All posts by n8rngtd.top

The player auction for the 2019 season is likely to take place on December 16 in Goa

Nagraj Gollapudi19-Oct-2018South African wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock is the IPL’s first trade of 2019, before the auction takes place in mid-December. ESPNcricinfo understands that de Kock, who last year played for Royal Challengers Bangalore, has been traded to Mumbai Indians in an all-money deal.Royal Challengers had bought de Kock for INR 2.8 crore (USD 437,000) at the 2018 auction. ESPNcricinfo has learnt that Mumbai have bought de Kock at that price and to offset the deal, they have released Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman (INR 2.2 crore, USD 343,000) and Sri Lankan offspinner Akila Dananjaya (INR 50 lakh, USD 78,000).De Kock played eight matches in IPL 2018, scoring 201 runs at a strike rate of 124.07. Although Mumbai already have two wicketkeepers in Ishan Kishan and Aditya Tare, they might have been keen on de Kock for his top-order batting. They used the hard-hitting West Indies batsman Evin Lewis as opener earlier this year, but he struggled towards the end of the season, prompting the Mumbai coaching staff to seek back-ups. De Kock, who has also played for Delhi Daredevils and Sunrisers Hyderabad, has impressive numbers in the IPL, scoring a hundred and six fifties in 34 innings. He has also made 573 of his 927 runs in the Powerplay, at a strike-rate of 125.6.The IPL has two main trading windows with the first one starting immediately at the end of the season stretching to a month before the auction and the second one from after the auction till the start of the tournament. Since 2018, the IPL also introduced a mid-tournament window for franchises to trade uncapped players and players who had not played more than two matches.With the last date for retentions and release being November 15, franchises are busy working out their plans for the new season before they make fresh buys at the auction. A purse of INR 3 crore will be available for the franchises in addition to the balance left after last year’s auction.The IPL has not yet formally communicated an auction date, but ESPNcricinfo understands December 16 has been earmarked with Goa as the likely venue. The franchises were told that the auction was supposed to happen between December 15 and 20.The franchises will also want clarity over where the IPL will take place in 2019 because India’s general elections will be taking place around the same time as the tournament. This had been the case in 2014 as well when, owing to security concerns, the first set of matches were played in the UAE.Now, however, the franchises are averse to playing in the Dubai and Abu Dhabi because they fear the pitches would end up being too slow. The IPL has not revealed any plans yet, but it is understood that South Africa has been chalked in as an alternative venue. It is also waiting for the central election commission to announce the date for the elections, but franchises want an answer soon so they can prepare for the auction accordingly.

Sri Lanka would still be hurting after the hiding their bowlers were handed by Bangladesh, but their in-form top-order is capable of testing India’s resolve

The Preview by Andrew Fidel Fernando11-Mar-20182:07

Chopra: Pant needs to develop another gear

Big Picture

Flags have been planted, intents have been declared, early momentum has been divided up, and now, with one win apiece for each competitor, a little tension has built. It has been a more high-scoring first round than many expected, given the Khettarama pitch’s reputation for spin-aligned treachery. As the square wears through the course of the tournament, perhaps the scoring will slow. But for now, bowlers from all three sides are nursing bruised economy rates.The diagnosis for both the Sri Lanka and India attacks is roughly the same: a shortage of international experience. Where the likes of Lasith Malinga (in his pomp) or Jasprit Bumrah are capable of reacting swiftly to a batting onslaught, and moving to an effective Plan B or C, these bowlers have tended to wilt under duress. A boundary early in an over has often drawn mistakes soon after. Powerplays and death overs have proved unusually productive for adventurous batsmen. Only legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal has been both economical and penetrative. He has gone at seven an over, when rates of around 10 have been the norm so far among the frontline bowlers.Such was the beating Sri Lanka’s bowlers received at the hands of Bangladesh that it is their attack that arrives a little more bruised into Monday’s encounter. Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Pradeep and Akila Dananjaya were all attacked at the top of the innings and at the death. Thisara Perera had initially fared better, but his own figures were not much prettier than the frontliners’ by the end. India’s bowlers, meanwhile, have at least one strong performance behind them in the tournament, but that was against a Bangladesh side that was batting some distance below their best (by their own admission). Sri Lanka’s top order, which has been impressive in four successive T20s, may again test India’s resolve.

Form guide

Sri LankaLWWWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
India WLWLW

In the spotlight

It was against India that Akila Dananjaya had reignited his career. His 6 for 54 in an ODI in Pallekele almost won the match for Sri Lanka, in what was otherwise a dispiriting two months. Though he has not been quite as menacing since, he has had the knack of routinely keeping tidy figures – rarely could he be said to have had a bad day. In the first two matches of this tournament, though, he has gone wicketless, and has conceded 73 runs off seven overs. With the tracks at Khettarama taking less turn that usual, this match will be a test of his fortitude.In ODIs, Rohit Sharma has been excellent in Sri Lanka, but in T20s, his record on the island is a little thin. In eight innings at Khettarama, he has breached 30 only once – and that was against a modest England outfit in the 2012 World T20. Against Sri Lanka, however – and though the hosts will come with a closely-deliberated plan against him – Rohit is rarely down for long.

