All posts by h716a5.icu

Dwayne Bravo is happy to have “competition” in the squad, after a couple of his team’s replacement batsmen came good to square the ODI series against New Zealand in Hamilton

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Jan-2014Dwayne Bravo is happy to have “competition” in the squad, after a couple of his team’s replacement batsmen came good to square the ODI series against New Zealand in Hamilton.West Indies handed New Zealand their second-biggest ODI defeat – in terms of runs – after their batsmen lifted them to a whopping 363 for 4. Kieran Powell, opening in place of the injured Chris Gayle, slammed 73 off 44 balls, before Kirk Edwards – who also came into the XI after a spate of injuries – hit his maiden ODI ton. Captain Bravo then built on the platform, also getting to a century. In reply, New Zealand were shot out for 160, 204 runs short of their target.”[The openers Johnson] Charles and Powell were going through a tough time, but it was important me and the coach backed them,” Bravo said. “They have done great things for us in the past, and the way Powell started put pressure on New Zealand straightaway. Then Edwards came in at No. 3, under pressure, and took the opportunity by getting a maiden century.”I can’t single out anyone, it was a great team effort. We always want this competition. The coach says that we should make more options available. This will put us in a great position.”Ottis Gibson, the coach, had expressed disappointment in the replacement players in the lead-up to this match, saying that they had failed to grab the opportunities in the absence of the injured first-choice men and that was the reason West Indies found themselves 2-1 down after winning the first game of the series.Apart from his hundred, Bravo also had a good outing with the ball. Ravi Rampaul, who had missed the previous game with a finger injury, was left out in this game to beef up the batting, Bravo said. As a result he opened the bowling with Jason Holder.”It was a decision by the management team. Unfortunately Rampaul missed out in order to strengthen the batting, we wanted to make sure we had a strong batting unit. Then [Andre] Russell just came up and said I should take the new ball.”Brendon McCullum, the New Zealand captain, said the result was a “step backwards” for his team. “The West Indies boys came out today and put on a splendid performance. Maybe we should have batted first? We are comfortable to bowl first, but 360 is a mammoth total [to chase].”We are going alright as a one-day unit, but today was a step backwards. We have a huge series coming up against India. We had put in some good performances in this series. We are getting there as a one-day unit, and we are seeing an emergence of new talent. Anderson in Queenstown was sublime, and then the bowlers have chipped in as well.”The two teams will now face-off in a two-match Twenty20 series, beginning on January 11 in Auckland.

Mushfiqur Rahim has become the first international cricketer to voice his opinion about the proposed two-tiers of Test cricket

Mohammad Isam25-Jan-2014Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim has opened up about his and the team’s disappointment at the proposed two-tier system in Test cricket. He has become the first international cricketer to voice his opinion about the ‘position paper’ which is put forward by a working group of the Finance & Commercial Affairs committee of the ICC.Bangladesh’s main concern is their future in Test cricket. One of the proposals is to make the teams ranked Nos. 9 and 10 play in the Intercontinental Cup (the ICC’s first-class tournament for non-Test nations) from 2015. That will leave very little room for Bangladesh to play any more Test matches against the top eight countries, particularly if the FTP is done away with and series are decided on a bilateral basis. Currently Bangladesh are No. 10 in the ICC Test rankings.Mushfiqur was left frustrated by yet another off-field issue bothering the Bangladesh cricket team. The build-up to the Test series against Sri Lanka, starting in less than two days, has already become something of a sideshow with so much talk about the draft proposals. He thinks that players must have a say in such big decisions, mainly because it is they who do the job out in the middle.”If the two-tier system does happen, then what is the use of all this?” Mushfiqur said. “We work very hard to play cricket, so it will be very disappointing if it does indeed happen. This is a big issue, so it is quite obvious that I will feel bad. It is not in our hands. In the last two or three series, we are facing one problem after another.””Whatever decision is taken, we have to play in the field. We have to face the consequences of every decision.”Mushfiqur said the Bangladesh players have been talking about the planned new system, which has the potential to put their cricket careers in doubt. But he doesn’t believe his side has anything else to prove. He also doesn’t think the cloud over their Test future is working as an extra motivation at this stage.”We have been discussing the matter, and everyone has a similar sentiment. What if this is what happens in the end? But I don’t think it is working as a motivation. It is not in our hands, so there is not much to be motivated about from this. We have played some consistent cricket in the last two years. We just have to continue on that.”We have nothing to show to anyone. I think we can fight them with the team we have and the consistency we have shown. I hope everything gets better, and I hope such a thing doesn’t happen and we get to play.”He feels the time has come for him to talk to players from other countries, to probably find a solution to the dilemma, while at the same time maintain communication with BCB officials so that the right decision is taken.”We haven’t talked to players from any other country. But maybe we have to do so quite soon. We haven’t had the chance to speak to them [officials] too. We have spoken informally but nothing official as of now. I hope whoever is in charge of this decision, do so in the best interest of the country.”Meanwhile, the BCB has said it will oppose the two-tier system, and that the decision was taken unanimously by the directors.”The draft proposal had a lot of components, one of which was Bangladesh not playing Test cricket from 2015,” BCB’s spokesperson Jalal Yunus said. “All 23 were opposed to going down to the second tier. The BCB are against Bangladesh playing in the second tier.”The statement on Saturday came after growing criticism at home, led by former BCB president Saber Chowdhury who wrote an open letter to the incumbent chief, blasting him and the board directors for aligning with the draft proposal.”The voting was not on the resolution of the board. It was on a strategic issue, on which we sought opinions of all the directors,” Jalal said. “In terms of the financial issues, we want to discuss with other member countries, after which we will take a decision.”

