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Opening batsman Jeet Raval, allrounder Colin de Grandhomme and batsman Neil Broom have all been added to New Zealand’s list of contracted players for 2017-18

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jun-2017Opening batsman Jeet Raval, allrounder Colin de Grandhomme and batsman Neil Broom have all been added to New Zealand’s list of contracted players for 2017-18.Fast bowler Doug Bracewell was a notable omission, while offspinner Mark Craig also missed out and wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi was a third absentee from last year’s list, having announced his international retirement this week.Ronchi’s departure means there is only one specialist wicketkeeper – BJ Watling – in the 21-man list, with younger candidates such as Tom Blundell, Glenn Phillips and Tim Seifert set to press their claims from outside the contract group.The omission of Craig, who played just a single Test in Kanpur during the past 12 months, was no surprise, while Bracewell was left out after a year in which he played two Tests and one ODI, suffered serious injury problems, and was sentenced to 100 hours of community work for a drink-driving offence.”Doug is still viewed very positively by the selectors and has a big year in front of him in terms of bouncing back from his injury and proving his worth,” New Zealand selector Gavin Larsen said. “It’s been a difficult time for him since the knee injury but we’re all hopeful he’ll make a full and sustainable recovery.”There was also no place on the list for veteran offspinner Jeetan Patel, who played five Tests and four ODIs during the past 12 months. Patel had announced his retirement from international cricket hours after Ronchi had done so.”It was agreed the time was right for Jeetan to focus on Warwickshire, so as to allow plenty of opportunity for others to stake their claims ahead of the 2019 ICC World Cup,” Larsen said. “We enjoyed having Jeetan’s experience and skill over recent times but we’re into a new cycle now; it’s two years out from the ICC CWC, and we’re committed to bringing other players through.”Larsen said de Grandhomme, Raval and Broom were all deserving of their contract offers following productive periods in the New Zealand side.”Colin made a breakthrough last summer and is rated well in all three formats; Jeet’s Test numbers speak for themselves, and Neil, as well as averaging 43 in ODI cricket (with a strike-rate of 90) since his recall, is also seen as viable cover for the Test team’s middle-order,” Larsen said.Contracted players for 2017-18: Corey Anderson, Trent Boult, Neil Broom, Colin de Grandhomme, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Mitchell McClenaghan, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, Henry Nicholls, James Neesham, Jeet Raval, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson, George Worker.

The fast bowler will return home after the fifth ODI in Nagpur, as Australia eye his workload and preparations for the Sheffield Shield and the subsequent home Ashes

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Sep-20172:18

Tait: Tye, Faulkner good options to replace Cummins

With a few of their key fast bowlers nursing injuries in the run-up to the home summer, Australia have decided to rest Pat Cummins from the T20I series against India with an eye on his workload management in the build-up to the Ashes. The fast bowler is not carrying an injury but will return home after the fifth ODI in Nagpur on October 1 to “refresh, both mentally and physically” before the start of the Sheffield Shield season.”Pat has played a considerable amount of cricket this year after a long period away from the game due to injury,” national selector Trevor Hohns said in a statement.”His body has handled the return to international cricket well, but we believe the best plan for him ahead of the Ashes Series is to return home to refresh, both mentally and physically, before he prepares for Sheffield Shield cricket.”Cummins’ main focus will be on preparations for the Sheffield Shield, which gets underway on October 26, but he could play for New South Wales in the later stages of the JLT One Day Cup, if they make it to the finals on October 19 and 21. A replacement for Cummins in Australia’s T20I squad will be named at a later date.Cummins’ fitness struggles since his Test debut in November 2011 had forced Australia’s selectors to take a long-term view regarding his workload in Tests and first-class matches, although he was picked in limited-overs squads subsequently. He made a comeback in December last year – after missing the 2015-16 season due to a stress fracture to the back – and has since played 22 of Australia’s 27 international matches across formats, and also featured in the IPL.In March, he was called up as Mitchell Starc’s replacement for the final two Tests against India – after Starc suffered a stress fracture to his foot – and made a Test comeback after a gap of more than five years in Ranchi. He also led the pace-bowling duties in the Tests in Bangladesh, following Josh Hazlewood’s injury in Dhaka, and ended up bowling 63 overs in the two-match series, the second-most for Australia after offspinner Nathan Lyon.David Saker, Australia’s bowling coach, had last week stated that Cummins’ workload would be assessed on a game-by-game basis.”At this stage we’re planning for him to play all the games,” Saker had said. “We’ll look at [resting him], it’s obviously been brought up between all of us. We know that his workloads are up there, but we know it’s an important series. It’s Australia v India, you don’t get any bigger than that. He’s really determined to play well over here. It’ll be game-by-game basis, we’ll play it by ear.”Hazlewood is still recuperating from a side strain he suffered in Dhaka, while Starc is in the final stages of recovery from the foot injury. There is a likelihood, however, that Starc, and injured quick James Pattinson, could play in the later stages of the JLT One Day Cup, although the hope is they will be fit to take part in the Sheffield Shield matches before the first Ashes Test, which starts from November 23 in Brisbane.