Team news

With captain Dinesh Chandimal suspended for two games due to a serious over-rate offence, Thisara Perera will lead the side. Dhananjaya de Silva is likely to slot into Chandimal’s position. There is also a chance of Suranga Lakmal replacing either Dushmantha Chameera or Nuwan Pradeep.Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Kusal Mendis, 2 Danushka Gunathilaka, 3 Kusal Perera (wk), 4 Dananjaya de Silva, 5 Upul Tharanga, 6 Dasun Shanaka, 7 Thisara Perera (capt), 8 Jeevan Mendis, 9 Akila Dananjaya, 10 Dushmantha Chameera, 11 Nuwan PradeepIndia are likely to retain the XI that won them the game against Bangladesh.India (possible): 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Rohit Sharma (capt), 3 Suresh Raina, 4 Manish Pandey, 5 Rishabh Pant, 6 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 7 Vijay Shankar, 8 Washington Sundar, 9 Shardul Thakur, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal, 10 Jaydev Unadkat

Pitch and conditions

There is a chance that evening showers could interrupt play. A pitch favourable for batting is expected.

Stats and trivia

• Chasing sides have won all three games so far. The two highest successful pursuits at this venue are now Bangladesh’s chase of 215 on Saturday, and Sri Lanka’s chase of 175 against India, in the tournament opener.
• Both sides have a batsman who has made half-centuries in each game so far. Shikhar Dhawan has hit 90 off 49 balls and 55 off 43; Kusal Perera has made 66 off 37 and 74 off 48.

Quotes

“Guys who have come in to the team have got the experience in the IPL. They are not nervous and look settled. We didn’t really execute well in the first game, but we got better in the second game. It is going to get better from here.”India seam bowler Jaydev Unadkat believes IPL experience is valuable, even if the India bowlers have not played many internationals

Outgoing ICC chief executive David Richardson touched upon on-field behaviour, ball tampering, cricket’s ever-growing global presence, and much more in the 2018 MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Aug-2018***Good evening Mr President, Guy, ladies and gentlemen.I’d like to start by thanking Lord MacLaurin and the MCC for the invitation to stand here before you tonight. It’s a huge honour, if not a little daunting.Even more daunting than when I came to Lord’s as a member of the South African team in 1993, post-isolation, and we met the Queen prior to the start of the Test. Before the match, they briefed us on how to address the Queen, as Your Majesty or Ma’am, but not to talk to her unless she talked to you.But they didn’t tell us how to address Prince Philip. The Queen arrived, we all lined up. The Queen came down the line and shook hands. I recall her wearing white gloves. Prince Philip, following behind, stopped to talk to Fanie De Villiers, who was standing next to me. I heard the Prince say “a pleasure to meet you”, and pointing to Fanie’s blazer pocket, he asked, “what happened to the Springbok?”Fanie’s first language, and only language actually, is Afrikaans. I was a bit worried because the replacing of the Springbok emblem with the protea was quite controversial in some quarters, and I knew Fanie was one of those who would have preferred to keep the Springbok. He hesitated a bit and then said, “well, Your Worship, the springbok has jumped.”Actually, he was not trying to be funny. Spring is an Afrikaans word, meaning ‘to jump’ in English. He wanted to say , a clever play on words, explaining that the springbok has moved on. Not quite the same effect when directly translated into English. Fortunately, Prince Philip must have understood what he meant and he moved on.But that was not my first visit to Lord’s. A very long time ago, in 1979, in the midst of an apartheid South Africa, as a 19-year old, I was part of a multi-racial team selected to come to England. I am not even sure who arranged the tour, but it was sponsored by Barclays Bank.The tour started in London. We stayed at the Danubius, and on the day we arrived, we were taken to the Lord’s shop to be kitted out, whites, bats, pads and gloves. The coach of our team was a gentleman called Colin Milburn, a name that I’m sure will ring a few bells in this room.A colourful character, an attacking, entertaining batsman, whose career was cut short by a car accident where he lost an eye. He imparted his experience not only in the skills of the game, but also in the art of ‘off-field’ tactics, teaching us the importance of socialising with your opponents and the medicinal values of gin and coke! Wherever the team went, we were struck by how popular a figure Colin Milburn was.The manager of the team, more of a mentor really, was one Colin Cowdrey, who was what I had imagined the English gentleman to be – softly spoken, impeccable manners, always dressed in a jacket and tie.In one of the matches, he made a guest appearance for the team playing against us. I recall he put his blazer over his whites before sitting down to lunch. And at tea time, I noticed him going into the kitchen to thank the tea ladies. Indeed, wherever we went, I noticed the tea ladies fell over themselves in excitement whenever he appeared. He was a lesson to our team in how to respect the game, your own team-mates, the opponents and the umpires.The two Colins were entirely different personalities, but both epitomise the nature of our great game. A game that is inclusive and accommodating of all types. A game that by its very nature exposes the personalities of the players, allows the players to express not only their skills and their passion for the game but also their characters, warts and all. This is what makes cricket so appealing and fascinating to those who are watching. We cannot and should not be looking to sanitise it out.As fans, we want our players enjoying and expressing themselves, we want to see emotion, passion and pride from players. What we don’t want is robots, lacking in personality, but equally what we don’t want is ugly behaviour.Lately, we’ve seen too much ugly on and off the field of play. As a sport, we must be united, not just in our desire to protect the spirit of the game, but every single person in the game needs to commit to living that spirit and ensuring it is relevant in the 21st century, continuing to make cricket a unique sporting proposition.What exactly is this spirit of cricket? The spirit of cricket isn’t an historical hangover; it is part of the fabric of our sport. No other sport has codified the spirit so blatantly in its Laws, and we disregard it at our peril. The phrase ‘it’s just not cricket’ is not an accident, it’s because cricket’s DNA is based on integrity, and people know that cricket represents something more than a game.But we have seen too much behaviour of late that puts that in jeopardy, and it has to stop. Sledging that amounts to no more than personal abuse, fielders giving send-offs to batsmen who have been dismissed, unnecessary physical contact, players threatening not to play in protest against an umpire’s decision, and ball-tampering; this isn’t the version of our sport that we want to project to the world.Getty Images

