Shadab Khan to play first county stint while D’Arcy Short switches from Durham after successful 2019 Blast

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Oct-2019Surrey have signed Pakistan legspinner Shadab Khan and Australia opener D’Arcy Short for the 2020 Vitality Blast. Shadab will be making his first appearance in county cricket, while Short moves south after impressing with Durham in the Blast last season.The signing of Short will go some way to making up for the loss of Aaron Finch, who has played regularly for Surrey since 2016 but is expected to be involved in Australia’s limited-overs tour of England next summer, affecting his availability. Short finished as the fourth-leading run-scorer in this year’s competition, with 483 at a strike rate of 139.59, despite Durham failing to make it beyond the group stage.Shadab, 21, has played all three formats internationally but came to prominence in T20, during the 2017 Pakistan Super League. He has since played in the Big Bash and Caribbean Premier League, amassing 121 wickets in 98 games, with an economy of 6.81.Described by Surrey’s director of cricket, Alec Stewart, as “one of the most exciting spin bowlers in world cricket”, Shadab will spend much of the 2020 summer in the UK, with Pakistan touring and having also been signed up for the Hundred – although his participation in that competition will depend on his involvement in the Test set-up. The full county fixture list for next year has not been announced but the Blast is expected to take place from May to July.”I’ve been waiting for this opportunity to play county cricket for a long time and T20 cricket at the Kia Oval is a great place to start,” Shadab said. “I’m honoured to be following in the footsteps of some great Pakistan cricketers and will do my best to make both my new team and the Surrey fans proud.”D’Arcy Short swats to leg•Getty Images

Short has played 20 T20Is and four ODIs for Australia, although he was left out of the series against Sri Lanka starting later this week. The left-hander, who also bowls useful wristspin, has been the leading scorer in each of the last two editions of the Big Bash, and has also featured in the IPL.Stewart said that finding a replacement for Finch, who was Surrey’s leading run-scorer in 2019, was behind the move. Short had been offered a new two-year contract to stay at Durham, with the club last week announcing their disappointment that he would not be returning.”We’re delighted D’Arcy will join us for next year’s Vitality Blast,” Stewart said. “With Aaron Finch unavailable, it was vitally important that we replaced him with a powerful batsman at the top of the order. D’Arcy was highly impressive with both bat and ball in this year’s competition and we look forward to seeing him build on that in the 2020 season.”Short said: “I enjoyed my time in the Blast in 2019. To have the opportunity to come back in 2020 and play in front of full houses at one of the best grounds in the world is brilliant. I am already looking forward to joining up with the boys and I thank all involved for the opportunity.”

TN won the inaugural edition under Karthik in 2006-07. Can they repeat that feat against a side that thumped them in the group stages?

The Report by Deivarayan Muthu29-Nov-2019
Dinesh Karthik’s Tamil Nadu and Manish Pandey’s Karnataka will square off for the Syed Mushtaq Ali title in a repeat of the 50-over Vijay Hazare final on December 1. Incidentally, this will be the first time that the finalists of the Vijay Hazare trophy will also contest for the Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy in an Indian domestic season.After asking Rajasthan to bat first under lights in Surat’s Lalabhai Contractor Stadium, Karthik rifled through his options, using as many as seven bowlers to limit Rajasthan to 112 for 9.Tamil Nadu then bumped up R Ashwin to the top – he was opening the batting for only the second time in T20 cricket according to ESPNcricinfo’s data – and although he couldn’t get the big hits away, the senior pro helped see off the new-ball threat posed by Deepak Chahar and co.After C Hari Nishanth chopped on to Chahar for a duck, Ashwin put on 69 for the second wicket with allrounder Washington Sundar to lend direction to the chase. Ashwin holed out for 31 off 33 balls in the 11th over and then Karthik was pinned lbw for 17 six overs later, but Washington remained unbeaten on 54 off 46 balls to finish the chase without much fuss.ALSO READ: Sai Kishore – spinning fingers and sweet dreamsEarlier in the evening, though, Washington didn’t have too much to do with the ball, delivering a solitary over and claiming the wicket of opener Ankit Lamba for 15. Rajasthan captain Chahar promoted himself as the other opener – he was initially picked by Stephen Fleming as a batting allrounder at Rising Pune Supergiant – but Tamil Nadu’s new-ball fingerspinner R Sai Kishore barged through his flimsy defences with an arm ball. The wicket took Kishore’s Powerplay tally to 15 in this Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. No other bowler has taken more than 10 wickets in the Powerplay this tournament.Vijay Shankar provided crucial breakthroughs with the new ball for Tamil Nadu•NurPhoto/Getty Images

