Latest news with #Kellaway
Sydney Morning Herald
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Kellaway needs some magic dust to fend off Harry Potter and friends
In fact, based on statistics alone the Force's Mac Grealy would be a shoo-in ahead of Kellaway, who has produced only four offloads, eight clean breaks and 507 run metres, while tackling at a worrying 59 per cent from 61 attempts (Potter is 75 per cent from 101 attempts, Grealy is 71 per cent from 52 attempts and the oft-maligned Toole is 65 per cent from 103 attempts). This is definitely not the contribution the Waratahs would have hoped for from Kellaway. The class, as opposed to the temporary nature of form, will surely see Kellaway included in Joe Schmidt's Wallabies squad, but the bigger question raised over the past week or two is who is going to be in the chosen 23 to 25 that Schmidt will withhold from the British and Irish Lions tour games to prepare for the first Test in Brisbane on July 19. Kellaway's spot in that group is not guaranteed, not just because of a statistically underwhelming Super Rugby Pacific campaign. Instead, it is Potter's maturity that would give Schmidt a degree of comfort about making a change to this thinking. Potter isn't some starry-eyed youngster having his first breakout campaign. He's a 27-year-old seasoned campaigner, and Schmidt would have noticed that even when the Force's season was starting to turn to mush in places such as Tauranga against the Chiefs, Potter's performance levels barely deviated. He's an intelligent player with the ability to produce a bit of x-factor, and unless Kellaway can start building some moments of his own, the threat to his Wallabies jersey should be seen as genuine. There are a number of other variables about the selections in the outside backs, primarily where Schmidt sees the game-starved Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii fitting in, and whether Max Jorgensen can successfully complete his latest injury rehabilitation. Pietsch will also be keen to make a late charge in the Force's last game of their campaign, particularly as he was in excellent form before his untimely injury. Loading But, in all likelihood, the race for the Wallabies No.14 jersey for that first Test of the year against Fiji will come down to Kellaway v Potter. That duel is arguably the biggest contest within the game in Perth on Saturday. Langi Gleeson will also need to shoot the lights out after confirmation of Pete Samu's move to the Waratahs from Top 14 side Bordeaux-Begles next season. One of Samu's attractions from a Wallabies perspective is his ability to slot in anywhere in the back row, making him an obvious bench option for the Lions series. And while the cliche is to worry about players being flogged in French rugby, their huge squads mean the load can be spread. In fact, Top 14 statistics show that four Bordeaux back-rowers have played more minutes than Samu, who has only started nine games in this season's Top 14.
The Age
23-05-2025
- Sport
- The Age
Kellaway needs some magic dust to fend off Harry Potter and friends
In fact, based on statistics alone the Force's Mac Grealy would be a shoo-in ahead of Kellaway, who has produced only four offloads, eight clean breaks and 507 run metres, while tackling at a worrying 59 per cent from 61 attempts (Potter is 75 per cent from 101 attempts, Grealy is 71 per cent from 52 attempts and the oft-maligned Toole is 65 per cent from 103 attempts). This is definitely not the contribution the Waratahs would have hoped for from Kellaway. The class, as opposed to the temporary nature of form, will surely see Kellaway included in Joe Schmidt's Wallabies squad, but the bigger question raised over the past week or two is who is going to be in the chosen 23 to 25 that Schmidt will withhold from the British and Irish Lions tour games to prepare for the first Test in Brisbane on July 19. Kellaway's spot in that group is not guaranteed, not just because of a statistically underwhelming Super Rugby Pacific campaign. Instead, it is Potter's maturity that would give Schmidt a degree of comfort about making a change to this thinking. Potter isn't some starry-eyed youngster having his first breakout campaign. He's a 27-year-old seasoned campaigner, and Schmidt would have noticed that even when the Force's season was starting to turn to mush in places such as Tauranga against