The public reaction, around the world, to the incidents in the recent Australia-South Africa series was an eye opener. The message was loud and clear: cheating is cheating and is not what we signed up to.As administrators, we have to do our part and we have agreed to take stronger action against behaviour that is unacceptable, to back our match officials more, and for boards to behave in a manner themselves that creates a culture of respect between teams. We have taken a step in the right direction.But the reality is, it will be the players who can safeguard the reputation of the game with their actions on and off the field. It is the nature of the players’ personalities, their strength of character that will ultimately define the spirit of the game and what it means in the 21st century.And here it is important for current players to understand that they represent not only themselves but all the players that have gone before them, and those that will follow. The vast majority of players do this day in and day out. Players like Kane Williamson, Hashim Amla, Mithali Raj, Jos Buttler, Katherine Brunt, Moeen Ali, MS Dhoni.Going back in time to players I played with or against – Jonty Rhodes, Shaun Pollock, Alan Donald, Courtney Walsh, Richie Richardson, David Boon, Rahul Dravid … so many examples. Players who played hard, never gave up, never took a backward step, played with passion and a sense of enjoyment, but never disrespected the opponents or the umpires. Players who the fans loved to watch.Over the last few months, I’ve read comments from players requesting guidance on what is allowed in relation to the ball. Asking if they can chew gum, wear sunscreen or drink a sugary drink, and to be brutally honest, I find this a little disingenuous.The laws are simple and straightforward – do not change the condition of the ball using an artificial substance. If you are wearing sunscreen, sucking a mint or chewing gum with the intent of using the cream or sugary saliva on the ball, you are ball-tampering.You may not always get caught, we are not going to stop players chewing gum or from wearing sunscreen. There are many players who have chewed gum on the field throughout their careers, and never once thought to use it on the ball, but if you are caught – and we have only caught players when it is pretty obvious what they are doing – then don’t complain. Saying others do it is not a defence – you are cheating.Sledging is another element of the game that constantly draws attention – where do you draw the line? Banter, even elements of gamesmanship have always been a part of the sport, and in my view, play a part in adding to its mystique and unique character.I think in most cases sledging/chirping is a waste of time, often resorted to by players who are trying to psyche themselves up or boost their own lack of confidence, and very often it’s counter-productive.We tried to unsettle Steve Waugh by asking him what it was like to be the unpopular twin, with Mark getting all the toys when they were growing up – it had no effect and only made him more determined, seemingly getting runs whenever he batted against us.Pat Symcox is someone I played with who always loved to have a few words. Matthew Hayden’s career was in two parts. In the first, he had a very unhappy tour of South Africa, suffering a string of low scores in the series. In the second innings of the final Test, he got a duck. As he passed Pat Symcox on the way back to the dressing room, Pat said, “Don’t worry Matt, Donald Bradman also made a duck in his last Test innings.”Matthew Hayden was dropped after that, but a season or so later, came back for an extraordinary, successful second stage of his career, including a record-breaking tally of runs against South Africa in a later series. There was a time when teams like Sri Lanka and Bangladesh could be bullied mentally – that is not the case anymore.But there is a difference between the examples I have given and what amounts to no more than ugly personal abuse in the guise of playing ‘aggressively’. That type of ugly behaviour is not what sport, never mind cricket, is all about, and is simply unacceptable. And it is the latter that we are attempting to eradicate. A specific new offence, personal abuse, has been introduced, punishable as a level 3 Code of Conduct offence, which will result in a ban of up to six Test matches or 12 ODIs/T20Is.So, apart from this, what has ICC done to address the situation? Three main points.Firstly, we have introduced new offences and increased the severity of the associated penalties to serve as an effective deterrent.Secondly, we will take steps to educate the players on what it means to play the game within the spirit – advising them on not only what you can’t do, but showing them examples of what type of conduct does exemplify the spirit of the game as we would like to see it.Finally, the boards have agreed to adopt principles of behaviour that will create an environment of respect for the game, the match officials and each others’ teams. This includes the philosophy that the touring team should be treated as honoured guests in the country, with the standard of practice facilities and other logistical arrangements exactly the same, if not better, as the home team.The boards, including their ground staff, the players, their support staff, coaches and team managers, must all act as the guardians of the spirit. Mike Procter as coach of South Africa was a brilliant example of this. If you got a bad umpiring decision, you could expect less sympathy from Mike than you get when you have a hangover. “Bad luck” was all you got from him. Unqualified acceptance of an umpire’s decision, good or bad, was a given as far as he was concerned.Too many coaches or team managers of recent times are too quick to side with their players, blame the umpires for being biased against their team, storming off to the match referee’s room to complain.We are relying on everyone to showcase cricket and inspire a new generation of players and fans. Winning must obviously be the aim of any game, but not at all costs, not when it means compromising the integrity of the game.We must all work proactively to protect the spirit of the game and make it a relevant part of cricket in the 21st century. In my view, it is imperative to the long-term sustainability of the game. After all, who will want their kids to play cricket if what you see and read about is foul language, bad sportsmanship or corruption.And, of course, we all want more kids playing cricket. Growing the sport, in terms of the number of both participants and fans, is a key pillar of our global strategy for cricket that we will be launching later this year.The spirit of cricket should not only define how we play the game but how we fulfill cricket’s broader purpose. The first question sponsors ask us is, ‘why cricket’…’what’s the purpose of cricket’? At its most basic, cricket provides enjoyment, an opportunity for people of any age or gender to be entertained, and to connect with each other. Cricket has a great capacity to unite people, to inspire and to empower.We need to ensure that cricket is not elitist but is accessible to and capable of being enjoyed by all.There is little that depresses me more than receiving a glossy report from a well-meaning cricket board in South America extolling their efforts in growing participation, normally accompanied by a photo of kids clad in whites at a fielding practice in a huge semi-circle with a coach hitting catches to them. If you are lucky, a catch might come your way every 10 minutes or so. How to turn kids to basketball or water polo in one easy lesson!In the coming months, we will be launching a new app that will give kids and adults the chance to enjoy cricket anytime, anywhere, and in a way that suits them. This is a big departure for the ICC, but we cannot expect to do things the same way time after time with different results. We need to put our arms around ALL of cricket and celebrate the fact that anyone can play and enjoy it.Whether it be a game on a basketball court in New York, in a floodlit car-park at night in Dubai, the backyard with your friends, the street in Papua New Guinea, or the beach, they must feel they are part of the cricket family.It is not only in playing the game that we need to be more inclusive, it is also necessary to provide opportunities for people to watch and follow the game. Many cricket fans will tell you their first memory of cricket was going with their father or grandfather to an international match at the MCG or Eden Gardens. It is at that age that heroes are created. I came back from watching South Africa play Australia at Newlands in 1970, and immediately changed to batting left-handed like Graeme Pollock and bowling off the wrong foot like Mike Procter in my backyard games.We are also considering how we use technology and the digital space to attract younger fans. Shorter form, less conventional content that kids want to share must be a central part of what we’re all doing.It is the diversity of cricket that is so precious – different formats, different nationalities, different shapes and sizes of people playing. As a sport, we can and should be making every effort to diversify even further both in terms of new markets, but perhaps even more importantly in my mind in relation to women and girls.Cricket has always been known as the gentleman’s game, but that is a label we should attach to the character of the game only, not the gender of those playing the game. It is a game for all. For too long, we have ignored the potential of women in cricket and effectively 50% of the population. But that is changing significantly and will continue to do so.Last summer’s ICC Women’s World Cup, and particularly the final here at Lord’s, showed us the huge opportunity the sport has to attract more women and girls, not only as players and fans, but also ensuring the sport is a place where women want to work – as administrators, as commentators, as journalists… we must remove any barriers to entry based on gender.Getty Images

