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Pradeep Sangwan, the Delhi and Kolkata Knight Riders seamer, has failed a random dope test conducted during the 2013 season of the IPL, PTI has reported

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jul-2013Pradeep Sangwan, the Delhi and Kolkata Knight Riders seamer, has failed a random dope test conducted during the 2013 season of the IPL, PTI has reported. Sangwan’s ‘A’ sample has reportedly shown traces of banned substances, the nature of which can only be confirmed after the ‘B’ tests are done.The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) has been informed about the tests by the BCCI, but any decision about the offence can only be taken once the results of the ‘B’ tests are available. Sangwan, is reportedly in the UK, undergoing treatment for a shoulder injury.Random tests are conducted during the IPL, like in ICC tournaments. The BCCI, which doesn’t come under the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) or the NADA (National Anti-Doping Agency), follow their own anti-doping procedures.*AN Sharma, Sangwan’s first coach, said the problem could have arisen due to treatment Sangwan was receiving for a shoulder problem. “I immediately called him up and Pradeep explained to me what had happened. He had acute pain in his shoulder just before the IPL,” Sharma told . “Since he had no time to consult or visit the BCCI doctor, he saw a local doctor, who gave him an injection. There was instant relief from the pain thereafter and he also managed to play the IPL.”Sharma also said players needed to be more aware of the substances they take while injured. “We have to start stressing this point to the players to be very vigilant about what they are consuming and where they are getting treated,” Sharma said. “It is very important that they understand what substances are being injected into their body during a treatment.”Sangwan, 22, played only two matches for Knight Riders this season and failed to pick up a wicket. He made his first-class debut in 2007 and has played 38 matches for Delhi.* July 19, 6.30am GMT This story has been updated with AN Sharma’s quotes

The ECB are continuing their efforts to persuade Mervyn Westfield to give evidence at Danish Kaneira’s appeal hearing

George Dobell17-Apr-2013The ECB are continuing their efforts to persuade Mervyn Westfield to give evidence at Danish Kaneira’s appeal hearing into his life ban for the game for corruption.Officials from the ECB met Westfield and his legal representatives in London on Thursday afternoon with discussions continuing into the evening. A further round of meetings has been scheduled for Friday with no agreement having been reached.Westfield, whose evidence was crucial in the original hearing that found Kaneria guilty of corruption, has had no contact with the ECB for many months and has so far resisted all attempts to persuade him to appear at the appeal. While the ECB were successful in gaining a summons from the High Court compelling Westfield to attend the appeal hearing on April 22, doubts remain as to whether the court has any jurisdiction in this case.Westfield remains angry with the ECB and the PCA. He feels that the harshness of his penalty – he spent two months in prison and was banned from the first-class game for five years and the recreational game for three – does not reflect that he cooperated with the investigating authorities, pleaded guilty and gave evidence against Kaneria.The fact that he has agreed to meet the ECB suggests a deal could be imminent, however. Westfield is understood to desire a return to club cricket – he remains connected with Wanstead Cricket Club in the Essex League – and he could be offered a chance to partially revive his career if he cooperates. Westfield would be expected to earn several hundred pounds a week as a club professional.Kaneria, the Pakistan legspinner, was banned from the game for life and charged £100,000 in costs by an ECB panel in June 2012 for his part in the spot-fixing case involving Westfield.Kaneria had been found guilty of inducing his former Essex team-mate to underperform in a limited-overs game in 2009 and of bringing the game into disrepute. Westfield, who was jailed for his role in the case, gave evidence against Kaneria at the hearing.As all boards under the governance of the ICC have an agreement to mirror bans imposed in such circumstances, Kaneria’s ban has been effective worldwide.Kaneria’s appeal hearing was originally scheduled for December but, after the ECB was unable to gain Westfield’s cooperation, it was postponed until April. Without Westfield’s evidence, the ECB’s case against Kaneria is severely compromised. Kaneria’s lawyers are looking not just for his ban to be overturned – at 32, he harbours hopes of a reviving his international career – but they are also claiming “very substantial damages” from the ECB.Kaneria returned to the UK on Wednesday. His lawyers remain adamant that, without Westfield’s evidence, the ECB “has no case”.This is an updated version of the story first published on April 17

Steven Fletcher is enjoying his football again at 36, with the evergreen striker loving life alongside Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney at Wrexham.