With Royal Challengers Bangalore’s director of cricket Mike Hesson and a few other scouts in attendance, Kishore finished with 1 for 35 in his four overs. M Siddharth, the other left-arm spinner, who was a belated inclusion in the squad after M Vijay suffered an injury, returned 1 for 22.Seam-bowling allrounder Vijay Shankar hit the hard lengths and compounded Rajasthan’s woes, picking up 2 for 13 in his four overs. Ashwin was held back until the 14th over and he struck almost immediately, trapping Manander Singh lbw for 7. At this point, Rajasthan were tottering at 76 for 7. Some late blows from Chandrapal Singh and Ravi Bishnoi hauled Rajasthan past 100 and helped them avoid the ignominy of being bundled out.Barring the Bishnois – Rajesh and Ravi – no other Rajasthan batsman passed 20. Chahar, however, briefly raised their hopes when he dismissed Hari Nishanth, but Ashwin and Washington saw off the Powerplay without any further damage. Ashwin ventured to play some funky shots, but couldn’t connect with them well enough while Washington was more adept at keeping the scorecard ticking.Washington was particularly severe on Ravi Bishnoi, the legspinner, taking him for 30 off 16 balls, including three sixes, the pick of them being a rasping slog-sweep over midwicket. In stark contrast, Ashwin was scratchy against the spinners and his stop-start innings finally ended when he hit a half-tracker from left-arm fingerspinner Chandrapal straight into the lap of deep midwicket.Left-arm seamer Aniket Choudhary gave Rajasthan another reason to smile when he removed Karthik, but it was Washington who had the last laugh.In 2006-07, Tamil Nadu became the inaugural Syed Mushtaq Ali champions under Karthik. Can they repeat the feat against a power-packed Karnataka side that thumped them in October earlier this year?

Allrounder becomes first cricketer since Freddie Flintoff in 2005 to win award

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Dec-2019Ben Stokes has been crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year after playing a key role in the team’s World Cup win and producing one of England’s most remarkable Test innings of all time against Australia at Headingley.England’s World Cup side were also recognised in the team of the year category, while Jos Buttler’s run-out of Martin Guptill to seal the trophy in the final against New Zealand was voted moment of the year as cricket sealed a treble victory.Stokes’ nearest rivals were Lewis Hamilton, the Formula One driver, who came second, and Dina Asher-Smith, the sprinter, in third. His win ends a barren run for cricketers in the award, as he becomes the first to win the prize since Freddie Flintoff in 2005. Stokes is the fifth player to have claimed the title since its inception in 1954, following Jim Laker (1956), David Steele (1975), Ian Botham (1981) and Flintoff.”It’s an individual award, but I play in a team sport,” said Stokes. “The best thing about that is you get to share special moments with team-mates, backroom staff, management who make days like we had in the summer possible. I’m up here receiving this award not just by myself but without the efforts that you put in this summer, I wouldn’t be up here doing that.”Two years ago was a tough time for me in my life. I’ve had so many people help me through that. Family to me is more important to me than what I do for a living… I come home from a good day or a bad day and they’re there for me no matter what.”The allrounder’s win will be seen a significant boost for cricket’s standing in England, not least given that not a single player had even managed a podium finish since the game went behind the paywall following the 2005 Ashes.While the sight of Andy Murray receiving the award poolside while in Miami has become a regular one in recent years – Flintoff himself heard the news of his victory in a Lahore hotel at 3am in 2005 – the ECB allowed Stokes to attend the ceremony in Aberdeen, despite the fact that the rest of the Test squad departed to South Africa on Friday evening.Stokes’ attendance at the prizegiving means that he will miss England’s first two-day warmup match in Benoni which starts on Tuesday, but that was seen as a price worth paying for the ECB as they attempt to return the game to public consciousness ahead of its return to free-to-air television next summer.”It’s been huge,” said Jason Roy – who attended the ceremony alongside white-ball captain Eoin Morgan – of the World Cup win’s significance for the game’s public standing. “For us to work so hard for the four years and for it to come down to that moment, and to wake up the following day and keep getting messages… to inspire people like we did was incredible.”Ashley Giles, England’s managing director, said: “I’m so pleased for Ben. His exploits this summer showed he is one of the finest cricketers in the world. I played alongside Andrew Flintoff when he won the award in 2005 and Ben’s feats this year place him in the same bracket as Freddie, and Ian Botham before him.”Tom Harrison, the ECB’s CEO, said that the award “confirms [Stokes’] place in the hearts of the British public”.”It’s wonderful news that Ben has been named the winner of Sports Personality of the Year,” Harrison said. “This is richly deserved and it puts the finishing touch to an amazing year for Ben and for English cricket. He is not just one of the greatest cricketers we have ever had, but someone who has shown what it means to face into adversity and come through it.”We’re also thrilled that the England team who won the men’s World Cup for the first time have been honoured too. No-one who was at Lord’s on July 14 will ever forget that extraordinarily dramatic win over New Zealand.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Earlier in the evening, host Gary Lineker had mistakenly introduced Stokes as the “main award winner” rather than “nominee” before the public vote had even opened, perhaps reflecting the fact that the allrounder was the odds-on favourite with the bookmakers.The rest of England’s Test squad watched the show from their hotel in Johannesburg, and were part of a huge social media push from the English cricketing world encouraging people to vote.Steve Smith’s 774 runs in seven Ashes innings earned him a nomination in the World Sport Star category, but he was beaten by Kenyan marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge.

