitana has had a steady spell of opportunities since his debut in early 2009, but while he has shared Atapattu’s penchant for collecting ducks, his career has also been frustrated by middling scores and a limited range of strokes. At times he has been defensively capable, but mentally tentative – particularly susceptible outside off stump, where his powers of judgement have been found frail.Paranavitana had appeared to overcome a slow start in Test cricket when he made hundreds in back-to-back matches against India in 2010, but has not crossed triple figures in 39 innings since. Sri Lanka rightly acknowledge that their domestic competition does not produce opening batsmen who can find immediate success in Test cricket, but with 32 matches now behind him, the team may have hoped Paranavitana was further along in his development. In 2012, he has played 10 innings and made only one 50, averaging a shade below 30.Perhaps partly in the hope of spurring Paranavitana’s stagnating output, Sri Lanka have taken a spare left-hand opener to Australia. Dimuth Karunaratne got a Test debut when Dilshan sat out the first Test against New Zealand through injury, and a sparkling unbeaten half-century in the second innings of that match earned him a place in the squad to Australia a day later. Sri Lanka are unlikely to displace Paranavitana early in the series, but Karunaratne’s presence will serve as a statement to Paranavitana that he cannot subsist on the selector’s largesse for long.”Dimuth has been around for a long time and when he got his opportunity in Galle he showed his potential,” Mahela Jayawardene, Sri Lanka’s captain, said ahead of the series. “It’s healthy for everyone to have some sort of competition in order to push ourselves to keep improving.”Jayawardene has seen both men develop at first-class level: they open together for the Sinhalese Sports Club, where Jayawardene also cut his teeth. Though Karunaratne and Paranavitana will compete for a spot in the XI in Australia, they have been earmarked as potential long-term openers when Dilshan retires from Tests. Karunaratne’s aggression has complemented Paranavitana’s more circumspect approach in their time together at SSC, and Jayawardene suggested the synergy they have established in domestic cricket may help ensure a successful partnership in years to come.”What we’re looking into developing for the future is to try and get a combination that will be there for a while. It’s very important that the two guys are comfortable and understand each other’s game, because the start makes a big difference.”I think Dimuth adjusted pretty well to international cricket. He knows his game quite well, which helps him. International cricket is always going to be a big step up for anybody. We’ve said to Dimuth that the first six months will be a honeymoon period after which the other teams will analyse you and then it will get tougher. He has got a good head to handle all that. Tharanga is another guy who I’ve played with quite a bit and who has had that same kind of commitment. We need to make sure we help them develop.”For the moment, Paranavitana’s place is the only one in any sort of contention in Sri Lanka’s top seven. Jayawardene believed Paranavitana’s inability to make his position his own despite the extended run is not down to flaws in technique.”It’s about consistency. From time to time we’ve had chats with him and the coaches have been working with him. I think he’s got the technique, but it’s the mental approach that he sometimes makes mistakes with. Technically he’s very sound, but he needs to approach certain situations differently. He needs to work hard at that.”It’s a tough position. Openers always will always have tough times. That’s not just in the Sri Lankan team, that happens in other international sides as well. You need to show authority and feel confidence about that position. That’s where everything is being set up for the rest of the batting order.”

Brad Hodge has played his last game for Victoria after announcing his retirement from domestic one-day cricket

Brydon Coverdale23-Jan-2012Brad Hodge has played his last game for Victoria after announcing his retirement from domestic one-day cricket. Hodge, 37, stepped down from the first-class arena in 2009-10 but continued to be part of Victoria’s limited-overs side and helped them win the Ryobi Cup last summer, when he was the leading run scorer in the tournament.He was also at the top of the run tally this summer when he decided to move on from one-day cricket and focus solely on his Twenty20 career. The Ryobi Cup will resume early next month after a hiatus during the Big Bash League, and Hodge departs with Victoria still in contention to make the final.”I think it’s just time to step aside and let some other guys come through,” Hodge said. “I’m obviously delighted to have played this long. I guess like anyone in the world, once you’ve done something for so long it’s hard to let go.”There’s a lot of good talent that’s there. I’ve done my job, I’ve presented a good case for players to watch and to learn how to do it and it’s been fun along the way. I don’t feel as if this is retirement because retirement for me was when I retired from four-day cricket. This is more like a changing of the guard.”Hodge leaves the one-day game having scored more runs (5597) and more hundreds (20) than any other player in Australia’s domestic limited-overs history. He has been part of three one-day title-winning sides with Victoria, having made his debut back in 1993-94 against a Queensland side featuring Allan Border and Craig McDermott.Victoria’s coach, Greg Shipperd, said Hodge had been a legend of Australian domestic cricket.”He has brought great joy to those who have witnessed the purity and skill of his batting for so many seasons,” Shipperd said. “Brad has been instrumental in a period of sustained success for the Bushrangers and has assisted mightily in the development of those around him.”Hodge continues to be a strong performer at Twenty20 level and last week was picked up for $140,000 by the Barisal Burners in the Bangladesh Premier League auction.