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Veteran frontman joined as a free agentEndured testing 2022-23 campaign in ScotlandBack among the goals & targeting promotionWHAT HAPPENED?

There was a chance that the former Scotland international would call it quits and head into retirement following his release by Dundee United in June 2023 at the end of a campaign that delivered relegation out of the Scottish Premiership.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT FLETCHER SAID

Fletcher was, however, presented with an intriguing offer from Hollywood superstars in North Wales and has said of rediscovering a spark in the twilight of his career: “I am really enjoying it here, especially at my age. I had a disappointing season last season so to come here and be enjoying my football again is great. Being near the end of your career, it is nice to be in this sort of atmosphere challenging for promotion.”

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Fletcher, who will turn 37 in March, has registered seven goals for Wrexham this season – including a hat-trick against Barrow and a match-winning effort versus Notts County last time out – and added on his return through 20 appearances: “Seven goals, I can't complain with that. I just need to keep that going and stay in the team.”

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Getty/GOALWHAT NEXT FOR FLETCHER & WREXHAM?

Phil Parkinson has suggested that Fletcher and Paul Mullin form his favoured strike partnership, and they may get another opportunity to lead the line on Tuesday when the Red Dragons take in a trip to MK Dons. They head into that game sat third in the League Two table, but boasting games in hand on all of those around them.

Glenn Maxwell might be the very model of the modern cricketer, raised on Twenty20 and thriving on the short format’s fast pace, but he insists he has the patience to make it as a Test cricketer as well

Brydon Coverdale02-Feb-2013Glenn Maxwell might be the very model of the modern cricketer, raised on Twenty20 and thriving on the short format’s fast pace, but he insists he has the patience to make it as a Test cricketer as well. On Thursday, Maxwell was named as the main spinning allrounder in Australia’s Test squad to tour India, meaning he is likely to earn a baggy green on the trip, and the following day he crunched an unbeaten 51 from 35 balls in Australia’s one-day annihilation of West Indies.Promoted to open the batting Maxwell scored nearly three-quarters of Australia’s runs in their tiny chase of 71, racing to the target within the first ten overs. Maxwell’s brisk scoring is nothing new to those who have watched him at domestic level over the past few seasons, but he has also managed to average 42 at first-class level and believes his technique can stand up to the challenges of the five-day game.”I feel like I’m definitely a genuine batsman,” Maxwell said in Perth ahead of Sunday’s second ODI. “I’ve done a lot of work on my technique over the last few years. [Victoria coach] Greg Shipperd has been a big believer in my technique and I feel that’s shone through in Shield cricket.”I’ve played some good Shield innings where I’ve played technically really good cricket. I’m hoping I can showcase that when the opportunity arises, but yesterday wasn’t really the time to do it. I’m sure if I get the chance to play Test cricket I’ll probably be a bit more reserved.”Maxwell has spent some time in India in the past, visiting the country in 2010 for a training camp as part of the Centre of Excellence intake, and enjoying a short stint with the Delhi Daredevils in last year’s IPL. He said his plan, if he was given the opportunity in Test cricket on the upcoming tour, would be straightforward.”I’ve thought about how I’m going to be playing spinners over there,” he said. “I’ve been lucky enough to play over there a little bit, I had the Academy a couple of years ago and had the IPL experience last year. I know my game plan over there is going to be pretty simple, using my feet against the spinners and hopefully that will hold me in good stead.”Although Maxwell is considered a batting allrounder, his offspin has developed over the past few months and the selectors would expect significant overs from him if he was slotting into the Test outfit. Maxwell said he had worked with Shane Warne this summer on the mental side of spin bowling, as well as Ray Bright and Shawn Flegler, and he was confident that the sharp turn expected on the Indian pitches would allow him greater margin for error.”With the wickets and the way they spin, you can bowl a lot faster over there and really use your pace variations to your advantage,” Maxwell said. “In Australia you’ve got to be a lot more accurate, a lot more consistent in a certain area, where India allows you a lot more margin for error just because of the way it spins.”