Hussain is another pace bowler to come through the Lahore Qalandars development squad

Alex Malcolm24-Jan-2020Melbourne Stars have signed another uncapped Pakistan quick Dilbar Hussain as an overseas replacement player for Haris Rauf ahead of Saturday’s BBL clash with Brisbane Heat.Rauf has left the Stars to play for Pakistan in a three-match T20I series against Bangladesh starting in Lahore on Friday. Rauf is a chance to return for the Stars first final on January 31 but Hussain has been signed as an overseas replacement in the interim.Hussain’s path to the BBL is as unique as Rauf’s. He is also part of the Lahore Qalandars development squad after previously working on agricultural land in his village near Faisalabad. He impressed Qalandars coach Aaqib Javed in his first hard ball game in Faisalabad in 2018 and toured Australia with the Qalandars development squad in the same year.ALSO READ: Haris Rauf sets sights on World T20 following meteoric rise“It was the first time Dilbar played hard-ball cricket, the first time he was in a proper cricket stadium, and he displayed great passion for the game,” Javed said.Melbourne Stars’ connection with the Qalandars comes through General Manager Nick Cummins, who was previously Cricket Tasmania’s CEO. Cummins had been a key figure in firstly getting Rauf to Tasmania to play grade cricket before recommending him to the Stars’ list manager Trent Woodhill and coach David Hussey and now Rauf’s replacement has also come via the Qalandars development program.However, unlike Rauf, he has not been playing club cricket in Australia. He only arrived on January 20 meeting up with the Stars in Sydney on the day of their clash with the Sydney Sixers. He then flew to Melbourne while the squad headed to Adelaide.Hussain had a centre-wicket practice with former Stars player Michael Beer on Thursday in Melbourne and was added to the Stars’ 13-man squad for their clash with the Heat at the MCG on Saturday. The Stars camp are excited by what he could bring as another strong fast bowler with a very deceptive change of pace.Nathan Coulter-Nile also returns to the side and Glenn Maxwell will captain again after handing the reigns to Peter Handscomb for personal reasons for the game against the Adelaide Strikers on Wednesday.But the Stars have suffered a blow with in-form opener Hilton Cartwright ruled out of the Heat clash with a fractured finger. He was hit in the nets by Coulter-Nile prior to the match against the Strikers. It is unknown whether he will be able to return for the finals as he is awaiting further advice from specialists.