Having already been knocked out, the hosts now gear up to face Chennai Super Kings who have their sights set on a top-two finish

The Preview by Annesha Ghosh17-May-20183:47

Agarkar: Ngidi better suited to Delhi conditions than Willey

Big Picture

Diesel prices have hit an all-time high in Delhi, and the city’s IPL team is stuck in yet another low. Reeling from a hat-trick of defeats, including last week’s knockout punch, Delhi Daredevils can only battle for pride in their penultimate game on home turf.Amid thunderstorms of both the literal and figurative kind, Delhi gears up to host Chennai Super Kings, who have already qualified for the playoffs. CSK’s most recent win, against leaders Sunrisers Hyderabad, saw quick bowler Deepak Chahar mark his return from injury with a stingy opening spell. Subsequently, Ambati Rayudu smashed an unbeaten maiden IPL hundred and sealed the win in his captain MS Dhoni’s company.

Form guide

• Delhi Daredevils: lost to Royal Challengers Bangalore by five wickets, lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad by nine wickets, lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad by seven wickets

• Chennai Super Kings: beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by eight wickets, lost to Rajasthan Royals by four wickets, beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by six wickets

As for Daredevils, the saving grace in their surrender to AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli last week came through a Rishabh Pant fifty and the debuts of two youngsters. Sandeep Lamichhane’s opening spell made him the toast of the evening on Twitter, while Under-19 World Cup winner Abhishek Sharma wowed with an unbeaten 46.But if Daredevils are to muster a fight against Dhoni’s men, they will need their bowlers to check the run flow in the Powerplay. The most expensive attack in the first six and the middle overs, Daredevils have conceded over 40 runs per wicket during the two phases. Daredevils have conceded 50-plus Powerplay scores 11 times in 12 games this season, a vulnerability waiting to be feasted on by CSK, whose openers have scored the second-most runs of any team this season.

Previous meeting

En route to their sixth straight loss, Daredevils ran into an unforgiving Shane Watson and Dhoni who smashed fifties in their combined tally of 129 off 62 balls in Pune. Rayudu’s brisk 41 hauled CSK past 200, before debutants Lungi Nigidi and KM Asif shared three top-order wickets and commemorated their IPL initiation with a 13-run victory.

Qualification scenario

Daredevils, of course, are out of contention for the playoffs. CSK are aiming to seal a top-two place, and plenty will have to go wrong for them not to achieve it. Kolkata Knight Riders are the only team below CSK who can hope to leapfrog them, by finishing level with them on 16 points and pipping them on net run rate. For that to happen, CSK will have to lose both their remaining games, and KKR will have to win their last match, and all three result margins will have to be big. For example, if CSK lose both games by 30 runs each, and KKR win theirs by 53 (assuming totals of 180 in each case for the team batting first), then KKR will sneak ahead.It’s safe to say, therefore, that CSK have all but sealed a top-two position.