This was one of New Zealand’s greatest days of Test cricket in recent times as they outplayed one of the strongest Test teams in the world from start to finish

Andrew McGlashan in Dunedin07-Mar-2013Was this really the team bowled out for 45 two Tests ago? Was it really the team who sacked their captain in such a way that he took time away from the game? Was it really the team whose off-field exploits make as many headlines as those on it? Was this really the team whose management and executive structure do not appear to see eye-to-eye?What this was, without doubt, was one of New Zealand’s greatest days of Test cricket in recent times. This was not dominating against a lowly Zimbabwe or Bangladesh side. They outplayed one of the strongest Test teams in the world from start to finish. There was an air of disbelief from those who have followed New Zealand cricket’s recent woes.”We’re in the position that every team can dream of at the moment,” Neil Wagner said, and even that sounded like an understatement.It was Wagner who sparked New Zealand’s incredible day. In his first over, with his second and third deliveries, he removed England captain Alastair Cook and trapped Kevin Pietersen lbw first ball. England’s top order looked a little vulnerable coming into the match due to the lack of match practice and the home side made it count.Wagner had been bullish in Queenstown after roughing up England’s batsmen, including removing Pietersen, and highlighted keeping him short of runs. He said New Zealand would try to “hammer” on his confidence. He was as good as his word today and, when asked about England’s performance, did not produce a dead-bat answer.”They were under a bit of pressure and thought they might take lower-risk shots but at the end of the day, that’s the way they play,” he said. “There’s days when it doesn’t come off and days when it comes off and on those days you don’t want to be the opposition and they can hurt you badly. Other days it doesn’t come off and it was just one of those days when it didn’t work for them.”The standout feature of New Zealand’s day, of which there were many, was that the key individuals – Wagner, Bruce Martin and Hamish Rutherford – could, in slightly different circumstances, have been playing in the Ford Trophy one-day tournament rather than a Test match.Wagner was only included in the squad after impressing for the New Zealand XI in Queenstown. Initially, Mark Gillespie was tipped to be the likely option to bolster the pace resources, but Wagner’s six wickets last week tipped the balance back his way. He may still have missed the final cut, though, if Doug Bracewell had not decided to clean up his house, in the process stepping on a piece of glass. In this case, Wagner’s glass was certainly half full.However, his first three Tests had brought five wickets at 68.80 and it was already being suggested that he was another player unable to transfer dominant domestic form to the top level. One good day does not mean he has cracked it, but the relief from him was palpable. “I needed it and I was just glad to get it under the belt I guess,” he said.Wagner shared eight wickets with Martin, but the 32-year-old left-arm spinner was not a certain starter in this match just the day before. Four quicks were being seriously considered by Brendon McCullum and Mike Hesson. It’s difficult to say Martin bowled for his wickets (caught point, deep square-leg and short fine-leg) but his presence ensured England’s batsmen could not settle in against four medium-fast bowlers.Martin also made it clear before the series that he was not too interested in being a defensive bowler and “would look to take a few poles and bowl to some attacking fields” if he got his chance. McCullum, a captain out of the same aggressive mindset, supported him with men around the bat and also gave him the ball straight after lunch when logic might have suggested resuming with two seamers. When Matt Prior began to open his shoulders, McCullum did not withdraw Martin to the safety of the outfield and the following over he claimed the wicket.Then there is Rutherford, like Wagner, an Otago cricketer playing on his home ground. Of all the problem areas in the New Zealand team over recent times, the opening partnership has been one of most vexing.Rutherford did not look remotely out of place, resisting England’s attempts to disturb him with the short ball and driving more confidently than during the one-day series. His opening stand with Peter Fulton, currently worth 131, is New Zealand’s best since Mark Richardson and Stephen Fleming added 163 against England, at Trent Bridge, in 2004.A compact left-hander from the same school as McCullum, Rutherford was picked on the basis of strong domestic form but was not the most prolific option available.  There is also the likelihood that if Martin Guptill had not been injured during the one-day series, he would have been given another chance alongside Peter Fulton.  It was a day for a host of accidental heroes.