the Chiefs, Potter's performance levels barely deviated. He's an intelligent player with the ability to produce a bit of x-factor, and unless Kellaway can start building some moments of his own, the threat to his Wallabies jersey should be seen as genuine. There are a number of other variables about the selections in the outside backs, primarily where Schmidt sees the game-starved Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii fitting in, and whether Max Jorgensen can successfully complete his latest injury rehabilitation. Pietsch will also be keen to make a late charge in the Force's last game of their campaign, particularly as he was in excellent form before his untimely injury. Loading But, in all likelihood, the race for the Wallabies No.14 jersey for that first Test of the year against Fiji will come down to Kellaway v Potter. That duel is arguably the biggest contest within the game in Perth on Saturday. Langi Gleeson will also need to shoot the lights out after confirmation of Pete Samu's move to the Waratahs from Top 14 side Bordeaux-Begles next season. One of Samu's attractions from a Wallabies perspective is his ability to slot in anywhere in the back row, making him an obvious bench option for the Lions series. And while the cliche is to worry about players being flogged in French rugby, their huge squads mean the load can be spread. In fact, Top 14 statistics show that four Bordeaux back-rowers have played more minutes than Samu, who has only started nine games in this season's Top 14.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
An ambidextrous spinner is taking county cricket by storm
Credit: X/@CountyChamp Glamorgan were seeking the final Derbyshire wicket in the very last over of their Championship match earlier this month, after four days of hard graft. With spinner Ben Kellaway bowling, the Glamorgan captain Sam Northeast, one of many fielders crowding the batsman Luis Reece, signalled to his bowler that he should try something different: swapping his right-arm off-spin for left-arm orthodox. Kellaway obliged – informing the umpire first, of course. Advertisement The plan did not work, with Derbyshire surviving for a draw. 'There was a bit of rough outside the left-hander's off stump and we thought we'd give it a go,' he said. 'With two balls left there was nothing to lose, it might have shot through or bounced. Unfortunately I did not execute it to perfection.' Perhaps not that delivery, but Kellaway has got a lot right. In that innings, he registered career-best bowling figures of five for 101 and a week later, he had his maiden first-class hundred, 181 not out as a resurgent Glamorgan romped to their first win of the season. To avenge the draw against Derbyshire, it was fitting that Kellaway picked up the final two wickets against Kent. Kellaway made headlines last summer for his ambidextrous spin bowling, emerging as a cricketing curiosity. But that ball against Derbyshire is, so far, his only left-arm delivery of the new season, during which he has proved he is not a mere novelty act, but a 21-year-old all-rounder of real substance, with many arrows in his quiver. From No 6, he is averaging 64 with the bat and whether as a primary (behind Shoaib Bashir and perhaps soon the fit-again Mason Crane) or secondary spinner, 25 with the ball. With a former England spinner, Richard Dawson, now coaching Glamorgan, Kellaway has kicked on hugely. 'My main skills have always been being a middle-order batter and bowling off-spin. I want and need them to be as strong as possible,' he tells Telegraph Sport. 'The both arms thing is talked about a lot, and has taken over a bit. If the left-arm stuff can be used effectively, then great but those two main skills will always be my main focus.' Advertisement Bowling left-arm spin was a happy byproduct of lockdown boredom for Kellaway, who was born in Newport, learnt the game at Chepstow Cricket Club, and educated at Clifton College. 'It was a complete mess about,' he explains. 'Everyone obviously had so much time on their hands during Covid and my younger brother and I were both teenagers into cricket, so we just played in the backyard, messing around with swing balls and tennis balls. I then parked it for a while, and got it out occasionally in the nets at school. I never took it seriously.' Grant Bradburn, the former Glamorgan coach, saw Kellaway bowl left-arm in the nets, and encouraged him to practise 'to stand out'. Over the last 18 months, he has bowled more with his left arm in the nets, to the point that it accounts for about 30 per cent of his bowling practice. 