Scans have revealed that Michael Clarke suffered a fractured shoulder during his gutsy century in the Cape Town Test, an innings that featured a sustained bouncer barrage from Morne Morkel

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Mar-2014Scans have revealed that Michael Clarke suffered a fractured shoulder during his gutsy century in the Cape Town Test, an innings that featured a sustained bouncer barrage from Morne Morkel.Cricket Australia’s physio Alex Kountouris has said that Clarke’s injury will heal “with a period of rest”, although it was not confirmed how long that lay-off would be. Australia are fortunate that they have no Tests or one-day internationals coming up in the immediate future.However, the injury means Clarke will be unavailable to play for New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield final against Western Australia, which starts at Manuka Oval in Canberra on Friday. Clarke had returned from the South Africa tour hoping that he would be able to take the field for his state in the decider but instead he will embark upon a recovery period.”Michael Clarke was injured as a result of being struck on the left shoulder during the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town,” Kountouris said. “We have since done a series of scans that have demonstrated a fracture near his shoulder joint. We expect that this will heal with a period of rest. Michael is therefore unavailable for the Sheffield Shield final to be played later this week.”Clarke scored an unbeaten 161 in the first innings at Newlands, which set up the victory that earned Australia a 2-1 series win. The innings was particularly notable for the way he survived a searching spell from Morkel, who came around the wicket and sent down plenty of bouncers and struck Clarke all over the body.

Australia Women’s bowlers secured their team’s first victory of the Women’s World T20 by restricting South Africa Women to a paltry total in Sylhet

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Mar-2014
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsEllyse Perry’s unbeaten 29-ball 41 contained six fours•ICCAustralia Women’s bowlers secured their team’s first victory of the Women’s World T20 by restricting South Africa Women to a paltry total in Sylhet. Ellyse Perry led the chase, remaining unbeaten on 41 when the winning runs were scored with eight balls to spare.South Africa failed to get any partnerships going after winning the toss. The 31-run stand for the second wicket between Dane van Niekerk and Trisha Chetty was their highest. They slumped to 74 for 6, and then lost three more wickets for five runs, and were restricted to 115 for 9 in 20 overs. Chetty’s 30 was the top score for South Africa, while Rene Farrell, Erin Osborne and Julie hunter took two wickets each for Australia.Australia stumbled early in their chase, with their top three falling inside eight overs. They were in some trouble when Alex Blackwell was dismissed for 24, with the score 56 for 4, but Perry remained firm thereafter. She hit six fours in her 29-ball 41 and added an unbeaten 60 with Jess Cameron, who made 27, for the fourth wicket. They saw their team through to a six-wicket victory.

