South Africa coach confident of team’s showing after series win against West Indies

Firdose Moonda04-Jul-2021Conditions at the T20 World Cup in the UAE will be similar to what South Africa experienced in Grenada, according to coach Mark Boucher, who expects the tournament to be tough for batters but successful for spinners. Although it was always expected that the event, initially scheduled to be played in India but moved to the Emirates because of Covid-19 concerns, would present unfamiliar and challenging territory to South Africa, their 3-2 series-win in the West Indies has showed them what they need to do to be competitive.Related

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“We are probably going to be playing in conditions like this in the UAE. The wickets after the IPL are going to be a bit dry. It’s not the same as we’re used to back in South Africa where you can go out and bash your way to 180 to 200 runs. You’ve got to be skillful here; you’ve got to be smart,” Boucher said.Scores at St George’s were between 160 and 170 for each of the five T20Is, and the team batting first won four of them. Run-scoring became noticeably more difficult as the day went on, and even as each innings developed as a result of a softer ball on a drier pitch and heavier outfield, and thanks to bowlers who were able to take pace off the ball. Obed McCoy, Dwayne Bravo and Fabian Allen kept South Africa’s finishers to under seven runs an over in the last five overs across the series, while Tabraiz Shamsi and George Linde frustrated West Indies’ middle-order. Boucher expects that trend to continue into the T20 World Cup.”If anything, it’s going to go even further into subcontinent conditions, on the extreme side. They are playing the IPL there, there’s not a lot of grounds and those wickets are going to be worn so scores will probably go even further down,” he said. “It’s going to be tough to bat on especially at the back end, like we saw here. We will have an idea of what scores are going to be by watching the IPL and then taking a look and assess how the wickets are playing during the beginning part of the World Cup. I suspect spinners will play a massive role.”That could mean South Africa approach the T20 World Cup with a team that looks more like the one that won the final match – which had five specialist batters, two allrounders, two quicks and two specialist spinners – than the one that won the second, which had only five bowling options and one allrounder. Whichever option they go for, Boucher recognised that they need to get the lower middle-order firing even if they won’t be able to score at the same rate as they do at home.David Miller, in particular, is out of form and scored just 52 runs in five innings. Though Boucher did not single him out, he indicated that he hopes the upcoming contest against Ireland will help to get Miller, and others, back to their best. “There are a couple of guys out of form but if you are winning series against a strong team with a couple of guys out of form, you must be doing something right,” Boucher said. “We need to get some guys in form. Maybe there is an opportunity for us to get those guys in form so we can finish off innings better.”If South Africa can get that right, Boucher sees them being able to post slightly higher totals, which could be the key to success in the UAE. “If we can get all the guys firing on all cylinders, we’ve got an idea of what could be our strongest line-up and once that happens, then you end up finding an extra 15-20 runs which, in these conditions it becomes a very difficult total to face, especially when it’s so dry,” he said.On the other hand, Boucher was largely satisfied with the way South Africa’s attack adapted to the conditions and with new captain Temba Bavuma’s use of his bowlers. “We’ve got to get guys playing a lot smarter and we saw that in our bowling,” he said. “Our bowling throughout the whole series was fantastic and Temba has had a fantastic series managing the bowlers apart from one or two gambles that didn’t pay off.”One that immediately comes to mind was using Aiden Markram to open the bowling in the fourth T20I for an over that cost 20 runs, but apart from that, Bavuma managed his attack well in mostly one-over spells throughout the series. He also inspired a revival in South Africa’s fielding, where standards had slipped in the last few months.Still, South Africa’s series win was not what they may call a complete performance. There are still strategic questions for them to answer, especially if they are going to commit to an XI which could include as many as three frontline spinners. That would be a big, but ultimately necessary, departure from the norm for South Africa and this tour of West Indies showed them they can do it, successfully.

Several senior players who are not part of the white-ball set-up are now without deals after SLC withdrew offer of annual contracts

Andrew Fidel Fernando07-Jul-2021Sri Lanka’s men’s limited-overs cricketers have signed tour contracts that cover the forthcoming series against India. But Sri Lanka Cricket’s decision to withdraw its offer of annual contracts had caused substantial dismay among players.Angelo Mathews, who was offered a tour contract for the India series, is the only member of a group of 30 who declined to sign. Although an SLC release said Mathews had asked to be relieved from national duties owing to “personal reasons”, Mathews’ disillusionment with the contract offer and the general situation within Sri Lanka Cricket is understood to have informed his decision.SLC CEO Ashley de Silva confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that the board would only offer a succession of tour contracts until the end of the year, because “the players had enough time to sign the central (annual) contracts but they didn’t”. Essentially, this is the board’s way of penalising players for making demands over their central contracts.Related

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Unsurprisingly, this decision by SLC has caused significant distress among players. Firstly, those players who are not within the limited-overs frame have been left without contracts of any sort. Senior players such as Test captain Dimuth Karunaratne, Suranga Lakmal and Dinesh Chandimal may not see a contract from SLC until November, when they are next due to play Tests.Secondly, players who were holding out for better central contracts are now unhappy with those who agreed to sign SLC’s temporary tour contract – a move that essentially ended the contracts negotiation, because to sign the tour contracts was to concede to SLC.”I don’t know how there can be unity in the team while all this is going on,” one player told ESPNcricinfo. “Some players are being blamed for being the first to sign the tour contracts, and others are defending themselves for doing that.”Part-way through the England tour, the players had apparently decided to sign the annual contracts that SLC was offering. This was after SLC had provided the methodology on how the new contracts scheme was drawn up – the players’ main objection always having been the lack of transparency in the new scheme. However, by the time the team returned from the UK on Monday, SLC had already made the decision to withdraw the central contracts it had offered. A first group of players then signed the tour contract for the India series on July 6, before the remainder of the squad followed.de Silva said SLC would revisit the men’s central contracts again in 2022.