They will now meet India in the final on Wednesday at the Junction Oval

The Report by Alex Malcolm09-Feb-2020A brilliant bowling performance from Australia young duo of Sophie Molineux and Tayla Vlaeminck has put Australia into the tri-series final against India after England were strangled in the middle overs chasing just 133 at the Junction Oval.Molineux took 3 for 19 off the back of Vlaeminck’s two early breakthroughs in the powerplay. Jess Jonassen also bowled a superb spell as England not only failed to chase down the total but they also fell short of the 124 needed to stay ahead of India on net run-rate after all three teams were tied on the table with two wins each from four matches.Earlier, Australia’s innings was held together by a calm and skillful half-century from Beth Mooney in the face of a top-order collapse against England’s spin twins. Sophie Ecclestone and Sarah Glenn bowled superbly to take 4 for 37 between them from eight overs to leave Australia in a huge hole. But Mooney’s defiance, plus a handy 24 from Rachael Haynes late in the innings gave Australia a defendable total of 7 for 132.Australia will now meet India in the final on Wednesday at the Junction Oval.Healy’s horror run continueHealy’s last T20I innings prior to this series was a women’s world record of 148 not out against Sri Lanka back in October last year. In this series, she has scored just 11 runs in four innings and yet again she fell to Katherine Brunt. After just three balls she pulled a length ball straight down the throat of Dani Wyatt who was perfectly placed at deep midwicket. Brunt has now claimed Healy eight times in T20Is. The spin of Ecclestone and Glenn then took control. Their lengths were outstanding, hitting the top of stumps consistently but they mixed their pace to cause Australia all sorts of issues with three big guns clean bowled. Ash Gardner was undone by Ecclestone, deceived completely in flight running down the track. Meg Lanning was bowled misreading length from Glenn after struggling to rotate the strike, while Ellyse Perry tried to create a cut shot from an Ecclestone arm ball that zeroed in on off stump. It left Australia 4 for 79 in the 13th over.Mooney shinesRather than punching balls to fielders in the ring for no reward, Mooney was prepared to drop and run with soft hands and wait for the bad balls to come. Any width that was offered she was able to carve through and over the offside. She made her second half-century of the tournament from just 39 balls with six boundaries. But she too made an error in judgement against Glenn trying to pull a ball that skidded low and crashed into the stumps. But Haynes picked up the slack after a lean summer. She made a valuable 24 from 21 with a six and a four late in the innings to ensure the total ticked up over 130.Valuable VlaeminckPerry noted during the week that extra pace would be a weapon in the T20 World Cup after Vlaeminck took 3 for 13 against India in Canberra last weekend. Vlaeminck’s injury history has seen the Australian hierarchy use her sparingly in this series, playing just one game per weekend. She was badly missed against India on Saturday and proved why with a rapid spell that changed the game. England were cruising at none for 21 in the fourth over. Vlaeminck hit Wyatt in the helmet via a top edge with a ball nudging 120kph. She then had her caught off the glove down the leg side two balls later. Two overs later Vlaeminck was unfortunate not to have Nat Sciver lbw but was too quick for Amy Jones, rattling her leg stump to leave England 2 for 39 at the end of the powerplay.Spin to winLanning held her spinners back until the ninth over with Sciver and Heather Knight looking very comfortable against Australia’s other medium pacers. Sciver tried to target Molineux straight away and holed out to deep midwicket. It started a rot with Molineux and Jonassen matching what Ecclestone and Glenn did earlier. The two left-arm orthodox bowlers targeted the stumps and mixed their lengths and lines to put England in a spin. Heather Knight was stumped running past one from Molineux after her and Fran Wilson scored just 7 runs in 10 balls following Sciver’s dismissal. Wilson was also stumped off Jonassen while Tammy Beaumont was bowled trying to reverse sweep Molineux as the run-rate ground to a halt. It left England 6 for 70 needing 63 runs from 42 balls. They were unable to get near Australia’s target with the tail only scoring five boundaries in the last seven overs to miss out on the final.