The pleasures of watching cricket come in many shades and this was a day that could be enjoyed for high quality and high farce, although possibly not if your team happens to be Nottinghamshire

Jon Culley at Trent Bridge27-Apr-2014
ScorecardIan Bell scored nearly half Warwickshire’s total after surviving a couple of early scares•Getty ImagesThe pleasures of watching cricket come in many shades and this was a day that could be enjoyed for high quality and high farce, although possibly not if your team happens to be Nottinghamshire.The quality came from Ian Bell, whose 122 was witnessed, at least at various stages of it, by not one but three England selectors, not that his place in the side can be in any doubt. Mick Newell, Nottinghamshire’s director of cricket, is wearing two hats for the first time, having been co-opted to the selection panel last week. James Whitaker, the head honcho, was also here, as was Peter Moores, taking in his first game since he resumed his role as head coach.The farce was saved for last, a run-out muddle of the classic ingredients, with Luke Fletcher, the nightwatchman, going for a second run that his partner, Samit Patel, declined and both ending up at the same end before Fletcher, with an angry swish of the bat, accepted his fate, looked daggers at a team-mate by now contemplating the turf in front of him and trudged off.It might have provoked laughter on the home balcony had it not left Nottinghamshire 43 for 6, although the real damage had been done in the overs before as Chris Wright and Keith Barker unleashed their well-honed skills on a pitch that was offering just enough movement and variable bounce to make batting a hazardous business all day.Wright’s eight-over opening spell in the evening session yielded three wickets for seven runs, the second aided by a superb slip catch by Bell to remove Steven Mullaney before Michael Lumb left one with a flourish facing Barker, only to find his off stump missing. James Taylor, who had more reason than Bell to make a memorable impression, hit one cracking leg-side boundary off Barker but was then leg before trying to work one off Wright, at which point Nottinghamshire were 17 for 4.After momentary calm, Riki Wessels was trapped in front by a ball from Oliver Hannon-Dalby that perhaps kept a little low before the run-out chaos brought the day to a close. Nottinghamshire are not making the heavy roller available and after 16 wickets on the opening it would seem unlikely that this contest lasts beyond Wednesday.All of which provides a context that makes Bell’s performance quite special. It was not flawless. Twice in the early stages, on 7 and then 15, he was close to being out caught at midwicket, the ball each time just failing to carry to Phil Jaques. “Perfectly judged,” Bell said afterwards, tongue firmly in cheek.Later, Mullaney was convinced he had him leg before, on 78, and risked incurring the displeasure of the umpires by lingering at the end of his followthrough, making his feelings plain to the batsman.It is true also that he benefited from the pitch being cut well across on the Bridgford Road side of the square, bringing the boundary in front of the new stand close enough for a firm push or a well-timed clip to have a chance of getting four. Of Bell’s runs, 75% were scored on that side of the ground, including 16 of his 18 fours and both sixes, the second of which, off Andy Carter, was smacked over cover.If Bell stood out, honourable mention should be made too of William Porterfield, who has been given the chance to make a belated impression in four-day cricket in place of the stricken Jonathan Trott and is doing well so far. He made 77 against Lancashire last week and looked set to go on beyond his 56 today when he checked his shot after Mullaney, the fifth seamer, had introduced a change in pace and gave a simple return catch.Peter Siddle, making his county debut on a ground where he took eight wickets in the Ashes Test last summer, claimed his first Nottinghamshire wicket at the end of his 11th over but the best of the home side’s bowlers was Carter, tall and with good pace, who took his chance in the continued absence of Andre Adams to claim his first five-wicket haul for Nottinghamshire.

Bangladesh trainer David Dwyer has stepped down from his position after 14 months on the job

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Apr-2014Bangladesh trainer David Dwyer has stepped down from his position after 14 months on the job. Akram Khan, the BCB’s Cricket Operations Committee Chairman, confirmed the receipt of the resignation letter two days ago.Dwyer is understood to have asked for immediate release. He joined Bangladesh as the head of strength and conditioning in February last year, a week before the team left on a tour of Sri Lanka. Like the rest of the coaching staff, Dwyer’s contract was due to expire after the 2015 World Cup.”He has done a great job for the Bangladesh team,” Akram said. “It is up to the board to accept his resignation, but I think we have to start looking for a new trainer immediately. We have a lot of cricket ahead.”Bangladesh’s next assignment is a three-match ODI series against India in mid-June. The tour schedule, however, hasn’t been confirmed.