Get your dose of analysis, stats and colour from Trent Bridge on ESPNcricinfo’s live blog

Sidharth Monga07-Aug-2021

All set up for big finale

7pmHectic finish. Look at Cheteshwar Pujara’s strike-rate. He is 12 off 13. Just what he needed perhaps. England getting desperate for a wicket instead of bowling line and length, and he managed to get some runs there. And runs are at a premium. India end the day at 52 for 1 needing another 157 to win this Test. They will fancy themselves. And after the bluff by the weather forecast today, I am not even looking at what is in store tomorrow. Instead I will leave you with a teaser from the end-of-the-day report

Joe Root and Jasprit Bumrah combined on the fourth day to set up a grandstand finish for the Trent Bridge Test, the series opener. Having fallen behind by 95 in the first innings, England roared back on the back of a colossal 21st century from Root, but just when they were slipping out of India’s grasp, Bumrah put in an immense five-for to rise above a tiring bowling unit to keep the target down to 209. India knocked 52 of those off in the awkward 65 minutes they got at the end of the day for the loss of just one wicket.England began the day 70 behind with all their wickets in hand, but it was believed they needed rain or Root to rescue their fledgling batting unit. The promised rain never arrived, but in the best batting conditions of the Test, Root batted with assured positivity to make sure England never went into a shell and put the pressure of runs on India. However, Dom Sibley, Dan Lawrence and Jos Buttler gifted their wickets away to keep India in the contest by the time the new ball arrived. Bumrah blew them away with it.

Broad too good

6.43pmIt is Stuart Broad’s first wicket of the match, but it has come just when it was all looking too flat for them and India had put on 34 for the first wicket. And it is a beauty too. There is not much KL Rahul can do with this. On a length, on off, extra bounce, holds its line. Just too good. What an amazing Test for Rahul though: coming in at the last moment, he scored 84 in the first innings, and made them bowl the best they could to get him out in the second innings.What a stat from Sampath Bandarupalli: “Before KL Rahul’s dismissal, Stuart Broad had not taken a wicket vs India in 60.2 overs since Virat Kohli at The Oval in 2018.”India 34 for 1, Rahul gone for 26 off 38, Rohit unbeaten on 7 off 27. India need 175 more to win.

India need 209 to win

5.43pmGetty Images

A couple of balls after being hit in the helmet grille, Robinson swings hard at a length ball, and India have the fly slip in place. The new ball has brought India 31 or 4. Twice in a row India have run through the England lower order. And just look at what the new ball has done. England through careless batting have lost the chance of using the second new ball. Whatever they have to do they have to do with the old one.The man of the moment, though, is the immense immense Jasprit Bumrah, who finally got the wicket of Joe Root, and then Sam Curran and Stuart Broad in two balls.We have got 65 minutes of play today. Heavy roller will come out to settle the pitch down again. India failed to chase two sub-200 scores on the 2018 trip, but will fancy themselves now because the pitch has looked flat in the third innings and because there are Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja in the lower middle order to go with a similar top order.

Toes for Broad again

5.33pmBumrah. What a bowler. He has knocked back Stuart Broad’s wicket with a straight ball following Broad as he backs away, and it ricochets onto his wicket. First ball that too. Robinson in danger of not even getting a chance to farm the strike. One more ball left this over. Bumrah on a hat-trick.He attempts the yorker on the hat-trick, but it falls just short of it, and Anderson keeps it out. Oh it is a no-ball. Torture for Anderson. The newt ball is a 140kmph offbreak, and somehow misses the edge.What a huge spell from Bumrah. 3-0-9-3 when it looked like England could just nose ahead. That’s a five-for for him. A 10-for in sight.Now the field will spread for Robinson.5.28pm

Bumrah keeps India’s noses ahead

5.28pmSam Curran and Ollie Robinson have decided they won’t just stand there and provide Bumrah target practice. They have actually gone ahead and targeted Shami at the other end. The partnership is 20 off 21, but Bumrah has bowled another beauty to get rid of the dangerous Curran. This one comes from round the wicket, pitches and jags back in to cramp Curran up, who is on the lookout for the runs. Mid-on takes the catch. England 295 for 8 in 84.4 overs, Curran gone for 32 off 45, Robinson unbeaten on 13 off 7. England effectively 200 for 8. They would have dearly loved for Curran to have been there with Broad and Anderson, but Bumrah has bowled an excellent spell with the new ball here to keep India ahead.

Bumrah stands up

5.09pmIn the first over of the new ball, Jasprit Bumrah produces the ball to finally get the edge from Joe Root. A colossal innings, but a big moment in the Test. Bumrah has stood up with the Test in the balance. England still can’t feel comfortable. They are 274 for 7 in 81 overs, effectively 179 for 7. Root is gone for 109 off 172, Curran unbeaten on 24 off 30.It is just that angle from Bumrah that makes you play at balls you don’t want to play, and then at the last moment this length ball holds its line to take the edge. Huge reception for Root as he walks off.