Likely XIs

Delhi Daredevils: 1 Prithvi Shaw, 2 Jason Roy/Colin Munro, 3 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 4 Rishabh Pant (wk), 5 Abhishek Sharma, 6 Vijay Shankar, 7 Liam Plunkett/ Junior Dala, 8 Amit Mishra, 9 Sandeep Lamichhane, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Shahbaz NadeemChennai Super Kings: 1 Shane Watson, 2 Ambati Rayudu, 3 Suresh Raina, 4 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 5 Sam Billings, 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Dwayne Bravo, 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Karn Sharma, 10 Deepak Chahar/ Shardul Thakur, 11 Lungi Ngidi

Strategy punt

Daredevils should be alive to Dhoni’s lack of fluency against legspinners this season. In 12 innings, he has managed only 87 runs off 68 balls against them while being dismissed three times. Ravindra Jadeja, meanwhile, has been dismissed twice in four innings by legspinners. Lamichhane and Amit Mishra, therefore, are good options to bowl the bulk of the middle overs, particularly when one of these two is at the crease. Additionally, Mishra’s economy rate of 6.9 during the period – the best among Daredevils’ bowlers in any single phase – should hold him in good stead.

Stats that matter

• Dhoni needs 10 runs to reach 6000 T20 runs, and another 16 runs would take him to 4000 runs in the IPL
• Daredevils have tried seven different opening combinations so far, and their openers collectively boast the lowest average (21.9) of all teams this season.
• Pant’s tournament tally of 582 is the highest by a Daredevils batsman in an IPL season across all editions. Former captain Gautam Gambhir held the record for ten years having amassed 534 runs in the 2008 season.

Fantasy pick

Want compelling reasons to pick Deepak Chahar? Here you go. CSK’s pace contingent has been more effective (economy of 8.99 and average of 30.48) with Chahar in the mix than in the four games he has missed (economy of 9.48 and average of 44.10). His inclusion has also enabled CSK’s pace bowlers to take a wicket every 20.4 balls as opposed to one every 27.9 balls in his absence.

The centurions both lifted the Player-of-the-Match award after they kept each other company in the middle for over two hours

Annesha Ghosh12-Mar-2022Rarely does the best performer in a game insist on a second Player-of-the-Match award for their team-mate. Rarer are the times they direct a demand of this sort at cricket’s governing body, at a world tournament at that.But Smriti Mandhana said she was aware her 123 would have mattered little against an undefeated West Indian side had fellow centurion Harmanpreet Kaur not done her bit to put India’s 2022 ODI World Cup campaign back on track after a chastening defeat two days ago. So Mandhana had Harmanpreet, who made 109 on the day, by her side at the presentation ceremony where she explained why she felt they both were equally deserving of the honour.Related

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• In-form Harmanpreet promises to be 'there for my team' at the biggest stage

• Stats – Mandhana and Harmanpreet set new benchmarks

• West Indies collapse after Mandhana, Harmanpreet centuries as India seal NRR-boosting win

• WWC 2022 week one: An opening-day thriller, near-upsets

“I think scoring a century and not being a Player of the Match is something which I wouldn’t really want as a player,” Mandhana said after India’s 155-run win at Seddon Park. “I think we both contributed equally for us (India) to score 300. So it’s good for us to share the trophy.” Asked who might eventually keep the award, Mandhana said, “I’m sure ICC will be giving another trophy and I’m sure they have enough budget to do that.”That Mandhana and Harmanpreet both lifted the award at the end of the ceremony and grinned ear-to-ear at the cameras seemed fitting on a day they kept each other company in the middle for over two hours, exchanging notes, smiles, and hugs – in that order – while reaching new milestones, individually and as a pair. After all, their 184-run fourth-wicket stand, the second century stand between them and India’s highest at any ODI World Cup, had propelled the team to a mammoth 317 for 8. That was India’s best-ever score at a 50-over world tournament and the highest so far in this edition of the event.Mandhana’s century was her second at an ODI World Cup and the second against West Indies, too. Harmanpreet’s, meanwhile, made her the first Indian woman to score three hundreds in ODI World Cups. Both knocks proved pivotal in lifting India to the safety of a 300-plus total a week after 310 was nearly chased down at the same venue. Against a West Indies side that had downed hosts New Zealand and defending champions England in their first two outings, it was all the more critical for India to post an imposing total after opting to set one.”As batters, we both prefer chasing and setting the target both together,” Mandhana said of the dynamic of her partnership with Harmanpreet. “Our strengths are really different because she is really good with spin and I like pace on the ball. So when the spinner comes on I give her the strike and when the pacer comes on she gives me the strike.Smriti Mandhana scored her second century against West Indies in World Cups•AFP via Getty Images