The Bangladesh Premier League’s anti-corruption tribunal has criticised the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit’s decision to allow a tainted game to go ahead in order to firm up its evidence against the persons involved in corruption

Mohammad Isam10-Jun-2014The Bangladesh Premier League’s anti-corruption tribunal has criticised the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit’s decision to allow a tainted game to go ahead in order to firm up its evidence against the persons involved in corruption, and to not inform the BCB about the information it had gathered.ESPNcricinfo has access to the tribunal’s 59-page extended statement on the alleged corruption in the BPL, in which the tribunal has called the ACSU’s investigations “flawed and incomplete”, as well as stated that the BCB itself should have played a stronger, more vigilant role during the 2013 tournament.The tribunal’s statement establishing liability in the case forms the longer version of the verdict delivered on February 26 this year, and provides detailed reasons for the conclusions and orders emerging from the verdict. The essential finding of the tribunal was that “the process of investigation was flawed and incomplete to the extent that allegations of unfairness could be sustained”.The document states that “the concern of the tribunal remained throughout the hearing and questions were addressed to each one of the relevant witnesses as to how a sports regulator who was under an obligation to prevent corruption in sport would allow a corrupt match to take place”.The main match in question, one of four under investigation in the 2013 BPL, featured Dhaka Gladiators and Chittagong Kings. While it is now been confirmed that the Gladiators-Kings game was fixed, the anti-corruption tribunal states that the ACSU had prior knowledge of what was about to happen after being tipped off by a team member on the morning of the game.The tribunal in its extended verdict states that team owner Shihab Chowdhury, declared guilty of corruption, had first approached a team member the day before the Gladiators-Kings match and offered him US$6,000. Chowdhury also asked for Mashrafe Mortaza to be replaced as captain by Mohammad Ashraful, and shared more details of how the match will be fixed.The following morning, this information was conveyed to the ACSU officer on site, who asked the Gladiators member to cooperate with the ACSU and secretly record any future conversations with Chowdhury to help provide evidence which could be used to prove his direct involvement in fixing. A future conversation between Chowdhury and the team member was then recorded through a separate device set up by another ACSU officer. Once the conversation was complete, the information was relayed to the ACSU in Dubai.The tribunal has questioned what happened from this point on. Going against its basic agreement with the BCB, the ACSU did not inform the Bangladesh board about the information it had received about the proposed fix. The tribunal also pointed out that the ACSU decided to allow the tainted match to go ahead.The tribunal document states: “Although the focus of the service agreement [between ACSU and the BCB] and the code is on prevention of match-fixing and spot-fixing, the tribunal holds that this deliberate choice made by ACSU is unfortunate and wrong.”It states that by allowing the match to carry on the ACSU “has allowed the code to be breached, and from [this] breach corrupt people must have benefitted”.The tribunal has said the focus by the ACSU, in this case, “on gathering evidence and prosecution of offenders rather than on prevention of corruption cannot be accepted by the tribunal as the correct approach to fight corruption in sport”.The “methods of investigations” used by the ACSU officers were said to contain “deficiencies”. There was a lack of “protocol or guidelines” with regard to interviewing witnesses and suspects. The tribunal also noted that “contemporaneous notes of interviews were not always made or disclosed at the hearing”.The report also states that during the tribunal’s hearings in January, ACSU chairman Sir Ronnie Flanagan had “expressed his regrets” and made “a personal unreserved apology on behalf of the ACSU for not involving BCB at any stage”. Other than Flanagan, only one other ACSU officer who was party to the information related about the Gladiators-Kings match was called up as a prosecution witness in the tribunal hearings.

Amidst reports of players missing training or skipping fielding sessions, Bangladesh’s new coach Chandika Hathurusingha has sought to make the team ‘understand their responsibility’

Mohammad Isam10-Aug-2014Heading into a tour of the West Indies, Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha is in charge of a team that is short of wins, confidence and its best cricketer, but he has zeroed in on a few important aspects that he is trying urgently to tackle.After a decent run last year, which included a crushing ODI series win against New Zealand at home, plummeting confidence has been Bangladesh’s theme of 2014. Young batsmen have batted like millionaires and bowlers have lost their bite far too quickly into their spells. A sense of brashness is inevitable for a group of players hailed as the most talked-about sportsmen in the country, but there have been times when the issue has threatened to get out of hand.Even during the last few weeks of training, a few issues have been reported (aside from Shakib Al Hasan’s suspension) in which Hathurusingha has had to take a deeper look into the psyche of the players. One young player, who was asked to bat for 20 minutes, didn’t turn up at the nets. The new coach was left dumbfounded and had to remind him of his responsibilities. A couple of months ago, there was another incident of a senior player not taking the field during Bangladesh A’s tour game in the West Indies. While Shakib’s punishment has served a broader issue, these incidents of missing training or skipping sessions due to other engagements have been cropping up for quite some time but have been swept under the carpet.Hathurusingha has not directly addressed individual players, but he has let many of them know what is expected of star performers and cricketers.”It is for me to educate them in that sense, make them understand what their responsibility is,” Hathurusingha told ESPNcricinfo. “If you play well that’s how you become stars. I haven’t done it individually, but I have talked to them in a group. What makes us special, why do people want to look at you or follow you?’Cricket is not a one-man game’ – Mushfiqur

Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim wants to see some of his out-of-form team-mates step up in the absence of Shakib Al Hasan, who is serving a six-month suspension.
“He (Shakib) is a big performer and has been a great contributor for the last eight years, but it isn’t as if we were all relaxed when he was there,” Mushfiqur said. “Cricket is not a one-man game. We need at least three to four players to perform in our team, so from that aspect we are motivated that many players who haven’t been in form have been working hard. Hopefully they can motivate themselves to work harder. They need to put in their best performance.”
Following their 2-0 defeat to India in the ODI series in June, the Bangladesh squad took part in an extended camp that was divided into physical, mental and skill-wise training sessions. The team also played two practice matches, but Mushfiqur believes it is still not enough preparation for the Test series.
“The break will help no doubt but we haven’t played in the longer version for a long time. So that will also be a challenge. We will be playing a one-day practice match in the West Indies, and then we will play a series and then a three-day practice match.
“We will be having enough opportunities to adjust to their conditions. We have played there before so we have an idea of the conditions. But everything depends on how we start and play over there.”

“I have actually spoken as a senior group, talking about legacy once they finish their careers, talked along those lines. How to behave; If you play well, all these things follow, so one must not forget that. We have addressed that in a way.”But there is always a flip side, and for Hathurusingha it comes in the form of Mominul Haque. The left-handed batsman has made an impressive start in Test cricket, averaging more than 75 with three centuries. To add to the tangibles, his mental strength has been recognised as an asset.While Hathurusingha reminds it is only a start, he has told Mominul that his real challenge will be to play against opponents who knows more about him now.”Mominul has had a very good start, but it is just a start,” Hathurusingha said. “He needs to understand and that’s what I have been trying to tell him. He is different, hits unusual areas and his technique is not conventional, which makes him special.”The challenge for him going forward in international cricket begins when people starts to understand his game. We are still working on that. He has tough time coming ahead, but he is preparing well. He is mentally very strong, he has appetite for runs.”Anamul Haque, at least in the ODI side, is another who excites Hathurusingha. Although the young batsman has struggled in Test cricket and needs work in that format, he has been in good form since February, hitting a hundred against Pakistan and regularly giving Bangladesh runs from the top-order.”He is a good one-day player, but I think he needs to better his technique and tactics in the longer format,” Hathurusingha said. “I am starting to work with him. I can see that he is ticking some of the boxes.”He has backed the rest of the batsmen and spinners, calling them the team’s main strengths. “To be honest, until we play certain areas of the game we really don’t know but I think our strength is our batting, spin bowling and playing against spin at this stage.”The spinners are working really hard. We haven’t played competitive matches but I think mentally and physically they have done good work. I think Dr Phil Jauncey (performance psychologist who held a two-day programme for the team) helped them focus on their own game and even skill-wise they worked hard so I think we are in a good place.”

There are two Adam Lyths and both of them are admirable batsmen. The more defensive Lyth here made careful progress to his fifth Championship century of the season to give Yorkshire control