New ball

5.05pmThe ball is taken as soon as it becomes available, and India turn to Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami now. Thirty-seven runs in those 10 overs for the bonus wicket of Buttler. England 272 for 6 in 80 overs, Root 108 off 168, Curran 23 off 28. England effectively 177 for 6.Big spell coming up for Bumrah and Shami. If England don’t lose a wicket in these 10 overs, they could feel they are in control. India can still break this Test open right here, right now.

RoooooooooooooooooooT

PA Images via Getty Images

4.42pmJoe Root is carrying the Test side on his back, and this time he has done long enough to bring up his 21st Test century, his first in England in three years. Under fire from every corner, England began the day needing Rain or Root to come to their aid. The rain didn’t show up, but Root did. A fluent, aggressive, precise knock in the best batting conditions of the Test so far. He has been let down by three of his partners, at least one of whom should have been here with him to put India under pressure, but Sam Curran it is who gets the congratulatory hug.After missing out on two boundary balls earlier in the 75th over, he drives one straight down the ground, and raises his arms as the ball goes past the bowler for four. Whole of Trent Bridge stands with him. England 253 for 6 in 75 overs, Root 102 off 156, Curran 10 off 10. England effectively 158 for 6. New ball available in five overs.

India have not been at their best

ESPNcricinfo Ltd

4.30pmThe thing about the Buttler wicket is that we were just discussing how India have presented boundary balls today a little more easily than on their good days. That should irk England more than they have not made India pay for it. Here is some findings from Shiva Jayaraman:

India bowlers have been guilty of bowling boundary balls to England batters fresh at the crease in this innings. Jos Buttler, who didn’t get off the mark in his first dig in this match, hit three fours in the first-ten he faced in this innings. England batters collectively hit as many as 11 boundaries (from shots that they were in full control of) in the first 20 balls faced by them in their second innings. In comparison, the England top order had hit only four boundaries in the first innings.

England gift another wicket

4.17pmJust back from tea, and it is Jos Buttler’s turn to giftwrap his wicket with a tiny bow on the top. Before tea also he survived a close lbw shout when padding up to a reversing ball. He leaves one again, and this time the gently paced Thakur gets full access to the top of off. England’s collapse in the first innings featured a few soft wickets, but you might have been okay with it given the conditions. But in flat conditions, against tiring bowlers, England have thrown away three wickets, and that is a bigger problem. This is the sixth time in Test cricket that Buttler has got out leaving the ball, four of them bowled. England 237 for 6, effectively 142 for 6.

Tea on day four

3.56pmA slightly longer middle session comes to an end. In flatter conditions, with Joe Root batting beautifully, India will be glad with the two gifts they have been given by Sibley and Lawrence. England will be disappointed because they really had a chance to bat India out of this Test in this session. Old ball, tired bowlers, Root looking immovable, freebies finally arriving, but Sibley played a poor shot and Lawrence was dozy to reverse swing. England scored 116 for 3 in that session in 30 overs. Nearly four an over tells you the pitch has eased out. And that the pitch has eased out tells you that England won’t be happy with the 180-190 targets they won with in 2018.New ball available in 10 overs. So that is another turning point to watch out for in the next session. England 235 for 5 in 70 overs, Root 96 off 138, Buttler 15 off 20. England effectively 140 for 5. See you soon.

Dozy Lawrence

3.32pmThakur was looking ordinary in this over giving leg-side offerings, not bowling high pace, but to the fifth legal ball of the over, Lawrence played for the straight ball when the ball is clearly reversing. This is just the window India needed, just the moment of dozy cricket that could cost England the Test just when it looked like England had access to tired bowlers. You just don’t plant your front foot across to the reversing ball. Lawrence is out plumb lbw for 25 off 32. England 211 for 5 in 64.5 overs, effectively 116 for 5. Root unbeaten on 90 off 125. In comes Jos Buittler, on a pair.And India sense something and have gone back to Jasprit Bumrah. Big 20 minutes to tea coming up.

Reverse swing

3.25pmIn the 64th over of the third innings, for the first time we saw signs of reverse swing in this Test. Dan Lawrence saw the shiny side outside, set himself up to play to leg, and the ball moved away to beat his edge. The next ball, with the shiny side out, took his outside edge, but it fell short. And then Mohammed Shami flipped the shine to try the inswinger, and it went, but went down the leg side, and Lawrence got a tickle for four to fine leg.England 202 for 4 in 64 overs, Root 90 off 124, Lawrence 17 off 26. England effectively 107 for 4.Good news for India; Shardul Thakur is bowling, but he has started with a no-ball. Only his eighth over in this innings. Jadeja has bowled more.

Is Shardul Thakur fine?

3.10pmIn the 60th over of the England innings, Shardul Thakur gave chase at deep third man, and he looked slow. Nagraj Gollapudi tells me he was pointing to the inside of his knee sometime ago. He also spent some time off in this session. He was also seen talking to the physio. And he hasn’t bowled at all in this session. In case he is injured, it is an illustration why you play five bowlers.England 188 for 4 in 60 overs, Root 87 off 120, Lawrence 6 off 7, effectively 93 for 4.