Last year, the decision was taken to televise all 31 matches of the ICC Women’s World Cup. We worked with broadcasters to incentivise them to carry all the matches, and their support saw the event reach 180 million unique viewers worldwide.This was a 265% viewership increase in comparison to the same event in 2013. We now need to supply the demand, ensuring there is access to compelling and competitive cricket. By doing that, we can build up a market where the women’s game becomes self-sustainable because sponsors and broadcasters know the commercial benefits.We need to do everything possible to make cricket a choice for young girls around the world. We need to get the basics right – even something as simple as ensuring they have their own changing facilities will make a big difference.It is such an exciting time for the sport. Cricket is in great health, with more than a billion fans around the world, and room for much more growth. We don’t have all the answers to the challenges we face, but we are working collectively to solve them.Nelson Mandela was right when he said: “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where there was once only despair.”Acting in the spirit of cricket means remembering this in our decision making, ensuring that we use cricket to provide enjoyment to and to unite, inspire and empower communities around the world.Cricket and its spirit is defined by the personalities of its participants – administrators, umpires, referees and the players themselves. On the field, cricket needs its larger-than-life characters – its Colin Milburns, Freddie Flintoffs, Shane Warnes, Virat Kohlis and Ben Stokes, its lovable rogues. But equally, it needs its Frank Worrells, Rachael Heyhoe-Flints, MS Dhonis, Rahul Dravids and its Colin Cowdreys to make sure we all stay on the good-guys (or girls) side of that “line”. The future of our game depends on it.Thank you once again for inviting me, and thanks for listening.