Phillip Hughes has quit New South Wales and joined South Australia in the first major interstate move of the domestic contracting window

Brydon Coverdale28-Jun-2012Phillip Hughes has quit New South Wales and joined South Australia in the first major interstate move of the domestic contracting window. The signing of Hughes is a significant boost for the Redbacks, who did not win a Sheffield Shield match last summer and continued to rely heavily on their captain Michael Klinger for top-order runs.It will also add to the changing nature of the New South Wales batting order, with the former captain Simon Katich and the veteran opener Phil Jaques having both retired from the Blues after last season. Last summer, New South Wales were bursting with quality openers, with Katich, Hughes, Jaques, David Warner, Shane Watson and Nic Maddinson all part of their squad.But in 2012-13, they will be scratching around for a new opening combination, with Watson and Warner likely to spend most of the season on international duty and another potential opener, Usman Khawaja, also considering an interstate move. The Blues were one of the states most affected by the slashing of the number of national contracts as Hughes, Khawaja, Brett Lee, Doug Bollinger, Nathan Hauritz and Steven Smith all lost their Cricket Australia deals last week.Hughes, 23, has decided a move to Adelaide will help him in his push to regain a place in Australia’s Test side, after he was axed following the home series against New Zealand last season. Hughes was replaced by Ed Cowan in the national setup and while Cowan has shown promise, there could be an opening at the top of the order within the next year if he doesn’t begin turning his starts into substantial scores.”The next two years are the most critical in my cricket career and I’m not going to leave any stone unturned to make sure I put myself back into contention to play again for Australia,” Hughes said. “Missing a Cricket Australia contract this year is not the end of the world. In fact, in lots of ways it’s a new beginning.”Hughes burst on to the domestic scene in Australia at the age of 18, and in 38 first-class appearances for New South Wales he has scored 3360 runs at 52.50. He has also enjoyed a productive month with Worcestershire this year, having started the season with two one-day hundreds and continued with strong form in the Twenty20 competition.”The [Worcestershire] organisation, their support of me and my ability to focus 100% on my game has been a real eye-opener and my form with the bat has obviously benefited from it,” Hughes said. “That’s what I expect the move to Adelaide to also do for me, and I can’t wait to get there and settle in.”Hughes said he had enormous respect for his former Australia coach Tim Nielsen, who is now the head coach of the Emerging Redbacks programme, and the South Australia director of cricket Jamie Cox, who as a former national selector played a role in Hughes’ emergence as an international batsman. Cox said the addition of Hughes was a major boost for the South Australia squad.”It is fantastic for us to bring in someone of Phillip’s quality, and it works hand in hand with the opportunity that he is also looking for,” Cox said. “His record here at Adelaide Oval [two centuries and a fifty in three first-class games], playing against South Australia, is very good and we believe he will be a great asset for us at the top of the order. He is an extremely hard-working cricketer who wants to succeed at the highest level again, and we believe that his determination and focus will be a great example for our young cricketers.”The state associations have until the end of next week to finalise their contract lists for next summer, a process that was delayed by the protracted pay talks between Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers’ Association. In other potential moves, Hauritz and Khawaja have both been linked with Queensland, while Western Australia confirmed they have approached the Tasmania wicketkeepers Tim Paine and Tom Triffitt.The Warriors are searching for a gloveman to replace Luke Ronchi, who moved to New Zealand at the end of last summer. The Western Australia coach Lachie Stevens told the that Michael Johnson, who kept wicket in five Shield matches last summer, had not been offered a new contract.