Bairstow finds the sweeper

3pmThis is a pull shot nailed off the absolute meat of the bat, but Bairstow has not bothered to keep it down, and Siraj has had a man back just in front of square for him all the while. And they have chosen the right man too, Ravindra Jadeja. Bairstow just can’t believe he has found the man. This looks like a wicket that has an element of fortune to it, and it is because this short ball is not even an effort ball, but India have also been looking to bowl short to Bairstow with a field for it, and the best fielder in place. Siraj is shushing Bairstow with a finger on the lip. England 177 for 4 in 57.3 overs, Bairstow gone for 30 off 50, Root unbeaten on 83 off 112. Effectively 82 for 4.

Afternoon drinks

2.47pmJonny Bairstow has come in and counterattacked even under overcast skies. The partnership between him and Root is 36 in 9.1 overs, but Bairstow has scored 26 of those. It has helped that Shami and Siraj started their current spells with looseners on which he pounced, hitting two of his four bundaries. It has allowed Root to go a little easy here. England 171 for 3 in 55 overs, effectively 76 for 3, Root 81 off 107, Bairstow 24 off 40.In case you are wondering about the weather, it is drizzling somewhere in Nottingham, but it seems it is going to miss the Trent Bridge ground. It is dark and overcast at the ground so it should help India.

Sibley loses his patience

2.05pmAnd with that his wicket. A really poor shot given how he has batted. After 132 balls of watchful batting for just 28 runs he has wafted at a wide length ball. It might even have been just short of a length. And it is overcast with floodlights on. The ball nips back in after pitching, takes the inside edge and Pant takes the catch diving to his left. This is inexplicable from Sibley. even if this ball doesn’t seam, Sibley is not going to make a good connection with this one because it is so far away from him. The partnership ends at 89, and India have a new batter in with the ball just beginning to move around.England 135 for 3, effectively 40 for 3, Sibley gone for 28 off 133, Root unbeaten on 71 off 92.

Root looks to score

The difference in Root’s intent as captured by our scorers. Second innings updated till lunch•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The above image is self-explanatory. In the second innings, Joe Root has cut out the leave and looked to score off those deliveries. He has still respected the good balls as he has defended the same amount in a much shorter period, but he has attacked more and looked for the ones and twos more.1.47pmJadeja has been taken off after just one over, and Mohammed Siraj is now joining Bumrah in the attack.

We are back

1.40pmAnd India have surprisingly chosen to start with Ravindra Jadeja. Wonder if they have decided they need to block one end up and have their fresh quicks at the other end? I can tell you that clouds have rolled in so if the ball does something for Jasprit Bumrah at the other end, we will have two quicks on.

Root, Sibley hold India off

1pmAFP/Getty Images

England were 49 behind when these two came together, but going into lunch they lead by 24 runs. Contrasting styles there. Root looking to score of every opportunity he gets, Sibley looking to survive. Root 56 off 74, Sibley 27 off 116.The interesting thing is that England’s control percentage has gone down during this partnership. That’s cricket, though: Root feels the conditions are slightly easier and he can get away with mistakes. And he has. India will come back hard at the start of the next session. At this moment, you’d still want to be in the Indian camp, but they wouldn’t want this partnership to keep growing. Back after the break

Fifty for Root

12.55pmIt was rain or Root for England at the start of the innings. The rain hasn’t arrived, but Joe Root is keeping them alive with an unbeaten 51 off 68 balls. This has been a slightly streaky hand as he has looked intent on playing for the runs and not just time. He has been in control only of three balls in four. He has taken his chances, and has been excellent on the cover-drive and the late-cut. That is why England are in the lead. India can’t just attack here. They have to think about the runs too. England effectively 19 for 2.

India will bat again

12.35pmJoe Root and Dom Sibley have gone through a nervous period and have added 49 for the third wicket to level the scores. England have already lost two wickets in the process. Now England will hope to convert this into some pressure for England. There’s five-and-a-half sessions left in the Test now. England effectively 0 for 2 in the third innings.

India have a third man for Root

12.30pmGetty Images

The image there is the reason why. four of Root’s 11 boundaries in the first innings came through third man. And now, with England getting close to making India bat again, runs are at a premium. So India don’t want to give away any cheap boundaries to third man. England 91 for 2 in 31 overs, still trail by 4 runs.

India’s hour

NoonTime for the first drinks break of the day, and India have made vital inroads. Wickets of Rory Burns and Zak Crawley for the addition of 46 runs in conditions that have probably been the best for batting all Test. Joe Root has already edged twice, once wide of slips and once short of them. Another inside edge has travelled safely. England still trail by 24 runs.India have induced 28 mistakes in 25 overs of bowling this innings: a mistake ever six balls or so. In the first two innings, it was happening once every four balls.

India on their way

11.30amJasprit Bumrah makes it a double breakthrough by teasing Zak Crawley in the channel, bowling one he has to play at. It holds its line and takes the edge. The only way he surrives this is if Crawley strides forward. England down at 46 for 2. They still trail by 49.When this innings began, there was a remark made: only Root and rain stand in India’s way. The rain has disappeared. And Root is here. India will be very intense in this spell of play.