'I'll do my main training as right arm, then when I have some extra time practise with the left,' he says. 'At first my whole left side was weaker and I got very sore. But it's getting stronger and my action is getting better. I've still got loads of work to do, but it's moving in the right direction.' Advertisement For now, Kellaway sees his party trick as primarily for white-ball cricket to nullify match-ups. Last July, he became the first bowler in county cricket to take a wicket with each arm in the same innings, since Kent's Charles Rowe in 1980. Such skill remains very rare, with Sri Lanka's Kamindu Mendis – now one of the world's best batsmen – occasionally doing it, too. 'That was baffling,' he said. 'I didn't think much of it at the time. I'd just been told to give it a crack and it worked. The whole spell I bowled 50/50. To get a wicket was surreal, and the reaction in the days that followed made me realise how unusual it was. It's different and I'm quite excited by where I can take it. 'It needs some more work to bowl longer spells in championship cricket, but I do find that when I bowl longer spells in the nets, I find it easier, and get some rhythm. Just dropping in for a ball here or there is hard.' One of the bizarre aspects of this tale is how Kellaway can do little else with his left hand. From a family with no link to cricket, he played rugby as a child, and could 'just about pass off my left hand, but nowhere near as strong as my right'. Advertisement 'People find that very funny,' he says. 'I am totally right-hand dominant but weirdly this comes quite naturally. I have tried throwing a cricket ball with my left hand and it's terrible. It's quite common to bowl with one arm and throw with another, Tymal Mills and Jack Leach do that. But that's not me at all.' Kellaway points out that when Glamorgan have been at their strongest, such as when they last won the championship in 1997, they had a strong core of Welsh players. 'That's a proud thing for the club, and we are striving for more Welsh representation. The way the pathway is set up, I think we will see more coming through. My family weren't into cricket, but some mates just took me down to the club in Chepstow and I loved it. Hopefully we can inspire more Welsh kids to get into the game.' Kellaway is just 21, and could yet become an outstanding batsman, off-spinner and left-arm spinner, giving Glamorgan a Welsh core all on his own. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tribe and Kellaway star for Glamorgan against Kent
Rothesay County Championship Division Two, The Spitfire Ground, Canterbury (day one) Glamorgan 389-7 (95.4 overs): Tribe 94, Kellaway 91*, Ingram 70; Kashif Ali 4-75 Kent: Yet to bat Kent 2 pts, Glamorgan 3 pts Match scorecard Career-best scores from 21-year-olds Asa Tribe and Ben Kellaway allowed Glamorgan to build a solid 389-7 after being put in by Kent. Tribe's mature 94 dominated the first half of the day while Kellaway steered the visitors' later efforts as he reached 91 not out. He shared the day's best stand of 133 with Colin Ingram, who added 70 to his impressive season's tally. But Pakistan paceman Kashif Ali, with his best county performance of 4-75, kept the home side in the game despite Glamorgan being in the ascendancy for most of the day. Grant Stewart bowled tightly but a depleted Kent, minus a handful of bowlers, could not keep consistent pressure on the visitors. Notifications, social media and more with BBC Sport Kent, who also had Zak Crawley withdrawn by England, gave a debut to all-rounder Ekansh Singh, 18, among three changes while Glamorgan welcomed back experienced seamer James Harris after injury. Glamorgan started confidently enough but Zain Ul Hassan, after hitting a couple of sweet off-drives, edged to Tawanda Muyeye at slip for 16 in Kashif Ali's first over. A generous helping of extras helped Glamorgan's total from stalling, with the usually fast-scoring Tribe starting carefully as former Kent stalwart Sam Northeast played himself in serenely. Tribe accelerated to his half-century the delivery before lunch against some inconsistent bowling, but Italy international Grant Stewart came