Paul Edwards at Old Trafford01-Sep-2014
ScorecardAdam Lyth made his fifth Championship century of the season•Getty ImagesThere are two Adam Lyths and both of them are admirable batsmen. The first seems to shun constraint and makes high-class attacking strokeplay seem so easy that one wonders why more people do not practice it; the second appears to have taken an oath of self-denial and eschews risk in favour of shepherding his team to a total that defines the structure of a game.The crowd at the second day of the Roses match at Old Trafford saw the second Lyth , making careful progress to his fifth Championship century of the season and his second on the ground. In doing so he exposed the grisly inadequacy of Lancashire’s batting on Sunday and offered something of a tutorial to opponents or spectators interested in seeing how one innings takes its place within the broader effort.By the close Lyth amassed 182 not out and will relish his power to add to his team’s already healthy 118-run lead. Then Yorkshire’s attack will attempt to expose their opponent’s batting a second time.The cautious craftsman Lyth was most obviously at work in the morning session when he scored 29 runs off 81 balls and reached his fifty off 121 deliveries. The loss of his opening partner Alex Lees, trapped lbw on the crease by a straight ball from Tom Bailey only reinforced Lyth’s resolve.His three fours in the session may have included the crispest of straight drives off Bailey but far, far more frequent were the equally well played defensive strokes, punctuated occasionally by the opener’s stock-in-trade clips off the hip. Every ball was treated as if it might uncover a Lancastrian snake lurking beneath the Mancunian soil.At the other end Kane Williamson acknowledged few such anxieties and Lyth let the New Zealander go his own sweet way in stroking eight fours in 46. But the pitfalls prepared for the unwary were revealed after lunch when Williamson was skillfully stumped down the leg side by Alex Davies off slow left-armer Stephen Parry, and the same bowler tempted Andrew Gale to pull a short ball straight to Usman Khawaja at midwicket four overs later. In between these dismissals Lyth himself was dropped at slip off Parry, a sharp one-handed chance to Paul Horton when he was 57. So as his captain departed, Lyth swished his bat at the offending world and buckled down for more Puritan observance.But as it turned out, a cavalier was about to enter the field in the form of Jonny Bairstow and he put Lancashire’s mostly blameless bowling to the sword. It is difficult, as yet, to see Bairstow batting in the same fashion as Lyth had managed, so the fourth-wicket pair offered a pleasing contrast during a 103-run stand which occupied only 18.4 overs and took Yorkshire from a respectable 163 for 4 to a prosperous 266 for 4, just 12 runs in arrears.During that partnership, which changed the tempo of the day’s cricket, Lyth reached his century off 213 balls when he pulled Croft to the boundary. As the ball crossed the boundary, he indulged in a celebratory leap and punched the air. Then he seemed to start again.Bairstow hit eight fours and a six in his own 75-minute entertainment, yet his approach was almost licensed by that of his partner. When the England batsman was bowled for 60, making room to play Steven Croft through the off side, Yorkshire were on the threshold of plain superiority. Although Jack Leaning was lbw to Simon Kerrigan for a single, Adil Rashid joined Lyth in ensuring that the visitors ended the day joyously in the ascendant.When he trooped off Lyth could reflect how the concentration exercises he had worked on through the winter had borne such rich fruit in one of his side’s most important matches. It is also clear that he could not sustain that effort were he not a very fit cricketer indeed. But there is more to the two Adam Lyths on view this summer. He now looks ready to play Test cricket because his relatively defensive innings are not those played by an essentially attacking batsman. He looks deeply comfortable when applying himself in either mode and he gives the impression that batting so well is almost simple. His colleagues and opponents know it is not so.”This is one of Adam’s best knocks,” Yorkshire coach Jason Gillespie said. “I think what he’s shown this year is that he’s been able to adapt to different situations and conditions and play accordingly. I think he’s ready for Test cricket now. If England’s selectors come knocking, he won’t let them down. I think he’s good enough. He’s putting performances on the board, and you can’t be ignored forever.”

Mike Hesson has extended his contract as head coach of New Zealand, signing on for another two years after next year’s World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Sep-2014Mike Hesson has extended his contract as head coach of New Zealand, signing on for another two years after next year’s World Cup. Hesson began in the job in July 2012 and his original contract was due to expire at the end of April next year, but that has now been extended to the end of April 2017.New Zealand have won their past three Test series under Hesson, at home against West Indies and India, and then away against West Indies. Only twice before have New Zealand won three consecutive Test series. Their most recent ODI series was also a triumph, beating India 4-0.”It’s great news for the players and for the sport to have consistency in this role for our flagship team for nearly five years,” the New Zealand Cricket CEO David White said.”Mike has worked incredibly hard to build our relatively young Test team into one that is now challenging the top sides in the world. His selections have also earned praise from some of the greats of the game.””How the team performed at home over the summer against both the West Indies and India showed that both Mike and [captain] Brendon [McCullum] have built a side capable of knocking over anyone on their day.”Hesson, who came to the role after coaching Kenya and spending six years at the helm of Otago, said he was keen to keep developing the side after the World Cup. “It’s a really exciting time for the sport with the World Cup at home,” Hesson said, “our senior players performing well and a promising group of youngsters who are all fighting for World Cup spots.”New Zealand are also expected to announce their new batting coach in the next few days. Craig McMillan filled the role in a short-term capacity during the tour of the West Indies after the departure of Bob Carter, and he could be in line to win the job full-time.