First break for India

11.20amGetty Images

Mohammed Siraj’s coaches will tell you his biggest threat is how often he can make left-hand batters play at the away-going delivery. He can just keep pitching it in the blind spot again and again, and make them push at it. There is also the threat of the odd ball that holds its line. This time, in conditions that look more settled than in the first innings, he makes Rory Burns play at one leaving him. The edge is taken, and India are on the board.And the first ball that Zak Crawley gets tells you possibly why people keep playing at him. This one holds its line against the angle to the right-hand batter Zak Crawley, and the edge flies of the slips.Also Shiva Jayaraman comes up with the numbers for Siraj to left-hand batters: “Early days in his career, but Mohammed Siraj seems to have done better against left-handed batters in comparison with right handers. At the fall of Rory Burns’ wicket, Siraj averaged 18.28 against them (7 wickets, strike rate of 38) as opposed to 34.18 against right handers (11 wickets, strike rate of 74).’England 37 for 1 in 15.1 overs, Burns gone for 18 off 49, SIbley unbeaten on 13 off 47. England still trail by 58.

Here we go

10.45amWelcome to the Live Report of Day 4. Great news for India: it is nice and sunny as we speak, and we are starting on time. We have a maximum of 196 overs left in this Test. England have all their 10 second-wickets in hand, but they are still trailing by 70 runs. If there is no further rain, you’d assume England will need to bat close to four sessions to save this Test. India will back themselves here should there not be any more rain.In the 11.1 overs bowled in the second innings on the third day, the ball moved less than it did in the first two innings. It showed in how India deployed only two slips and a gully. Is that a sign of things to come? Or will the conditions change again?India’s wish: Clouds but no rain.England’s wish: Either rain or a sunny day.

Rhodes, Yates tons heap woe on Lancashire as conference system phase-out looms

George Dobell29-Sep-2021The LV= Insurance County Championship is set to remain a conference-based competition in 2022. But that will be the final season of the arrangement before a return to two divisions in 2023.That is the basis of an ECB recommendation sent to the counties on Wednesday. The counties will then be required to vote on whether they accept the proposal in the next few days. It currently seems they are likely to do so.While there had been an increased desire from the counties to return to two divisions with promotion and relegation for the 2022 season, it is understood that a meeting of the county chairs at Lord’s on Wednesday accepted there were decent reasons for waiting an extra 12 months. In particular, there is a concern that a further spike in Covid – which appears to be anticipated for the winter of 2021-22 – might render a move to two-division cricket more challenging and encourage the regionalised conference schedule which has been used this year.Finishing positions in the 2022 season would, in such a scenario, define the make-up of the divisions in 2023. That means the finishing positions achieved at the end of 2019, when Gloucestershire and Northants were among those who achieved promotion, would be void. It is anticipated that there would be 10 teams in division one and eight in division two.It is understood there was no mention of the Bob Willis Trophy during the meeting, but it seems unlikely it will be played in 2022.Related

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That maybe something of a relief to Lancashire. We are yet to reach the halfway stage of their Bob Willis Trophy match this year, but it has already been a chastening experience for them. Having been bowled out for 78 on day one – even that represented something of a recovery from 12 for 6 – they have spent the best part of five sessions since chasing leather around St John’s Wood. By the end of the second day, Warwickshire had extended their lead to 386. It has been brutal.From a Warwickshire perspective, of course, it has been perfect. Not only have they recorded the highest score at Lord’s this season – in county cricket, a side had only reached 300 once in 2021 – but they have reached 400 themselves for the first time this year.Their total has been built upon centuries from Will Rhodes and Rob Yates. While Rhodes, the captain, went on to record the bigger score, it may prove to be Yates’ contribution which is more relevant. Paul Farbrace, the Warwickshire director of cricket, has long argued that Yates has the game – in particular, the temperament – to play at a higher level and has ensured the England scouts (notably, James Taylor) have been kept abreast of his development. Farbrace, at least, believes Yates should go to Australia on either the full England tour or as part of the Lions side.On the evidence of this performance, it is hard to disagree. Compact, calm and capable of putting away anything overpitched or short, Yates recorded his fifth first-class century of the summer during this innings; nobody else has more than four. For a young man who doesn’t finish university until June and who only celebrated his 22nd birthday a week ago, it is an outstanding start to his career.It was a big day for his captain, too. While Rhodes has, with bat, ball and in the field, contributed throughout the Championship campaign, he prides himself on his ability with the bat and was more than a little frustrated not to have previously reached a century. To do so here, with the TV cameras present, will send him into the winter feeling substantially more contented with the world. For a Warwickshire side who have already decided not to sign an overseas batter for the Championship programme next year – their logic is that conditions in early-season England are so different and demanding that few if any overseas batters will be able to cope – it will also have been reassuring.Sam Hain also impressed briefly for Warwickshire. But, despite having passed 50 eight times in first-class cricket this season, he has only recorded one century. His dismissal here, bowled by one which appeared to hold its own despite the slope, was no doubt the result of a fine delivery. But a straight bat might well have avoided it.Matt Parkinson was, by some distance, the pick of the Lancashire bowlers. Despite little assistance from the conditions, he finished the day with three wickets and, in conceding 2.36 runs per-over, gave his captain a measure of control. The wicket of Michael Burgess, neatly stumped by Alex Davies having been drawn down the pitch and beaten by turn, was his 100th in first-class cricket.Burgess, it might be noted, will retain the gloves for Warwickshire at the start of the 2022 Championship, despite the arrival of Davies, who has just signed from Lancashire. But Davies is keen take them from him. You suspect, therefore, he rather enjoyed this dismissal. Warwickshire’s other targets were Phil Salt, who subsequently signed for Lancashire, and Dan Worrall, who subsequently signed for Surrey.In between times, Yates was brilliantly caught by Luke Wells, at slip, off Parkinson as he attempted to up the pace, while the same pair also accounted for Tim Bresnan, who edged a leg-break. Matt Lamb was beaten by a nice one from Wells, the second leggie in the side, which clipped his off bail, while Danny Briggs edged his attempted force. Warwickshire lost three wickets for 17 runs in that little wobble. But when you have a lead in excess of 300 and three days to play, you can probably cope with such issues.