Former fast bowler Eric Upashantha the lone new face in five-member senior selection committee

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Jun-2018Graeme Labrooy has been reappointed Sri Lanka’s chief selector for another term along with the majority of his existing panel. The big change is that Asanka Gurusinha, Sri Lanka’s cricket manager, is no longer a selector. Coach Chandika Hathurusingha will function as the selector-on-tour, having performed that role since January.Elsewhere in the panel, former first-class allrounder Sajith Fernando makes way for former seam bowler Eric Upashantha, who has served in several selection panels over the past few years. Gamini Wickremasinghe, a former wicketkeeper, and Jery Woutersz, who had recently been the national team’s manager, keep their places in the committee.Having assumed the role when the national team was in crisis last year, Labrooy’s committee has overseen a period of relative stability. Sri Lanka’s Test side made gains on recent tours to the UAE, India and Bangladesh, though the side continues to struggle in limited-overs formats.Among the bolder decisions Labrooy’s committee made was dropping Kusal Mendis, then re-selecting him after a break, and inserting off spinner Akila Dananjaya into the Test squad. Both of those moves have paid dividends so far.Labrooy’s panel is also understood to work quite closely with Hathurusingha, who although has no official powers when it comes to picking a squad, is believed to have substantial influence over the panel.This committee’s next assignment will be to select the Test squad for the home series against South Africa in July, once the ongoing series in the West Indies winds down.

The former New Zealand captain was proud of the way Kane Williamson’s men handled the Lord’s heartbreak

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Jul-2019Brendon McCullum knows what it is to lose a World Cup final. In 2015, under McCullum’s captaincy, New Zealand enjoyed a bumper run to the final, only to lose to Australia by seven wickets at the MCG. Four years later, New Zealand reached another World Cup final, this time at Lord’s, and tied the game. The manic Super Over, the first in World Cups, ended in a tie as well, and England eventually won the title on boundary count.McCullum’s side had turned a rugby-mad country into a cricket-loving nation in 2015. Williamson’s men have created similar impact now, and McCullum believes they will move on from the Lord’s heartbreak.”That’s the thing and it’s going to be so difficult for those guys,” McCullum told . “I was lucky enough to have a beer with them in the changing room and they were pretty broken, that’s for sure.”They were also really proud of what they did and how well they played. Over the coming months and years, whilst it’s still raw now, they’ll understand just how magnificent that spectacle was. And for it to happen on the biggest of stages, to have played the hand that they played in that match is absolutely amazing.”McCullum looked back on the MCG final in 2015 and called it “a missed opportunity”, but said he was pleased with the way how the team dealt with the result then and even now.”Yes, it would’ve been lovely to have been a World Cup champion, but I’ve always said the game doesn’t define you but it’s the person and character you are,” McCullum said. “I was so pleased with how our team handled that loss, also the success throughout that tournament.
It’s a bit different [but] I thought they’ve handled themselves magnificently in the aftermath of that result [at Lord’s].”A bizarre play in the last over of England’s chase turned the final decisively. When Ben Stokes dived at the striker’s end to complete a second run, he inadvertently deflected a throw from outfielder Martin Guptill to the third-man boundary. England were awarded six runs, and there were questions raised on the call made by the umpires at the time. McCullum, though, chose not to dwell on that play which had worked against New Zealand.”I guess if you look at the rules, it may not have been the right call but it’s just luck, that’s how it works,” he said. “There’s nothing to say that if Ben Stokes was facing the last ball and he needed four off that rather than two, he wouldn’t have struck that low full-toss out of the ground.”I just don’t think you can focus on those things. It’s bitterly disappointing they didn’t work out for us but we had our elements of luck throughout that World Cup too, which gave us a chance. Unfortunately on the day it didn’t fall our way. I certainly don’t blame anyone.”

Derbyshire have known some dismal days in East Midlands derbies and this ranked among one of the worst as they succumbed long before the A52 rush hour had cleared

David Hopps07-Jun-2018
ScorecardAs East Midlands derbies go, this one will go down as one of the great mismatches. Derbyshire’s players will hope to file it along with other brain fades such as telephone banking passwords and where their car keys are. A calamitous batting display saw them wafted aside for 110 on a sunny afternoon, leaving Nottinghamshire, the holders, to scamper to a place in the play-offs with an eight-wicket victory.That win came with disparaging haste as Notts endeavoured to lift their net run rate and thereby claim a home tie in the play-offs by finishing second in the group – it later transpired, successfully. Riki Wessels set the tone by striking the first four balls of Hamidullah Qadri’s second over straight for six – the over went for 28 – and to ribald cheers the game was settled within 11.5 overs. Wessels made 63 from 34 balls and Tom Moores caught the mood, batsmen with the licence to have a bit of fun.Derbyshire have had worse derby disasters. They were once bowled out for 16 on this ground, still their lowest total, as Fred Morley took 7 for 7 in 1879. Morley was regarded as the fastest bowler in the land and, had he not died of dropsy five years later, he might have fancied picking up a couple of wickets here, such was the ineptitude of Derbyshire’s display.”It’s unacceptable to be bowled out for just over 100,” said Billy Godleman, Derbyshire’s captain. “The surface was an interesting one and posed challenges, particularly when the seamers were bowling.”At least Derbyshire brought some cheer for England. Jake Ball, Nottinghamshire’s tall, languid pace bowler, has replaced Chris Woakes in England’s ODI squad for the Australia series and he loosened up with four wickets. There was an uplifting sight, too, for Peter Such, the ECB’s lead spin bowling coach, who was delighted to see Matthew Carter’s stately offspin reap three wickets too.Carter is one of England’s forgotten spinners, his progress hindered by the Championship’s banishment, by and large, to the start and end of the season. But he came into this match with two Royal London Cup four-fors this season and looked in good order. He is a tall man who just walks up the wicket with deliberation, but his rhythm was excellent and he drew turn from a used surface. He should get a Championship outing at Taunton this weekend and can still have a fine career ahead.Godleman was the Derbyshire wicket most sought, his tournament record standing at 505 runs at 84.16, but the captain only added four more, Carter drifting the ball into the left-hander then finding bite to have him caught at slip. Alex Hughes obligingly hacked a ball turning down the leg side to midwicket and Carter returned later to defeat Hardus Viljoen’s rustic heave.With Ball having Ben Slater caught at the wicket, Derbyshire were three down within 4.5 overs, their two batsmen who have dominated their 50-over season both gone and hopes of sneaking a top-three spot already retreating. Matt Critchley played brightly for 33 before chopping at Luke Fletcher’s wideish outswinger and the most surprising shot of all came from Wayne Madsen, who was his usual reliable self in making 37 only to heave Ball to long on in suicidal fashion.There were other giveaways too: a sweep down deep square leg’s throat by Gary Wilson, a leave alone against Ball by Darren Smit, although as Ball himself remarked after a second look, that one did come back a bit. Derbyshire didn’t even make it last until the rush hour had departed, leaving their supporters to queue up the A52, adding their own fumes of dismay to the evening pollution.