The arrival of the Zimbabwe allrounder strengthens a squad heavily hit by coronavirus-related departures

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Mar-2020Sikandar Raza, the Zimbabwe allrounder, has joined Peshawar Zalmi’s squad as a silver category player. He will be available for Zalmi’s PSL semi-final against table-toppers Multan Sultans, which is to be played in Lahore on Tuesday.Raza’s arrival will strengthen a Zalmi squad that has been hit particularly hard by the departure of overseas players due to the coronavirus pandemic. Zalmi lost the services of five players – Tom Banton, Carlos Brathwaite, Liam Dawson, Lewis Gregory and Liam Livingstone – along with coach James Foster.Batsmen Abid Ali and Agha Salman, meanwhile, have joined the Lahore Qalandars line-up ahead of their semi-final against Karachi Kings, which is also set to be played on Tuesday. Both players slot into the silver category. The Qalandars were the only team not to lose any of their players to the coronavirus exodus.

West Indies allrounder sets out personal aim for successful tour of England

Alan Gardner20-Jun-2020Roston Chase has played as much of a part as any of his team-mates in West Indies’ recent improvements as a Test side. He has scored five hundreds since his debut in 2016, including a six-hour rearguard against India in his second Test, and another in his last encounter with England. Two Tests before that, his eight-wicket haul condemned England to defeat in Barbados and set Jason Holder’s side on their way to reclaiming the Wisden Trophy.Chase also did his bit when West Indies won at Headingley in 2017, although that was an underwhelming tour generally as he averaged 13.33 with the bat. Perhaps that is why he has set his sights on scoring “at least one century” this time around. “Once you do well in England, I think your stock as a cricketer goes up on the international scene,” he said.”I’ve always wanted to score a century in England. I scored a century against England in the Caribbean, but I would love to get one in England. As I said, when you score hundreds in England, I think, as a batsman people take you more serious and rate you a bit higher. I’m looking to have a good series with the bat, score as many runs as possible. I will not be happy if I don’t get at least one century.”ALSO READ: Root sledge ‘blown way out of proportion’ – GabrielThe onus on Chase to provide a sturdy bulwark at No. 5 or 6 has only increased in the absence of Darren Bravo and Shimron Hetmyer, who batted either side of him against England in 2018-19. Certainly runs in the forthcoming three-match series would bolster Chase’s overall record, which has seen him enjoy the majority of his success at home, with only one century – in India in 2018 – and an average of 24.75 in away Tests.Kraigg Brathwaite and Shai Hope led the way in Leeds three years ago, while both Chase and Jermaine Blackwood have experience of English conditions, and the ability of a reshaped West Indies batting line-up to put up fighting totals will likely go a long way to determining their chances of success.”It’s fair to say that we haven’t had the best time as a top order,” Chase said. “But I think some of the guys have played 30 or more Test matches, so the guys are experienced and know how to get runs at that level – so we are ever improving. It’s just for us to get that confidence and belief back in our batting in the top order and I think that will be fine because the guys know they have the ability.”While Chase was England’s destroyer with the ball at the Kensington Oval 18 months ago – his second-innings 8 for 60 perhaps aided by some “complacent” batting – he is happy to stand in the not-inconsiderable shadow of Rakheem Cornwall when it comes to spin-bowling duties on tour. Depending on whether West Indies choose to deploy a four-man pace attack or not, Chase will fill in as required and aim to keep England on their toes.Rahkeem Cornwall celebrates a wicket with captain Jason Holder•Getty Images

“Yeah, he’s definitely the No. 1 spinner, but I have no problem with that,” Chase said of Cornwall, who made his Test debut last year. “I’m always willing to do whatever it takes for the team, if I have to back him up or if I have to be the main spinner, it doesn’t really matter to me. Once we’re going in the right direction and winning games and series, that’s all that really matters to me. Doesn’t matter if I’m No. 1 or No. 2 or No. 3, just want to go out there and do well for the country and for myself.”I’m comfortable with my role, batting in the middle order and bowling some overs when need be. The unit it a very close unit, all the guys are friends, we came up playing cricket from youth cricket days. We’re comfortable and just like to enjoy our company and enjoy the cricket and look to be successful.”In the first game [in Barbados last year], my lines and lengths and variation were spot on. And I guess the England batsmen – I wouldn’t want to say they underestimated me, but they were a bit complacent playing me. As the series went on they got a bit tighter. Having lost that first game, I thought they really tried to knuckle down and cope with my bowling and they did a good job.”One significant change from the previous meetings between these two sides is the addition of Jofra Archer to England’s bowling ranks. Like several of West Indies’ strong Bajan contingent, Chase came up against Archer during the young quick’s formative years – but their most-recent meeting came when the two appeared on opposing sides in the Sussex Premier League in 2015.”I do remember the game we played against Jofra,” Chase said. “This was before he even played for Sussex or anything like that. He actually got five wickets, he got me out as well. He pulled up after he got the five wickets and batting became a lot easier for us.”He was always a good talent but he wasn’t as rapid as he is now.”