Peter McGlashan, the New Zealand and Northern Districts wicketkeeper, has retired from all cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Jul-2012Peter McGlashan, the New Zealand and Northern Districts wicketkeeper, has retired from all cricket. McGlashan was named in New Zealand’s 30-man preliminary squad for the ICC World Twenty20 in September, but he has chosen a career outside of cricket with the Glenn Family Foundation, an initiative geared towards eliminating domestic violence.”It’s an incredible chance to make a difference to people’s lives, through Owen’s [Owen Glenn, the foundation’s founder] remarkable vision,” McGlashan said. “I’m going to be assisting in the community in an area in which I know I would love to be working for the next 35 to 40 years.”Having seen how excited people in Otara [a South Auckland suburb] are about this project, and knowing the difference it will make, I realised I would not feel comfortable standing out there catching balls while that work waited. I wish the Black Caps well and I will miss being part of the Northern Knights, something that I’m sure will really hit me in summer. But I’m already comfortable that it’s the right decision to retire at this point and I feel very fortunate to be exiting the game for an exciting role about which I am truly passionate.”McGlashan, 33, played four ODIs, scoring one half-century, and 11 T20 internationals for New Zealand. He made his first-class debut in 2000-01, and went on to lay 71 games, averaging 29.57 with the bat and finishing with 195 catches and 13 stumpings. In 2009, he set a New Zealand first-class wicketkeeping record for the most dismissals in a match – 12. He took six catches in each innings of that Plunket Shield game against Central Districts and, incidentally, it was also a world record for the most catches taken by an individual in a first-class match.Northern Districts coach Grant Bradburn said McGlashan’s innovative ability stood out. “Pete is a hugely experienced and skilful player, particularly in the shorter forms of the game – and that calibre of skills you just don’t develop overnight,” he said. “His amazing ability to innovate and look at things from a different angle, whether it’s been through introducing new gear and equipment or using fresh approaches in the middle, have helped the game in New Zealand.”An example is a one-day match we played against the Otago Volts two seasons ago in which he changed bats between overs, depending on which bowler he would be facing plus the direction of the wind. He’d use the shorter Mongoose bat for the downwind bowling and the long-handle into the wind.”I’d never seen an innovation like that before, but he was the master of putting pressure on bowlers at the death in one-dayers or Twenty20s, as well as being the master of the reverse-sweep. And, of course, one of our most accomplished wicketkeepers, to boot. We will miss him, but I’m stoked for Pete as we’re losing him to a very fine cause.”Northern Districts CEO David Cooper added: “The New Zealand Cricket Players Association takes a lead role in ensuring players have the skills and networks to manage their post-cricket future and I think Pete is a shining example to all players of someone who has taken those opportunities and developed his personal and professional abilities whilst still a player.”There is no question Pete would have featured in our plans for the coming season, however he now has another tremendous opportunity with the Glenn Family Foundation and, knowing the man he is, we are certain that Pete will add real value there and continue making a significant and positive difference to our society. He leaves with our very best wishes.”Prior to joining Northern Districts in 2004, McGlashan represented Central Districts in 2000-01 and 2000-02 and Otago in 2002-03.

Chris Martin and Daniel Vettori took three wickets apiece to lead the New Zealanders to a sizeable first-innings lead in the drawn tour match against Zimbabwe A

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Oct-2011
ScorecardChris Martin and Daniel Vettori took three wickets apiece to lead the New Zealanders to a sizeable first-innings lead in the drawn tour match against Zimbabwe A in Bulawayo. Zimbabwe A were dismissed for 241, 103 runs behind New Zealanders’ first-innings score of 344 for 8.Martin struck an early blow for his team, bowling Hamilton Masakadza in the ninth over with Zimbabwe A on 17 for 1. Graeme Aldridge got the other opener, Tino Mawoyo, in the next over before another run had been scored. There was some resistance from the middle order, though, as Regis Chakabva made 40 and Malcolm Waller 66.Once Waller was dismissed, however, with Zimbabwe A 183 for 6, the tail folded quickly. Vettori finished with 3 for 35, while Martin took 3 for 31. Aldridge chipped in with 2 for 40 as well.The New Zealanders sent Vettori to open with BJ Watling, to give him some batting practice ahead of the Test. Vettori scored 32 off 37 balls as New Zealanders made 49 for 0 before the game ended.

Darren Sammy singled out West Indies’ determination to fight to the finish as the key factor in helping them win their first world championship since the World Cup of 1979

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Oct-2012The West Indies celebrations after the final wicket were interrupted only by the post-match presentation, during which the captain Darren Sammy singled out his team’s determination to fight to the finish as the key factor in helping them win their first world championship since the World Cup of 1979.”For the last two years we’ve shown the never-say-die attitude, but we haven’t had the results,” Sammy said. “This moment we’re going to live forever. The team has been through a lot in the last two years, for the last ten years. The mission was to win the T20 World Cup, the belief we left the Caribbean with has pulled us through. Today we were down and out but our never-say-die attitude came out.”Thank you to everyone who supported us. The tournament is for the fans. The love we felt from the Sri Lankan people is tremendous and we want to thank them for that. This hopefully will be the beginning of things to come. Hopefully this team will go on.”Sammy played an important role in the 36-run win the final, scoring quick runs at the death during West Indies’ innings to push the total to a competitive 137. But it was Marlon Samuels who played the decisive knock, reviving his team with a counter-attacking 78 off 56 balls, which not only boosted what was a crawling run-rate, but made possible a score his bowlers could ultimately defend. The feature of Samuels’ innings was five sixes off Lasith Malinga.”Put in a lot of hard work. To Jamaica, to the West Indies. Can’t explain how much it means to me,” Samuels, who had lost two years to a ban related to links with an Indian bookmaker, said after being named Man of the Match. “They beat us twice, I tell Chris [Gayle] we can’t lose thrice. The wicket was a bit slow, today was a different mindset, I decided to attack Malinga, their best bowler and it paid off. We are working together as a unit. Future-wise I think West Indies are going to do well, even in Test cricket. Test cricket is the best cricket.”The game ended in despair for Sri Lanka, the hosts, who dominated the first half of the West Indies innings. Mahela Jayawardene kept his team on track in the first half of the chase, but there was no recovering from a collapse that began with the fall of his partner Kumar Sangakkara in the 10th over. They ended up losing nine for 53.”I think the first ten overs were fantastic, they knew they had to go for it. A couple of mistakes on the field and three-four bad overs shifted the momentum,” Jayawardene, who resigned as T20 captain after the defeat, said. “We’re disappointed, a full house. A couple of overs they went after us, against our best bowlers. I backed my No. 1 bowler to deliver but Marlon batted very well.”They bowled really well, we just needed to keep the pressure on which we didn’t. We need to sit down, have a good chat, and move on.”