“It’s always fun to bat with Harry . We have battled a lot in T20s in last six to seven years I’ve been part [of the Indian team], I’ve had a lot of partnerships with her and we always complement each other really well. We share a really good bond on and off the field.”When she did walk in, the situation was quite tricky, so I didn’t want to get her [to] lose her focus. So I didn’t really joke around at that time. But once she was in 30s and 40s, we both were actually having a lot of fun after that; we started talking a lot more. And I don’t think today I needed to tell her because she was smiling a lot more than she generally does.”Despite India’s attacking start – thanks to opener Yastika Bhatia’s 21-ball 31 – India found themselves precariously placed near the 15th-over mark when No. 5 Harmanpreet joined Mandhana in the middle. Together, they powered India from 78 for 3 to 262 for 3 at a rate of over a run a ball. A standout feature in their stand were their ease at stealing ones and twos, a major part of both their innings built on along-the-ground strokes.”When she came into bat, we were focusing more on singles and doubles because we had lost three quick wickets and we didn’t want to play another [fancy] shot or get out or something and we didn’t want to even stop the run rate,” Mandhana explained. “So our discussion was that we’ll just keep batting and we will get singles and doubles and convert the singles into doubles. That’s something we all spoke in the dressing room after the New Zealand match, where we couldn’t start the momentum and carry it also.”Deputy to Harmanpreet in the T20I side, Mandhana was effusive in her praise for her senior and ODI vice-captain’s work ethic and resilience.”From the outset, I feel when her back is towards the wall, that’s when she comes the best out and that’s something which I’ve seen,” said Mandhana. “Her work ethics are really up there in the whole team. She keeps going even if she does not get the results. That’s something that really gets her going. World Cups are the place where she comes good and comes big.”From the practice game she’s been batting well, so we are really confident that she will be able to score runs in this tournament. I’m happy that she just got back to back score fifties And most importantly I think today’s century will give her a lot of confidence and [to] the whole team as well because we were not in a great place to start with and from there for her to bat and get us out of that situation, I think it was an incredible innings.”During the innings break, Mandhana described her 119-ball knock as “uncharacteristic,” for she scored at a strike rate of under 90 for the best part of her innings. Later, she admitted she “had a little nervous nineties today,” dropped on 94 at deep midwicket by Aaliyah Alleyne and then surviving a bouncer and an appeal for lbw soon after.”I was a little nervous about that ball going up in there and I prayed to two-three gods saying that please let the player drop it and she put it down, so I should thank her actually because otherwise I would have got out on 96,” Mandhana said. “It’s been a long way for me to come [and score the hundred] …”I’ve been getting out on 70s and 80s quite a lot, so something which was consciously I was thinking that if I feel like playing a shot I have I don’t have to stop myself. I’ll just go with the flow and I’ll just play according to the ball. That’s how I started my inning, so that’s something which I was really working on. Hopefully, I will be this kind always on me and I will convert the 60s and 70s into a big score because if I do that India is [usually] in a great position.”Mandhana will likely have to make do with just the one Player-of-the-Match trophy for herself and Harmanpreet from this game. It was fitting, nonetheless, that the third in line for India’s ODI captaincy honours, doffed her hat to Harmanpreet, the captain Mandhana made her limited-overs debuts under, when she could have the spotlight entirely on herself.