Board sets focus on the revival of club cricket and the re-establishment of a national academy

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jun-2020Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani has said that despite enduring among the worst years in the country’s cricket history, the board has emerged stronger over the past 12 months, with the body able to almost pay off its legacy debts amounting to USD 27 million.Zimbabwe had been suspended from the ICC in July 2019 before they were reinstated in October later that year. During that time, the ICC’s funding was frozen and Zimbabwe were not allowed to participate in the qualifying tournaments for the men’s T20 World Cup as well as the women’s event. Soon after they were reinstated, the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world, which led to further cancellations of tours, including a limited-overs tour by India, which ZC was counting on to shore up finances. Ireland’s tour of Zimbabwe was also called off in the wake of the coronavirus.ALSO READ – Alistair Campbell interview: ‘The smaller teams want to play more, but they can’t because the cash is not there’However, Zimbabwe’s players have now resumed training after having passed their Covid-19 tests earlier this month. Zimbabwe are supposed to host Afghanistan in July-August for a five-match T20I series before travelling to Australia to play three ODIs.”Perhaps the biggest irony of our lifetime, the very same horrible year saw us making huge strides towards making ZC debt-free,” Mukuhlani said during the board’s annual general meeting that was held virtually. “At the close of the just-ended financial year, we had whittled the USD 27 million legacy debt down to USD 1 million, in the process breaking the chains that had enslaved our organisation to an unending cycle of financial troubles.”Mukuhlani said ZC had managed to repay that debt by careful planning and “an intricate debt resolution plan” from the time he took charge in 2015. The repaid amounts included an obligation of USD 6 million to the ICC as well as loans worth up to USD 10 million that were housed under the Zimbabwe Asset Management Company (ZAMCO).”Under the arrangement, we were supposed to settle the ZAMCO obligations by 2023 but, as we take stock of the period under review, I am proud to report that – a whole three years earlier – ZC is nearly debt-free,” Mukuhlani said. He added that, with a significant portion of debt cleared, the focus would now be on the revival of club cricket and the re-establishment of a national academy.Apart from revitalising first-class cricket in the country, a provincial women’s competition was also in the works.ZC’s acting managing director Givemore Makoni also reiterated that the organisation would prioritise boosting its game development as well as domestic and international cricket structures.”The beauty of the mess – an oxymoron if ever there was one – was our ability to make the most of the difficult situation,” he said. “This would not have been possible without the commitment, hard work and massive sacrifices made by our management and staff who had to face layoffs, take pay cuts and operate within shoe-string budgets to ensure cricket continued being played at all levels.”The difficulties we faced – and conquered – in 2019-20 could only prepare us for a better future.”

Brijesh Patel, the IPL Governing Council chairman, has confirmed the development

Nagraj Gollapudi10-Aug-2020The BCCI has received the much-awaited permission from the Indian government to conduct the IPL in the UAE. Brijesh Patel, the IPL Governing Council chairman, has confirmed the development.Although the BCCI had received an in-principle nod from the government, it was waiting for written permission to finalise the contract with the Emirates Cricket Board. Patel did not confirm the exact date, indicating the government permission came over the weekend.The tournament will be played between September 19 and November 10 with 60 matches at three venues: Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. Although the tournament schedule has not yet been finalised, the eight teams have already been busy planning their travel to the UAE.Last week the IPL sent the franchises a set of draft standing operating procedures [SOPs] for the tournament including a rigorous testing process which commences before the teams board the flight to the UAE. Team members would need to undergo multiple tests including three tests upon reaching the UAE which would also involve a week-long quarantine before they can start training.The IPL made it clear that both team members as well as owners would need to strictly adhere to the rules laid out to be part of the biosecure bubble. Any breach of the protocols, the IPL warned, would be “punishable” under the tournament’s code of conduct.According to the draft SOPs, if the owners and family members step outside the bubble, they will need to understood a week-long quarantine and undergo fresh testing before re-entering the biosecure environment.During a virtual meeting last week, officials from various franchises communicated a set of concerns they had with the draft SOPs. One key concern was whether the quarantine measures could be relaxed for English and Australian players arriving from the UK after their limited overs series.