England allrounder might be a doubt for the final Ashes Test, in Hobart from January 14

Andrew Miller06-Jan-2022Ben Stokes is unlikely to bowl again in the ongoing fourth Test, and could be a doubt for next week’s Ashes series finale in Hobart, after sustaining an injury to his left side on the second day of play at SCG. On Thursday, he managed just five balls of his fourth over before leaving the field, clutching his side, whereupon Mark Wood delivered the final ball of the over.For now, the England management has held off sending Stokes for a scan, and having returned to the field soon after his assessment he would be free to bat at No. 5 if he is fit to do so. However, he spent much of the rest of the day fielding in the slip cordon – a position that allowed him not to run as much as he might have elsewhere on the field, but one from which he has been shielded in recent times, in the aftermath of the recent finger injury.Related

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• England offer a glimpse of how Plan A might have looked

• Stuart Broad urges England to live in the now

In his absence, England’s seam burden was shared between James Anderson, Wood and Stuart Broad, who was the standout performer with figures of 5 for 101.”He’s one of the toughest blokes I’ve ever met, the toughest cricketer I’ve ever met,” Broad said at the close. “For him to go off and not bowl… it’s obviously sore. But he’s icing it at the moment. We’ve no information on what’s happened in his side.”Hopefully we give him a lot of rest tomorrow. Twelve-24 hours in cricket is quite a long time. It gives the body a lot of time to heal. We’ll wait and see. He stayed on the field so he could bat in his usual position. He’s a tough character. He’ll be out there if it’s not torn to shreds. We as England fans and team-mates hope it’s not as bad as him not bowling again on this trip.”Stokes, who came into the Ashes after a lengthy break during the English season to manage his mental health in the wake of a broken finger, has struggled to make an impact on the series so far, with 101 runs at 16.83 and four wickets at 71.50 in the first three-and-a-bit Tests. However, with the ball, he has been consistently used in an enforcer’s role by Joe Root, tasked with bowling lengthy spells of short-pitched bowling to unsettle Australia’s batters.

Henriques describes the decision as ‘sad for cricket’ after Smith was deemed ineligible to play having not been initially contracted

AAP and ESPNCricinfo staff21-Jan-2022Sydney Sixers have scolded the banning of Steven Smith from the BBL finals as a nonsensical move that is “sad for cricket”.Smith’s application to play for Sixers in Saturday night’s qualifying final against Perth Scorchers has been rejected by Cricket Australia. Other BBL franchises voted against allowing Smith to play in the qualifier, a decision rubber-stamped by the CA.Related

• Peter Siddle calls for shorter BBL window

• 'Once it hit, it hit so hard' – keeping the BBL going through Covid

• How the BBL finalists stack up as Ashes stars return

• Scorchers penalised for using central replacement player incorrectly

Smith, who captained Sixers to a title in their inaugural season, wasn’t on the franchise’s playing list this tournament given the star batter was expected to be unavailable due to international commitments. The postponement of Australia’s limited-overs series against New Zealand opened the BBL door for Smith.But the CA says allowing Smith to play for Sixers would have breached rules put in place two weeks ago regarding replacement players for squads hit by Covid-related withdrawals.CA introduced a local replacement player pool (LRP) from which all franchises must pick any fill-in – had Smith been placed in that pool, he would have been available for any BBL franchise. Scorchers have already been docked a competition point for breaching this rule.”In creating the central LRP pool, it was agreed that clubs would not be able to contract LRPs from outside the pool for the remainder of the season,” CA said in a statement on Friday. “This request was denied … noting that other players returning to the BBL from international duty have been retained on club lists throughout the competition.”Steven Smith won’t be allowed to play in the BBL•Getty Images

Several of Smith’s Australian Test team-mates, including Nathan Lyon, Travis Head, Alex Carey, Scott Boland and Jhye Richardson, have returned to their BBL clubs and will play in the finals – but they were all contracted by their franchises for the tournament.Sixers captain Moises Henriques says the ruling defies CA’s desire for the BBL to feature the best Australian players.”You have got a former Australian captain, one of the best players in the world,” Henriques told reporters on Friday. “You have got IPL teams who pay multi-million dollars just to have this guy as part of their franchise. Advertising, bums on seats, eyes on TV’s – I mean, you do the math.”And we’re saying no because of a rule that is two weeks old in some Covid bubble hub. To me, I don’t get it. We’re in the top two without him … so I have got absolute belief in our domestic talent and local talent to do the job. I think it’s sad for cricket, that’s all.”Henriques understood “how those mistakes were made initially two weeks ago” when drawing up the replacement player rules.”What I do respect is that they [CA] have kept rolling with the punches – and I just can’t see why they don’t keep rolling with the punches now,” he said. “Mistakes are going to be made and the wrong calls are going to be made, but sometimes we also have to keep moving forward and stay flexible.”