Kent opener carries his bat as Parkinson leads visitors’ charge at Canterbury

Paul Edwards16-Apr-2022When this Championship season began nine days ago, Ben Compton had played ten first-class matches in his life and had scored two hundreds, both for the Mountaineers in Zimbabwe’s Logan Cup. He was 28 years old. He had been signed on a two-year contract by Kent, whose director of cricket, Paul Downton, praised the new recruit’s tenacity. Fortunately, Downton knew whereof he spoke. Compton had played second-team cricket for Kent in 2019 and had scored 613 Championship runs for Nottinghamshire IIs last season. All the same, he was a bit of a punt and he probably knew he wouldn’t get another chance.Now, if you will, turn your attention to this third afternoon at the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence. The weather is pure Arthur Ransome but nobody notices it. Kent are in the toils, just as they will be for the rest of the day. Replying to Lancashire’s 506, the home side are 240 for 7 and Compton is unbeaten on 99. Tom Bailey is bowling to him from the Pavilion End and the Lancastrian’s disciplines never waver. Having made 129 in the draw against Essex last week, Compton searches for the single that will take him to his second successive century. It isn’t there. Lancashire’s fielding is unobtrusively outstanding, the product of hours of practice. The cricket is gripping and, please note, .Suddenly, George Balderson, who is bowling from the Nackington Road End, dismisses Matt Milnes and Nathan Gilchrist with successive deliveries. Jackson Bird, Kent’s last man, scores eight runs from his first four balls but Compton is still facing Bailey and tries to drive the 22nd ball he has received when 99. He misses and berates himself. Then Bird plays out a maiden and Lancashire’s skipper, Dane Vilas, brings on Matt Parkinson. Immediately allowed a little width, Compton works the ball through third man and takes a single. He has batted 395 minutes and was on 99 for 28 minutes, 21 seconds. It has been a triumph of desire, concentration and will, much like the rest of Compton’s cricket career.And almost certainly it will not be enough to save the game for his side. Having become the first Kent batsman to carry his bat since Daniel Bell-Drummond at Trent Bridge in 2017, Compton was out there again some twenty minutes later after Vilas had taken the almost unexpected decision to enforce the follow-on. That decision was immediately justified in the fourth over when Zak Crawley edged Balderson to Phil Salt who completed a superb one-handed diving clutch to his left. Eight overs later Bell-Drummond was caught down the leg side by Salt off Danny Lamb for 9 and Kent were 20 for 2.Related

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In the evening session things got worse for them. Tawanda Muyuye, who sometimes seems to have more shots than his temperament can handle, played a short-arm pull to a barely short ball from Bailey, only to see Steven Croft pull off a superb diving catch to his right. Next over, Jordan Cox gallivanted down the wicket and was bowled when trying to hit Parkinson to Chartham.Compton was joined by his captain, Ollie Robinson, and the pair dug in. The flow of runs, which had been a respectable three-an-over in the first innings, became a gentle rivulet. The bounce got lower, too, which was hardly a pleasant augury for Kent’s slim chances. Half an hour before the close, Robinson was lbw for 11 when he couldn’t jab down on a rapid inswinger from Hasan Ali. Darren Stevens arrived and was greeted by a variety of comments. They will have had no effect; Stevens was probably sledged by the Wife of Bath. What mattered more was the straight ball from Parkinson that rapped Stevens on his front dog and left Neil Bainton with a fairly easy judgement.But at least those late wickets allowed one to reflect the collective will of this Lancashire side and a fine day for Hasan, who had taken his first wicket for his new county in the morning session, when Cox played no shot to a ball that nipped back and ripped out his off stump. The bowler’s reactions were also entertaining. Hasan began with a fist pump to the ground, progressed to an arms-aloft bellow of triumph and concluded with another clenched mitt, this time in the direction of the heavens. He was, we may conclude, quite pleased.Lancashire supporters should enjoy Hasan’s celebrations when he plays at Emirates Old Trafford this summer. Then again, one suspects they might enjoy quite a lot of things about their side’s cricket this season. That will be a strange experience for some of them and one hopes they don’t find the adjustment too upsetting.Compton finished the day on 20 not out. He has so far batted nine hours 42 minutes in this match and faced 421 balls for his 121 runs. Nobody has ever carried his bat for Kent in both innings of a first-class match.”I’m just exhausted, so I’m not quite sure how well I’m coming across here,” he said. “But to follow up my innings at Essex with my first century at Canterbury is very important to me. I was just trying to watch the ball as closely as I can.”They aren’t terrible batting conditions and there’ll be other days when you find yourself on the wrong end of things but I’m just grateful I could spend a long time out there and just try to do my job as well as I can. It was a bit weird being stuck on 99. I don’t think that’s happened to me before and they were quite smart about it. They just put the ball there and I had to try to be patient. Thankfully I got there in the end.”