Rahul Dravid has said he expected India to do better in Australia than they did in England, but both their batting and bowling have been disappointing

Sidharth Monga at the SCG05-Jan-2012Rahul Dravid has said he expected India to do better in Australia than they did in England, but both their batting and bowling have been disappointing. India lost the first Test of this tour inside four days, and are struggling to save the second. With two days to go in Sydney, they need 354 more to make Australia bat again, with only eight wickets in hand. That leaves the last eight wickets at least five sessions to bat. There is rain around, but on the third day it arrived only well after stumps, and only for about 10 minutes.Rahul Dravid: “I feel I have been batting well, but I am just getting out.”•Getty ImagesDravid said there was not much to aim at right now, except to bat for a long time. Looking back, though, he admitted they expected a better performance. “It is disappointing,” he spoke of the five-match losing streak overseas, which is likely to reach six at the SCG. “Obviously we didn’t play well in England. We thought definitely we would play much better here. Things haven’t worked here, but still time to go. It is disappointing and we are not happy about it.”A big share of the blame, he said, lay with the batting. “The key for us is to keep them on the field for a long period of time,” Dravid said of the Australian bowlers and fielders. “If we can keep their bowlers and fielders on the field for more than 100 overs, then we can put them under pressure and see some of their bowlers wilt. Sadly, in the three innings we have played so far, we haven’t been able to do that. They kept us on the field for a long time today. We need to try and do that.”They are coming in hard, running in hard. After drinks, the last 15 overs they came in really hard. Hopefully, if we are batting after tea tomorrow, that’s where their real challenge is. If we can hang in there, play out time, and have them on the field for a long time…”Dravid has been bowled in three out of four innings but said he wasn’t unhappy with his touch. “To be fair, there have been a couple of pretty good balls,” he said. “It’s not like I have got out, you know, inner-edging. A couple of good balls, a couple of things I could have done differently. I feel I have been batting well, but I am just getting out. Hopefully in the next couple of Tests I will be able to convert one of these starts. I got 60 in the first game, I thought I was batting well in the second innings, till I got a pretty good one.”Dravid admitted his side was against a good attack, but that was no reason for India to sit back. “They have bowled well,” he said. “No point saying they have bowled well. We have got look at ourselves and do something about it. They haven’t given us loose balls. Even today, even though we were playing solidly, they didn’t give us too many loose balls. They have bowled well, they are a good attack, but I believe we should play better as well.”Another disappointment, Dravid said, was how listless India looked on the field. “In the sense, okay in England, we were not always with our best attack. Due to injuries and various other reasons, our bowling attack in England wasn’t the best possible attack,” he said. “Here we had the best bowling attack we can possibly hope for. Obviously disappointed. Once partnerships develop, and runs go, we need to pull it back and try to control the runs. Having said that it’s not easy. Even if we don’t take wickets, we have to stop the run flow.”Saving the Test, according to Dravid, was not on the Indian players’ minds at the moment. “I don’t think we can think about saving this game right now,” he said. “We need to go out there and show some fight. And bat as long as we can. Who knows what can happen? We have got quality batsmen who can bat long periods. It’s hard to think about two days from now right away. I am sure the guys will go out and fight and do the best they can. And we will take from there.”