“I fully went for the bluff,” England quick says of his hat-trick ball to Tim Southee, trapping him lbw

Vithushan Ehantharajah07-Dec-2024Gus Atkinson says he is “greedy” for more milestones after taking England’s 15th Test hat-trick to leave New Zealand reeling on day two of the second Test at the Basin Reserve.Atkinson became the 14th Englishman to take a Test hat-trick – Stuart Broad has two – and the first since Moeen Ali against South Africa in 2017. He is also the 50th man or woman to achieve the feat.Nathan Smith was bowled off the bat while trying to leave, Matt Henry was caught at gully fending a bouncer before Tim Southee was trapped plumb in front, which finished New Zealand’s innings on 125, 155 behind England’s 280. That lead is now a mammoth 533, with the tourists closing day two in Wellington on 378 for 5 in their first innings.Related

• Southee's extended farewell epitomises New Zealand's stasis

• Atkinson hat-trick, Bethell 96 highlight England's day of dominance

Saturday’s exploits, which has England in the driving seat for a series-clinching win, joins a growing list of remarkable achievements Atkinson has ticked off in his short Test career to date.Gus Atkinson spreads his arms after pinning Tim Southee for his hat-trick•Getty Images

He took 12 wickets on debut at Lord’s against West Indies in July, in James Anderson’s final Test, with 7 for 45 and 5 for 61. He then returned to the Home of Cricket to take another 5 for 62 and score a maiden Test century against Sri Lanka.Atkinson, whose only other hat-trick came at school in 2016 while playing for Bradfield College against Radley College, was buoyed by the achievement but says he is hungry for more memorable moments in an England shirt.”You always want to get more and be greedy,” said Atkinson at the close of play. “You want to take as many as you can and that’s something I want to try and do in the future.”It was great. It’s not something as a bowler you think about. you think about five-fors and ten-fors, those sort of things.”Obviously it’s been a great year for me personally and hopefully I can get a few more milestone and help the team.”Atkinson had a chance for a hat-trick on debut when he removed Alick Athanaze and Jason Holder in successive deliveries in the first innings. Joshua Da Silva kept out the hat-trick ball, before the West Indies’ keeper-batter was snared the very next delivery via an inside edge.This time, Atkinson’s third delivery in the set was carefully planned. With Southee on strike, England set a field for the short-ball, a nod to the his penchant for a big shot, regardless of the occasion. Atkinson, however, went full, striking the pad and wheeling away celebrating as the umpire raised his finger.”I fully went for the bluff,” said Atkinson. “He [Southee] is someone who, even on a hat-trick ball, he might take it on. That was the feeling: even though it’s a hat-trick ball he might take this on.”I was thinking about bowling a yorker, getting it full and straight. I missed a bit but thankfully it still ended up straight and relatively full when it hit him on the pad.”Atkinson currently boasts 47 wickets at an average of 21.31 in the format, with an innings remaining in his 10th Test. Though he had played 12 while-ball internationals ahead of his Test bow, he credits Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum for giving him room to thrive, and for taking a punt on him in the first place. At the time of his selection, he had played just 19 first-class matches for Surrey, taking 59 wickets at 27.38.Both Jacob Bethell and Ben Duckett missed their hundreds•Getty Images

The 26-year-old is one of a number of such punts selectors have made in the last nine months, the latest being Jacob Bethell, who fell four runs short of what would have been his first century in professional cricket. Bethell’s 96 – a new first-class best – follows his maiden 50 from 37 deliveries that took England over the line against New Zealand last week at Hagley Oval. Atkinson credits the environment curated that has allowed the Warwickshire batter to thrive at the age of 21.”It was great viewing,” said Atkinson of Bethell’s innings, which came in a 187-run stand with Ben Duckett, who also fell short of a century with 92.”Both played exceptionally well and it’s a shame neither of them got to a hundred but I’m sure Beth will take a lot of confidence from that. He’ll have more chances in the future.”There’s no pressure on any of us. It’s just to go out and play our natural game. I probably didn’t have the stats for Test cricket before I played. I know Beth hasn’t scored a first-class hundred or anything, but the way he bats and the way he’s played in the ODI and T20 series as well just shows how much of a quality player he is. The way he plays fast bowling and spin also, he’s just a class player all-round.”I just think the environment of no pressure and go and play your own game, and don’t worry too much about the outcome, has helped myself and I’m sure it’s helped the others as well.”