Boucher will still face a disciplinary hearing in May over charges of gross misconduct

Firdose Moonda08-Feb-2022Cricket South Africa are unlikely to take further action on the manner in which Director of Cricket (DOC) Graeme Smith and men’s head coach Mark Boucher were appointed despite the Social Justice and Nation-Building report citing irregularities in their hiring. Speaking to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Sports, Arts and Culture, CSA board chair Lawson Naidoo explained that because Smith and Boucher’s appointments were rubber-stamped by the previous board, no further investigation will be undertaken.Boucher will still face a disciplinary hearing in May over charges of gross misconduct, while Smith is in arbitration with CSA over other matters raised at the SJN.”The DOC and head coach were appointed in December 2019 under the previous board. It is clear from the (SJN) report that there were irregularities in those processes. Those appointments were subsequently endorsed and ratified by the then board. Our hands are tied in terms of those processes,” Naidoo said.Smith was approached for the job of DOC in August 2019, by former CSA CEO Thabang Moroe, who has since been dismissed. He was interviewed in November that year but withdrew his interest in the job five days later, citing lack of confidence in CSA’s administration. When Moroe was suspended in December 2019, Smith was appointed in interim capacity for three months before signing on as an independent contractor over the last two years. His contract expires at the end of March. The SJN found that the process of headhunting Smith despite other candidates being interviewed was flawed, but CSA’s previous board approved this process so no further action can be taken.Part of Smith’s remit was to appoint South Africa’s head coach and support staff. All the candidates were headhunted with Boucher contracted until 2023 alongside Charl Langeveldt (bowling coach) and Justin Ontong (fielding coach). Enoch Nkwe, who was interim team director at the time, was named assistant coach and resigned last year. CSA’s previous board approved all these appointments. The SJN report has found fault with Boucher being preferred to Nkwe and called it unfair discrimination, but no mention was made of Langeveldt or Ontong. It appears that none of these processes will be further investigated.Key men: [L to R] Graeme Smith, Enoch Nkwe, Mark Boucher and Linda Zondi•AFP via Getty Images

However, CSA will continue with the disciplinary action against Boucher, whose dismissal they are seeking over current and historical handling of issues of race. Boucher faces charges over his role in singing a song with the words “brown s***” in fines’ meetings to team-mate Paul Adams in the late 1990s and early 2000s, his handling of the Black Lives Matter movement with the current squad in 2020 and 2021 and his relationship with Nkwe. Boucher’s hearing will take place from May 16 to 20 and he intends to call players involved in the national set-up to testify on his behalf. There has been no announcement on any disciplinary process involving Smith.Related

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• Boucher's former assistant Nkwe joins Lions as strategic cricket consultant

• SJN report: CSA discriminated against players on basis of race

• Smith's lawyer claims 'fundamental flaws' in SJN process

• CSA to launch formal inquiry into conduct of Smith and Boucher

Asked by MPs why Boucher and Smith have not been suspended, Naidoo explained that CSA acted on legal advice. “It’s important to state, and this applies to all the legal processes we are involved in, we will follow due process. I can assure the portfolio committee that the board took legal advice on whether that (suspension) was possible and we received the legal opinion from two senior lawyers,” Naidoo said. “They advised us that there was no legal basis to suspend Mark Boucher and Graeme Smith. The board took a unanimous decision not to suspend because it would open us up to unnecessary litigation.”Already, CSA have spent R50 million (US$3.2 million) in legal fees over the last two years. A significant portion of that could have gone into sorting out disciplinary matters. CSA have dismissed former CEO Moroe, former acting CEO Kugandrie Govender, former company secretary Welsh Gwaza, former head of commercial Clive Eksteen and former chief operating officer Naasei Appiah. Most of those cases went to appeals, resulting in a more drawn out process, Eksteen winning against CSA before parting ways and Appiah settling. The sports ministry criticised the costs of ongoing litigation at the organisation. “The department takes a dim view of the money directed away from programs for legal fees,” Vusumuzi Mkhize, the director general of the department of sport said. “We prefer settling outside of court.”Mkize was also asked about the department’s view of the Boucher situation, especially because Boucher is continuing in his role as head coach. “That is not a ministerial responsibility. The minister may not deal with employees of the board unless there has been a clear breakdown of governance,” he said. “We encourage them to move with speed.”The same applies to the CSA’s inability to appoint a permanent CEO, which has dragged on for months. The new board, who were put in place in June, have said it is their “priority,” to fill the role currently occupied by Pholetsi Moseki, but are yet to find a suitable candidate.”In August last year we placed a public advertisement for the CEO and engaged the services of a recruitment company. We received a shortlist of candidates and interviewed them but we were unable to conclude an agreement to appoint anyone at that stage,” Naidoo said. “We have since embarked on a further process with the services of a separate recruitment company. We hope to make an announcement in the next few weeks. We are cognisant that this is the priority of the board. It is a process the board is giving due attention to.”