out firing with a fine spell after lunch as he forced Northeast to edge to slip for 42 in a stand of 95. A brilliant leaping slip catch by Daniel Bell-Drummond got rid of Kiran Carlson for 16, and leg-spinner Matt Parkinson bowled Tribe when it seemed the Jersey youngster was set for a maiden century. Despite his disappointment, a fourth score of 50 or more in as many matches, including a healthy haul of 16 boundaries, suggests he has the technique to become established at the top of the order. Colin Ingram was next to press the accelerator with a lofted straight six off Parkinson after one miscue just over mid-off, as he moved to 50 off just 47 balls. He and Kellaway added 133 at four an over without undue alarm, and although Ingram slowed down in the latter stages of his knock, he was disappointed to be given out caught behind down leg-side from Kashif's first ball with the new cherry. Kellaway passed his previous career-best of 74 with a rare edge over the slips, although he lost Chris Cooke (15) who saw his off-stump knocked back by Kashif. Timm van der Gugten fell for 17 in George Garrett's last over but Kellaway was left in sight of a maiden century overnight as he and Tribe offered potential long-term promise for Glamorgan. Glamorgan's Asa Tribe told BBC Sport Wales: "It's always good to contribute to the team and I felt good out there personally. "It shows Glamorgan have got a bright future since Kellers has been in unbelievable form as well, and Colin got some runs. "We were going to have a bowl, there's plenty of grass on the wicket so I'm not surprised they put us in. "I'm more than happy with my form (50 or more in four consecutive games), though I'd like to make those three-figure scores which I'm sure will come.
Perth Now
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Jewell's sparkle fades as Derbyshire draw in Wales
New Zealand bowler Blair Tickner has blocked out the last five overs to secure Derbyshire a draw in a tense County Championship match that looked as if it would be a win when Australia's Caleb Jewell was at the crease. Set 338 in 65 overs by Glamorgan in the Division Two clash Tasmanian Jewell and David Lloyd put on 67 in the opening 13 overs before the latter's departure for 42. Derbys were still well-placed at 2-119 in the 23rd when Jewell was lbw to Ben Kellaway sweeping against the spin for 44. The match ebbed and flowed thereafter, but when Martin Andersson (78) became one of youngster Kellaway's five victims the visitors collapsed from 4-218 to 9-293. Tickner, accompanied by an injured Luis Reece, managed to keep the Welsh county at bay, even through an ambidextrous over from Kellaway, with Tickner batting ten balls for one. Gloucestershire and Lancashire were also forced to settle for a draw on a featherbed Old Trafford wicket on which Marcus Harris made 167 in the home team's first innings. Batting again 139 behind after Cameron Bancroft declared on 9-589 Lancs made 8-255, Harris scoring 24 before being stumped. Cam Green, who made eight in the first innings, was thus unable to bat again The allrounder still cannot bowl as Cricket Australia manages his recovery from a back operation so was unavailable to Bancroft as he tried to winkle Lancs out. After making 112 in his opening innings in England since arriving in the West country on a deal bankrolled by a mystery benefactor Green has made 17 runs in four knocks. He has two more matches to play before joining up with Australia ahead of the World Test Championship at Lord's next month. His next match is against Kent who lost a gripping topsy-turvy match against Middlesex at Lord's by two wickets in the penultimate over. Luke Hollman made 103 as Middlesex, 3-81 overnight, chased down 365 thanks to an unbroken ninth-wicket stand of 52 between Zafar Gohar (30no) and Toby Roland-Jones (23no). The results left Leicestershire, captained by Peter Handscomb, who beat a Darren Lehmann-coached Northamptonshire on Sunday, 21 points clear at the top of the table. In Division One England hopeful James Rew made 103, Lewis Gregory 57 and Craig Overton 53 as Somerset beat Essex by three wickets. Hampshire and Brendan Doggett's Durham played out a draw in which only 20 wickets were taken in four days. The Queenslander went wicketless. Nottinghamshire, fired by Fergus O'Neill's early season wickets, are top, four points ahead of Beau Webster's Warwickshire.