NZ have lost all their last 15 completed ODIs against Australia, but captain Devine believes this stat doesn’t matter in a World Cup

Vishal Dikshit30-Sep-20253:02

Devine: ‘The wicket looks incredibly flat’

New Zealand captain Sophie Devine started her media assignments for the 2025 World Cup just like how she wants her side to play their opening game against Australia on Wednesday: with a hiss and a roar.She waltzed into the press conference room donning a White Ferns jumper in the freezing air-conditioned room. She had brought some warmth with her, it would seem. Except when she started to face some hard-hitting questions.”You haven’t beaten Australia in eight years,” she was coldly reminded straightaway of their record against the reigning champions. New Zealand have lost all their last 15 completed ODIs against Australia.Related

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“Thanks for that stat,” she retorted before quashing away such historical records. “I think it’s a great opportunity. Those stats are there and we’re aware of them, but at World Cups, it doesn’t matter. I think records and previous results go out the window for us. It’s a really exciting opportunity to take on the reigning one-day champions first up. We love any opportunity that we get to play against Australia. It’s sort of like our big sister. We’re really excited about that. And come game day, both teams start on zero. So, again, really excited for the opportunity.”Another journalist then asked something that stumped her again. “How does it feel to come out of retirement to lead your country again?” (She hadn’t, she is retire from ODIs after this World Cup).As if Devine knew that was coming, she shot back saying, “I haven’t retired. I haven’t retired,” she repeated to sear it into his memory. “Are you saying I need to retire? Is that what you’re saying? That’s okay. It’s okay.”Devine meant it all in jest though and normalcy soon resumed even when she was asked about the weaknesses in New Zealand’s middle order, which she didn’t quite agree with.Sophie Devine wants New Zealand to play ‘strong and aggressive’ at the World Cup•AFP/Getty Images

“…The middle order has been going considerably well,” she said. “Maddy Green, Izzy Gaze both scoring hundreds [in the warm-ups]. I know you’re probably talking about official one-day matches, but for us, we’ve built really nicely. We haven’t played a lot of cricket, especially one-day format, over the last six-nine months, but it’s certainly something that we’re aware of. We know that in this competition, especially on some of the wickets that we’re going to face over here in India, that run-scoring is going to be incredibly important. It’s up to everyone.”We can’t just rely on the top four, we need the middle order. There’s going to be crucial runs scored by the lower order as well at some stage during this tournament. I think if you look to the India-Australia series just before this, 400 nearly wasn’t enough. I think it’s really exciting. As batters, we certainly know that we want to take ownership and responsibility of being the ones that do the bulk of the work. We’re really excited to be able to play on wickets like this, which I think are really conducive for scoring runs.”New Zealand have the most unenviable task in this World Cup: starting their campaign against seven-time champions Australia. But even a win over them would not count for more than two points because each team plays seven league games and will need a consistent run of victories to make the semi-finals in the eight-team tournament.”I don’t think we can necessarily focus on one game,” she said about the clash on Wednesday. “I think for us, every match is going to be incredibly important. Absolutely, we want to start this tournament with a real hiss and a roar and make sure that we come out really strong and aggressive. And the fact that it’s Australia that we play first, I think for us, what we keep going back to is making sure that we play our style of cricket. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing against.2:02

McGrath on playing NZ: ‘We know each other’s game really well’

“Absolutely, everyone wants to win their first game, but there’s still a lot of cricket. It’s over a month of cricket to be played. For us, our focus is on making sure that we can execute to our skills for long periods of time. Absolutely. We want to beat these Aussies first up and get some points on the board, but it’s probably more important for us on how we play that game.”If New Zealand look at their trans-Tasman rivals as their “big sister,” their opponents also look at it as a not-so-intense rivalry.”We’ve got a really nice rivalry with New Zealand. We call it the friendly rivalry,” Australia vice-captain Tahlia McGrath said. “We’ve played each other a lot over the last 12 months and sort of know each other’s game really well through franchise cricket as well. And we just finished our prep meeting and think we match up really nicely. So we go ahead into this clash really, really confident and really excited.”McGrath agreed with Devine in saying that such records of a 15-0 streak in ODIs between the two teams became “irrelevant” in World Cups where the pressure is different and every game becomes “crucial.”But there’s no denying that the team that ends up winning by the end of Wednesday night will have its job of making it to the last four much easier.