His penalty has been reduced from a three-match ban to a fine of 75% of his match fee and three demerit points

Mohammad Isam09-Feb-20221:08

Ravi Bopara: My attempt to bowl a knuckle ball was mistaken for ball-tampering

Sylhet Sunrisers captain Ravi Bopara has had his penalty for “changing the condition of the ball” reduced from a three-match ban to a fine of 75% of his match fee and three demerit points.The incident had occurred during Sylhet’s game against Khulna Tigers on February 7, and, initially, match referee Debabrata Paul had imposed the ban. But following Bopara’s appeal on February 8, the BPL technical committee reduced the match referee’s ruling.Later, at a press conference* after the match against Comilla Victorians, Bopara claimed that his grip for the knuckle ball was mistaken for ball-tampering. Bopara brought a ball to the press conference room anticipating the question. Showing how he bowls the knuckle ball, he explained that he grips it in a particular way if the ball is wet.”I bowl a knuckle ball where I run in hiding the ball,” he said. “Sometimes I run in holding it like this and that . It is not easy to get this grip, especially with the wet ball. You have to find the best part of the ball to put it. Otherwise, if the ball is wet, it can fly and you can bowl no-balls [for height].”I think there was a mistake there. It is disappointing but this is life.”Related

• Sylhet docked five runs for changing the condition of the ball

Bopara was caught on camera running his finger over the ball during the ninth over of the Khulna innings. The on-field umpires Mahfuzur Rahman and Prageeth Rambukwella duly stopped play and changed the ball during the over, and docked Sylhet five runs. They had brought the charge against Bopara to the match referee, relating to changing the condition of the ball which is a breach of clause 41.3 of the BPL’s match playing conditions.A BCB statement on Friday read: “The technical committee reversed the suspension and executed the fine in accordance with the authority awarded to it in Article 8.2.3.4 of the [tournament’s] code of conduct which states that ‘the Technical Committee shall have the power to increase or decrease, amend or otherwise substitute a new decision on the appropriateness (or otherwise) of the sanction imposed at first instance’. It is further confirmed as per Article 8.2.3.6 that, ‘Any decision made by the Technical Committee under this Article 8.2, shall be the full, final and complete disposition of the matter and will be binding on all parties’.”If Bopara gets another demerit point during this tournament, he will get a one-match suspension. Every four demerit points translate into a one-match suspension as per Article 7.5 of the code of conduct.*1740 GMT The copy was updated after the press conference

Uncapped left-armer Ben Dwarshuis has been added to a squad already missing a host of first-choice names

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Mar-2022Kane Richardson has been ruled out of Australia’s limited-overs tour of Pakistan due a hamstring injury and will be replaced by New South Wales left-armer Ben Dwarshuis.Richardson, who was the most experienced pace bowler in an already depleted squad, aggravated the injury during training in Melbourne ahead of the team’s departure to Lahore.”Although the injury is considered minor it was decided the long trip to Pakistan along with four games in eight days and short turnarounds it was in Richardson’s best interests to remain home,” a Cricket Australia statement said.Dwarshuis, who also plays for Sydney Sixers, is uncapped at international level but was previously part of Australia’s T20 squad during a tri-series in 2017-18 and has been part of the IPL. If he features in the ODI side during the three-match series, it would come after just nine List A matches for New South Wales.Richardson’s absence leaves the pace attack to be led by Jason Behrendorff and Sean Abbott alongside Nathan Ellis, supplemented by allrounders Mitchell Marsh, Cameron Green and Marcus Stoinis.Multi-format quicks Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins have been rested for the white-ball portion of the tour. Hazlewood and Cummins are both part of the upcoming IPL.Captain Aaron Finch was confident the squad still had the depth to compete in Pakistan.”One thing that will help is the guys have played a lot of T20 cricket,” he said. “They’re quite inexperienced for Australia but I think playing T20 cricket will help them in that regard. There’s a lot of skill in the group and guys that have been around one-day cricket for a long time domestically as well.”Having a lot of a lot of faith in their own ability is really important. When you have got guys like Abbott, he’s been around for a long time [and] Behrendorff. They’ve played a lot of state cricket, so I think it’ll be fine.”Australia only played three ODIs last year – on the tour of West Indies – with home matches this season against New Zealand postponed due to Covid-19 border restrictions. They have won all three of their series in the ODI Super League with 2-1 victories over England (away) and India (home) alongside the West Indies success.

Knight Riders will come into this game with confidence, having displayed their bowling might in their season opener

Shashank Kishore29-Mar-2022

Big picture

Brendon McCullum in purple. Mike Hesson in red and gold. Two men who orchestrated New Zealand’s rise as a white-ball force during their inspirational run to the 2015 ODI World Cup final will find themselves on opposite sides as Kolkata Knight Riders take on Royal Challengers Bangalore.Then there’s Dinesh Karthik, who will be plotting against the very guys he was playing with six months ago. From deciding when to bowl Sunil Narine and when to unleash Andre Russell, he will now be giving his Royal Challengers mates a blueprint on how to counter those very players.Knight Riders displayed their bowling might in beating Chennai Super Kings in their opener. They covered so much ground that the batters simply had to turn up and play sensibly to seal the deal, which they did.