Peter Siddle will be unleashed in the West Indies as a Test match spearhead rather than taking part in Australia’s forthcoming ODI assignments, the national selector John Inverarity has said

Daniel Brettig22-Feb-2012Peter Siddle will be unleashed in the West Indies as a Test match spearhead rather than taking part in Australia’s forthcoming ODI assignments, the national selector John Inverarity has said.In a sign that the selectors are shaping Siddle into Michael Clarke’s equivalent of the kind of role Merv Hughes performed for Allan Border in the 1990s, Inverarity said the panel wanted Siddle to maintain the “lionhearted” standards he set against New Zealand and India, rather than adjusting his plans for the demands of ODIs.In a similar fashion, Hughes played few limited-overs matches for Australia, as the panel then chaired by Laurie Sawle preferred the Victorian fast man to give his all in Test matches, where he commonly took the critical wickets in sharp spells. Siddle now appears to be treading a path similar to the one that took Hughes to 212 Test wickets.”His bowling during the Test matches was outstanding, and we really look forward to letting him loose in the West Indies,” Inverarity told ESPNcricinfo. “He was lionhearted and wonderful [against India] and we look forward to him returning there. But just at the moment he’s not in our short-term ODI plans.”Under Clarke, Siddle has commonly been used in shorter, more incisive Test match spells than those he delivered under Ricky Ponting, also benefiting from the fuller length and discipline advocated by the bowling coach Craig McDermott – Hughes’ former pace partner. Against India he repeatedly broke key partnerships before Ben Hilfenhaus and others cleaned up in his wake, until Siddle had his reward with a Man-of-the-Match haul in the final Test in Adelaide.In his absence, the Australian limited-overs squad is re-assembling in Hobart for Friday’s ODI against Sri Lanka. Xavier Doherty, the Tasmanian left-arm spinner, will play his first international on his home ground, and said there would be a decidedly different feel to the dressing room in Ponting’s absence after he was dropped from the one-day side.”It’s going to be very different,” Doherty said. “Having Ricky around for the last 15-16 years, he’s the guy who’s got all the energy in the group so that role’s probably going to have to shift to someone else now. So it’s going to be a very different feel and probably different for the public to come to watch.”Like Ricky said, if you don’t put the runs on or take the wickets then you leave yourself up for this sort of outcome. It is unfortunate that this is the way it’s gone, but in professional sport that is the way things go.”Doherty has bowled reliably across the series, often entrusted with later overs in the innings, where his variations in pace, accuracy and occasional spin have prospered.”Early on in the tournament I probably took wickets, which is the credit for some of the other guys doing the hard work,” Doherty said. “In the last couple of games it’s probably me doing some of the hard work and they’ve been the ones to get the rewards, so I feel pretty comfortable in the team now, it’s taken a little while to settle in, but I feel like I can do whatever’s asked of me.”As a limited-overs spinner, Doherty said he had been aided by his experiences in Twenty20 matches, which placed greater emphasis on him to be precise every time he delivered the ball.”There’s no doubt that T20 cricket is having an impact on the other forms,” he said. “You have a look at Dave Warner’s progression, Malinga, it’s cut-throat stuff in T20, whereas in 50-over cricket you do get a little bit more leeway so the skills of T20 are definitely rubbing off on some of the other forms. A lot of people have negative things to say about T20 but I think from my point of view it’s all positive.”

The Frenchman's potential has never been up for debate, but his attitude has always been a disgrace, as underlined by his decision to leave for PSG

At the end of July, both and claimed that Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain were at "war" over Ousmane Dembele – which felt a little strange, given the Frenchman is not a player worth fighting for, at least not from the Blaugrana's perspective.

PSG's interest was understandable, of course. Dembele is an immensely talented footballer. If Luis Enrique can get him fully fit and firing, the 26-year-old still has it inside him to become a genuine superstar. Xavi knows that too, and is said to have pleaded with the player to "think of Neymar", who has long regretted quitting Camp Nou for Parc des Princes in 2017.

"I am a little disappointed with Dembele," the Barca boss admitted after the friendly with AC Milan. "He has decided to go to PSG. There is nothing we can do."