Left-arm quick Spencer Johnson is likely to be out of action until early next year

Andrew McGlashan02-Sep-2025Marcus Stoinis has a chance to push his claims for a place in the T20 World Cup after earning a recall for the three-match series against New Zealand, but Spencer Johnson’s prospects of emerging as a replacement for Mitchell Starc appear slim with the quick bowler unlikely to be fit until early next year.Stoinis came to an agreement with the selectors to miss the recent series against West Indies and South Africa in order to feature in the Hundred, but remains in the frame for the World Cup. He comes back into a squad that will be without Cameron Green, who instead will play in the opening round of the Sheffield Shield as he progresses towards a bowling return.Nathan Ellis, who has become a fulcrum of the T20I pace attack, will also miss the New Zealand trip with wife Connie expecting their first child. Although Ellis is a very different type of bowler to Starc, he is now set to be a certain starter at the World Cup following the latter’s T20I retirement.Related

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Stoinis will likely be vying for a middle-order finishing role if he is to make the World Cup squad, although his medium pace also provides a handy option and has been used with the new ball.Starc is a major name who definitely won’t be at the tournament. Johnson, another left-arm quick, had been earmarked as a successor particularly in white-ball cricket – he has taken 14 wickets in eight T20Is – but a back injury sustained at the IPL will keep him sidelined for the rest of the year. Johnson was initially named in the squad for the West Indies in late July before being withdrawn.”The latest update for Spencer is that it’ll be sometime in the new year that he’ll start to come back online again,” chair of selectors George Bailey said. “What that looks like and at what point, I don’t think there’s anything definitive on that, still hoping that he can have an impact both domestically and potentially internationally towards the back end of the year.”Matthew Short is back from injury for the New Zealand tour in what shapes as an important series for him to find a spot in a power-packed batting line-up after having missed the West Indies and South Africa series with a side strain.The three matches in New Zealand take place across four days on October 1, 3 and 4. Australia will play a further five T20Is against India at home which will be their last series before selecting the World Cup squad, although the BBL may provide a late opportunity for fringe players to stake a claim. Australia are set to prepare for the tournament with three matches in Pakistan in early February.

Australia T20I squad vs New Zealand

Mitchell Marsh (capt), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

Friday’s clash with Warwickshire will be at Edgbaston, with New Road hosting a Sri Lanka tour match

ECB Reporters Network14-Aug-2024Worcestershire’s cricketers secured a home-quarter-final against Warwickshire – albeit at Edgbaston with New Road hosting England Lions versus Sri Lanka – in the Metro-Bank One-Day Cup despite losing to Lancashire by three runs in their last Group A game at Emirates Old Trafford.Although they restricted their hosts to 237, Worcestershire struggled on a pitch where run-scoring rarely looked easy and were indebted to skipper Jake Libby, whose innings of 83 ensured their overall run rate did not suffer.Tom Hinley’s 17-ball 24 had even looked to give them a chance of a dramatic victory but Venkatesh Iyer dismissed Hinley and Harry Darley with successive deliveries to grab a dramatic winFor Lancashire, this victory came as a boost after a miserable 50-over campaign. Josh Bohannon made a fine 87 and slow left-armer Charlie Barnard took three List A wickets for the first time in a disciplined bowling performance.But Worcestershire’s quicker bowlers had ensured that Lancashire made yet another indifferent start to a 50-over innings. Tom Taylor had Kesh Fonseka caught behind with the third ball of the innings and the next two wickets fell to the impressive Harry Darley, who bowled George Bell for seven and induced Rocky Flintoff to nick another catch to Gareth Roderick when the 16-year-old had made nine.That left Lancashire on 50 for 3 in the fourteenth over but Bohannon and Iyer repaired the innings with a stand of 63 before Iyer was caught behind off Ethan Brookes for 25. By then, though, Bohannon had reached his fifty off 74 balls with a six over midwicket off Tom Hinley’s left-arm wrist spin and the run-rate quickened when he and George Balderson put on 80 in 13 overs.But having been dropped twice off Hinley in the 80s, Bohannon was caught by Rob Jones off the same bowler for 87 and the spinner continued to frustrate Lancashire’s hopes of reaching 250 by having Balderson caught by Roderick for 50 and then accepting a return catch off Tom Bailey.Harry Singh tried to supply some acceleration in the latter stages of the innings with a 24-ball 21 but Lancashire were dismissed in exactly 50 overs for 237. Hinley recovered from his earlier mauling to take three for 58 but Taylor was the pick of the Worcestershire attack with 2 for 25 from ten overs.The start of Worcestershire’s innings was marginally less impressive than Lancashire’s had been. Having made 13, Ed Pollock hooked Josh Boyden to Charlie Barnard at long leg and two overs later the same bowler bowled Gareth Roderick for nine when the Worcestershire opener chopped the ball into his stumps.When Jones skied a pull off Barnard’s left-arm spin to Will Williams running round from mid-on, Worcestershire were 45 for 3 in the 13th over and in need of a recovery similar to Lancashire’s.Instead, though, Ethan Brookes was lbw when attempting to sweep Barnard for 19 and the same bowler took a comfortable catch at mid-off when Josh Cobb tried to drive Harry Singh.Cobb’s departure for eight left Worcestershire on 106 for five in the 28th over but Libby and Taylor mixed sensible strike rotation with a few big hits in an 89-run stand that left their side 43 runs short of victory.However, Libby’s dismissal, bowled by Barnard for 83, was crucial. Fateh Singh lasted only three balls and Libby was bowled by Wiliams for 41 to leave the Rapids needing 40 off 28 balls. It looked unlikely until Hinley took a hand but Iyer had the final word.