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Royal Challengers ran into two unknowns in Odean Smith and Bhanuka Rajapaksa, whose ball-striking and fearlessness stood out as Punjab Kings pulled off a coup. With Devdutt Padikkal gone, young Anuj Rawat has been given the opportunity to play freely at the top. Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli held the innings together before teeing off, while Karthik found his finishing gears.With Glenn Maxwell set to join the side later this week, their batting seems solid. The bowling will need some sorting, and very quickly, for a string of wins in the first half sets teams up nicely.Knight Riders, who beat Royal Challengers in the Eliminator last year, during their bull run to the IPL final, may have a slight edge on the back of a roaring start. It is Royal Challengers’ chance to prove Sunday was an aberration.Andre Russell put up an all-round performance in Knight Riders’ season opener•BCCI

Possible XIs

Royal Challengers Bangalore: 1 Faf du Plessis (capt), 2 Anuj Rawat, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 5 Sherfane Rutherford, 6 Shahbaz Ahmed, 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Harshal Patel, 9 David Willey, 10 Mohammed Siraj, 11 Sidharth KaulKolkata Knight Riders: 1 Venkatesh Iyer, 2 Ajinkya Rahane, 3 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 4 Nitish Rana, 5 Sam Billings/Mohammad Nabi, 6 Sheldon Jackson (wk), 7 Andre Russell, 8 Sunil Narine, 9 Umesh Yadav, 10 Shivam Mavi, 11 Varun Chakravarthy

Strategy punt

Last season, Kohli’s strike rate against spin was the lowest among the 20-plus players to have scored over 100 runs. In the opening game two nights ago, he struck at 142 against spin in a sign of him possibly trying to correct that. Knight Riders would want to try and apply the spin-strangle with the introduction of Narine and Varun Chakravarthy when Kohli comes on. Both spinners, in addition to operating in the middle overs, can bowl with the new ball, too. So coming on early shouldn’t be a problem.Since IPL 2020, Knight Riders are one of three attacks that have conceded 10+ runs an over in the death overs. Shivam Mavi, Russell and Pat Cummins, who isn’t here yet, have been a constant. They would do well to space overs out in such a way that they have one or two of Narine and Chakravarthy at the end to mix things up. In the opening game against Super Kings, they conceded 11.6 runs per over in the last five; the final three went for 47.

Stats that matter

• Only Deepak Chahar (42) and Trent Boult (27) have taken more wickets than Umesh Yadav in powerplays since IPL 2018
• du Plessis (1170) is only one of three players to have tallied a combined 1000-plus runs in the tournament since the 2020 season. KL Rahul (1296) and Shikhar Dhawan (1248) occupy the top two spots
• Russell’s 75 sixes are the second most in the tournament since 2019. KL Rahul leads the pack with 78 sixes
• Ajinkya Rahane needs 15 runs to become the ninth Indian to score 4000 IPL runs. If he gets there, he will be the fifth-fastest to do so

The Commonwealth Games have also agreed to grant accreditation to Bismah’s infant daughter

ESPNcricinfo staff31-May-2022Pakistan have announced a 15-woman squad for the tri-series in Ireland and the upcoming Commonwealth Games, with Bismah Maroof to captain the side through both assignments. The squad is unchanged from the one that achieved a clean sweep against Sri Lanka in a T20 series last week, with Player of the Series Tuba Hassan rewarded with a retention. Three reserve players – Ghulam Fatima, Sadaf Shamas and Umme Hani – have also been included.In another development, the Commonwealth Games agreed to issue accreditation to Bismah’s infant daughter Fatima and her mother, who will now stay in the Commonwealth village. The Games had initially declined to issue accreditation for the two, asking the PCB to remove two members of their original travelling squad to accommodate them. ESPNcricinfo understands the Games have backtracked, and will issue the accreditations without requiring a reduction in personnel elsewhere.”I want to thank the Commonwealth Games for accepting our request to accommodate our captain Bismah Maroof’s family at the games village which will allow her to focus on the task at hand without any worries about her young infant daughter,” head of women’s cricket Tania Mallick said.”Following a successful series against Sri Lanka, we have decided to retain the same winning combination,” chief selector Asmavia Iqbal said. “Not only our senior cricketers in the side displayed great cricketing acumen also our youngsters were outstanding and have raised their hands whenever the team needed them to.”We are delighted with the start Tuba Hassan has had to her international career and feel her leg-spin will be a potent weapon for us in the days ahead. Ayesha Naseem produced a match winning innings in the second match of the T20Is against Sri Lanka and proved her big-hitting ability.”The tri-series in Ireland and the Birmingham Commonwealth Games will test the abilities of our players and I have all the belief in them that they will live up to the expectations and show consistent results.”Pakistan will take on T20 world champions Australia and hosts Ireland in a tri-series in Belfast from July 16 to 24 and play Barbados, India and Australia in the Commonwealth Games on July 29, 31 and August 3. They will leave for the UK on July 12, before which they will have a training camp in Islamabad.Squad for the Ireland tri-series and the Commonwealth Games:Bismah Maroof (capt), Aiman Anwer, Aliya Riaz, Anam Amin, Ayesha Naseem, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Gull Feroza (wk), Iram Javed, Kainat Imtiaz, Muneeba Ali (wk), Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Iqbal and Tuba Hassan.