Some Blaugrana fans have been left enraged by Dembele's perceived betrayal – and that makes sense too, given the majority of them stood by the winger throughout a desperately trying six-year spell at Camp Nou. The mere fact he'd already agreed personal terms with PSG weeks ago seriously stung – even if allegations of a lack of loyalty are arguably a little harsh in light of reports that Barcelona unsettled Dembele by trying to use him as a makeweight in their efforts to sign Kylian Mbappe.

However, fury should soon give way to relief – because Barca really are well rid of one of the most frustrating figures in football.

Getty Images'The boy is special'

Dembele's ability has long been obvious. Former Rennes sporting director Mikael Silvestre described him as the most naturally gifted teenager he'd seen since his time playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United, Thomas Tuchel said it was a pleasure to watch his "amazing skills" in training at Borussia Dortmund, while Martin Braithwaite admitted that he was blown away by Dembele when he joined Barcelona in 2020.

"I have never seen someone with his talent. I'm serious!" the dumbfounded Dane told . "Messi is something else but, after him, I haven't seen any player like Dembele. The boy is special."

But he's also proven terribly unprofessional and horribly inconsistent.

AdvertisementGetty'No structure around him'

There were concerns over Dembele's attitude even before he arrived in Barcelona from Borussia Dortmund for an initial €105 million (£90m/$116m), with the Frenchman accused of trashing the apartment he had been renting in Germany from Jurgen Klopp.

It's also worth remembering that while former Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu publicly claimed that Dembele was better than the man he had effectively replaced, Neymar, the club were actually considering cutting their losses on the forward as early as October 2018.

By that stage, it was clear that Dembele was dreadfully ill-disciplined. He was repeatedly late for team meetings, with his tardiness attributed to his fondness for playing video games until the early hours of the morning, while his diet was a disgrace for a professional athlete. One source told GOAL of countless fast food cartons found at his house, while a healthy fish dish prepared by his former chef had been discarded.

"It's a messy life," Michael Naya told . "I've never seen alcohol but he doesn't respect the rest periods at all. There's no structure around him." And his lifestyle was viewed as a key contributing factor to the umpteen muscular injuries Dembele suffered throughout his time at Barca.

(C)GettyImages'I didn't work has hard as I do now'

Even Dembele has confessed that he was "very frail" during his first few seasons in Catalunya because of his poor diet, but insisted in 2022 that he had seen the error of his ways and completely changed his mindset

“Now I see that it's essential to work hard on and off the pitch,” he told and . "The injuries came because, when I was 20, I didn't work as hard as I do now. It's clear that if you don't work, you can't enjoy football, you're not going to play much and you're going to get injured. Now, I'm stronger."

He's not, though. In any sense. Dembele missed three months of last season with a hamstring problem and even when he was available, he sparkled only sporadically, scoring just five goals in 25 Liga appearances.

He was a starter for France at the 2022 World Cup and he tormented several full-backs with his genuinely breath-taking bursts of speed – but, as always with Dembele – there was so little end product. In a team that reached the final, he managed just two assists and zero goals, while his performance in the final was embarrassing, with Didier Deschamps deciding to take him off four minutes before the break.

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GettyDembele over Mbappe

The contrast with the efficiency and quality of Mbappe on the opposite flank was stark – and, from a Barcelona perspective, pretty painful. According to agent Junior Minguella, Barca had a €155m (£134m/$184m) deal in place to sign Mbappe before he moved to PSG in the same summer as Neymar, but ultimately decided that Dembele was "better suited to the team's style of play".

When Minguella recounted this story on in February 2021, there was widespread incredulity, so he subsequently produced WhatsApp messages to verify his claims, tweeting: "A gift for the haters and unbelievers."

ESPNcricinfo previews the second one-day international between Zimbabwe and Bangladesh in Harare