September white-ball series set to be confirmed but financial challenges remain

George Dobell at the Ageas Bowl13-Aug-2020English cricket has received a significant boost with the news that Australia are set to confirm their limited-overs tour in September.Confirmation of the tour, which will see the sides play three ODIs and three T20Is, means England’s men’s team should be able to fulfil all 18 international fixtures which were scheduled ahead of the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result, the ECB should be able to avoid the bleakest financial predictions that were made ahead of the season.Significant challenges remain, however. The ECB management recently warned the first-class counties that the next broadcast deal could be worth up to 50% less than the current deal – due, in part, to less competition in the market – meaning a period of cost-cutting is inevitable.ESPNcricinfo understands that among the options being considered is a partial move away from Lord’s as an administrative base and a move away from Loughborough as a performance base. While it is understood that the ECB is given a relatively favourable rental agreement at Lord’s by the MCC, there is ongoing consideration towards moving to less expensive offices elsewhere.ALSO READ: England’s white-ball tour of India postponed until 2021This possibility has been considered previously. This time, however, there is not only a financial incentive but a growing view that a game intent on becoming more inclusive for all aspects of society might benefit from a move away from St John’s Wood, the suburb of London where Lord’s is situated, which is one of the most expensive and exclusive parts of the country.Thought will also be given to moving away from the National Cricket Performance Centre in Loughborough. While the centre has outstanding facilities, there are suggestions it is largely replicating those offered at various other major grounds.Edgbaston, which is about to embark on the next stage of its redevelopment, is one location that is sure to be considered as an alternative for both the administrative and the performance set-ups. In the next few weeks, building work will begin at the ground on new residential and commercial premises which could easily be fitted as required by the ECB. Emirates Old Trafford is also likely to be considered.The ECB could move its offices away from Lord’s•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The most likely conclusion at this stage is that ECB could set up hubs in different areas of the country in order both to cut costs and to improve its relationships with the counties. While a complete move from London is unlikely, it does seem the ECB will follow other major companies – such as Channel 4, the BBC and HSBC – in moving away from the capital.A reduction in the headcount at the ECB, which has risen sharply in recent years, also appears inevitable. As part of a likely restructure, the pay of some executives could also be cut.While confirmation of the Australia tour will ease the ECB’s most immediate concerns, other scheduling issues remain. Most pertinently, there is ongoing discussion about a possible cut to the number of Tests played on the tour to India (from late January to late March) with suggestions it could be trimmed from five Tests to four or even three.England were originally scheduled to play three ODIs and three T20Is in India in September and October before returning for a five-Test series starting in January. Now, they will attempt to fit in as many of the limited-overs matches and Tests as possible in a window from late January to late March. At this stage, the tour is still scheduled to be staged in India, though there remains a strong possibility it will be moved to the UAE.There is also doubt about the viability of England’s limited-overs tour of South Africa, which had been pencilled in for December. The current Covid situation in South Africa suggests the tour would need to be staged behind closed doors in a biosecure bubble, which might prove both problematic logistically and prohibitively costly.Looking ahead to the 2021 English summer, the ECB is still waiting on confirmation over whether the World Test Championship final, which is planned for June, is to be postponed. In any event, it looks probable the Asia Cup, pushed back from September, will be held in June, which could see England’s fixture list hit as a consequence. England are due to host Sri Lanka for three T20Is and three ODIs from June, Pakistan (three T20Is, three ODIs) and India (five Tests).There are no immediate prospects of senior tours to either Pakistan or West Indies – the sides which have so far toured England in far-from-perfect circumstances this summer – though it appears there is some thought towards extending the next England tour of West Indies, in early 2022, from two Tests to three.