The Preview by Firdose Moonda13-Aug-2011 Match facts
August 14, Harare
Start time 0930 (0730 GMT 1300 IST)Brian Vitori has enjoyed a dream run so far – can he and Zimbabwe sustain their success story?•Associated PressThe Big Picture
Zimbabwe’s star is rising with every move they make in this series and they will not want to do anything to disrupt its path. Near-flawless performances with the ball, and equally accomplished showings with the bat – in the one-off Test and the first ODI against Bangladesh – have helped them sell their story of success.If there is a fault, it’s that they have lost wickets in clusters, both in the Test match and with Rubel Hossain’s late strikes in the first ODI. Their middle order has sometimes struggled to string partnerships together. It hasn’t had any impact on their results yet, but there is always a danger that it could, and they will want to ensure they can form partnerships in that area as they do at the top.The bowling has asked questions of the opposition on almost every occasion, with the seamers outshining the spinners. Ray Price and Prosper Utseya may want to challenge their quicks with a wicket-taking performance of their own, especially after they, together with Elton Chigumbura, were guilty of allowing runs to flow freely in the first match.Bangladesh have failed to adjust to conditions and some of the players have even blamed the environment for their poor showing. Their batsmen have lacked application, allowed themselves to be bullied by the bowlers and, at times, displayed a range of shots that would not be out of place in a club match. The openers – Tamim Iqbal in particular – are due a solid stint at the crease.There is an over reliance on Shakib Al Hasan to be the major contributor, with bat and ball, and while he has done a fine job, he cannot be expected to do it alone. Mushfiqur Rahim offered him support in the first one-dayer but the rest of the batting line-up have to start contributing.Consistency is also required from their bowlers, who have managed to get some good deliveries in but have not done so with regularity. Hossain showed promising signs in his second spell in the first one-dayer and Bangladesh will have to learn to not just depend on their left-arm spinners for breakthroughs but trust some of the other bowlers to do the job as well.Form guide (most recent first) Zimbabwe WWLLL
Bangladesh LLLLL
In the spotlight He is the man with the Midas touch and all eyes will be on Brian Vitori to see if he will ever put a foot wrong. After a five-wicket haul on ODI debut, to go with the five wickets he claimed in the one-off Test, Vitori is enjoying a magical introduction to international cricket. He has managed to achieve swing, even on a pitch that looks like it has nothing in it for bowlers, and has bowled a tricky length, using the short ball well. In the first ODI, he didn’t give the Bangladesh batsmen any width, and tight lines meant he was well rewarded.As an experienced player in Bangladesh’s middle order Mahmudullah will need to step up and show his worth after a quiet outing in the Test and the first ODI. There are expectations from him, when he comes in to bat, especially if he is partnering Shakib or Mohammad Ashraful but he has not managed to go past 13 so far. He is not to blame for his under-utilisation with the ball, and has looked competent every time it has been handed to him, but in order to start playing his part, he will have to do a little more in the rest of the series. Team news There’s no need for Zimbabwe to change anything after their commanding performance in the first ODI and they are likely to go in with the same XI. Chigumbura is the one man who may be nervous of keeping his place, in case the selectors decide to give allrounder Keegan Meth a chance.Zimbabwe (probable): 1 Brendan Taylor (capt), 2 Vusi Sibanda, 3 Hamilton Masakadza, 4 Tatenda Taibu (wk), 5 Craig Ervine, 6 Forster Mutizwa, 7 Elton Chigumbura/Keegan Meth, 8 Prosper Utseya, 9 Ray Price, 10 Brian Vitori, 11 Chris Mpofu.Bangladesh need to find an alternative to left-arm spin and Abdur Razzak may pay the price for an indifferent performance, giving 19-year-old offspinner Nasir Hossain a chance to make his international debut. Although their batting remains the major concern, it’s unlikely that Tamim will get the axe, with Stuart Law reckoning a big knock is just around the corner for him. Junaid Siddique could come in for Imrul Kayes.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Imrul Kayes/Junaid Siddique, 3 Shahriar Nafees, 4 Mohammad Ashraful, 5 Mahmudullah, 6 Shakib Al Hasan, 7 Mushfiqur Rahim, 8 Suhrawadi Shuvo, 9 Nasir Hossain, 10 Shafiul Islam, 11 Rubel Hossain. Pitch and conditions
Harare can be expected to provide consistent conditions throughout the series, which are traditionally good for batting. With temperatures rising as spring approaches, the sun bakes and flattens the pitch. There will be something in it for the bowlers, but only if they are willing to work hard and hit the deck. Spinners will get some assistance and there is also a hint of reverse-swing but the ground remains true to its reputation of favouring the chasing team.Stats and trivia Bangladesh are almost twice as likely to beat Zimbabwe as they are to record a victory over any other team, according to their historical win/loss ratio. They have won 53.8% of games against Zimbabwe, while managing 27% against the other teams. Rubel Hossain has taken three four-wicket hauls in his 29-match career. Two of them have been at home in Dhaka and the third was in the first ODI in Harare. Hamilton Masakadza has played against Bangladesh 35 times in ten years and has a lower average against them, of 22.47, than his overall average of 27.21. His bowling average is substantially better at 27.08, compared to 33.18 overall.Quotes We have some things to work on in our training session. We want to face a lot more spin in the nets and get the ball to reverse a little.
We should have applied ourselves better in the first match. Now our top-order batsmen have to put on a show in the next one.