Lord’s will play host to the start of the Stokes-McCullum era, not to mention a bizarrely out-of-form Williamson

Matt Roller01-Jun-2022

Big picture

The champions are back. One year ago to the day, New Zealand arrived at Lord’s for the first of three seismic Tests: the first two – a draw in London followed by a convincing win in Edgbaston – gave them only their third-ever series win in England and their first since 1999; the third was their crowning moment, beating India at the Ageas Bowl to become the inaugural World Test Champions.For England, that Lord’s Test represented a sliding-doors moment, the first step on the Joe Root-Chris Silverwood era’s gradual, then sudden descent towards self-destruction. With fans back in the stands for the first time since the pandemic, England declined the opportunity to chase 273 in 75 overs, instead grinding their way to 170 for 3; Root defended the move but lost the goodwill of his team’s supporters and never won it back.When selecting the squad for the series – which saw several multi-format players rested after their IPL excursions – Silverwood had created a rod which was used to beat him for the next seven months. “Playing the top two teams in the world […] is perfect preparation for us as we continue to improve and progress towards an Ashes series,” he said, fatefully; one win in six home Tests and a 4-0 drubbing in Australia sealed his fate.Related

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• Henry Nicholls, Trent Boult doubtful for first Test against England

• Potts to make debut at Lord's in first Test

And so 12 months on, England have a new look about them; a snarling, bearded, tattooed one with a distinctly Kiwi flavour, personified by the new captain-coach combination of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum. The pair have spoken at length about positivity, mindsets and brands of cricket since their respective appointments but this week will be the first chance for their side to walk the walk.Unsurprisingly, there have been changes in personnel. Only five members of the side that played the equivalent Test last year are retained in the playing XI which England named on Wednesday and even the survivors have a sense of freshness: Root has been released from the burden of captaincy, Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope have been shuffled into new positions and James Anderson and Stuart Broad are recalled after they were jettisoned in the Caribbean.One of their most pressing tasks is to win back their fan base, a challenge highlighted by the public’s reluctance to shell out extortionate sums for tickets at Lord’s. Of course, there is a fine line between attacking, attractive cricket and recklessness, but McCullum’s track record as a captain suggests he will strike the balance.New Zealand, meanwhile, are entering a new era of their own, with this series representing a benchmark for their succession planning. “We’re quite a different team to even a year ago at the World Test Championship,” Gary Stead, their understated coach, said on Monday while pointing to the retirements of Ross Taylor and BJ Watling. “Those changes are felt within the team but that’s an opportunity for someone else to come up and play the game.”The transition has not been seamless so far: New Zealand have played three two-match series since the WTC final and won none of them, losing 1-0 in India before back-to-back 1-1 draws at home to Bangladesh and South Africa. On the back of a warm-up defeat to a County Select XI at Chelmsford last week, there is just a hint of vulnerability.It is their batting line-up which will come under particular scrutiny. Will Young is yet to nail down his spot at the top of the order while the engine room of Kane Williamson, Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell have had limited preparation time after their involvement in the IPL. Even still, they will prove tough first opponents for England’s new regime, especially given their main strength – fast bowling – remains unaffected.

Form guide

England: LDDLD
New Zealand: LWWLLKane Williamson will return to Test cricket at Lord’s•PA Images/Getty

In the spotlight

Only seven weeks ago, Joe Root was still England’s Test captain and for a fleeting moment it seemed as though he was determined to cling onto that position despite a run of one win in 17. Instead, he handed the reins to Stokes and has kept a low profile since, warming up for this series with six appearances – three in the Championship, three in the T20 Blast – for Yorkshire. Most ex-captains return to the ranks in the twilight of their career and with a limited shelf-life but at 31 and in the form of his life, Root could press on for many years to come.Kane Williamson‘s persistent elbow injury means he has played a solitary Test since the WTC final and missed New Zealand’s entire home summer. When he has played, he has struggled for form: at the IPL, he finished the season with a glacial strike rate of 93.50 after Sunrisers Hyderabad opted to retain him on a INR 14 crore (USD 1.86 million approx) contract. Following a purple patch, the last 12 months have served a reminder of Williamson’s mortality.

Team news

England named their playing XI on Wednesday, with Matthew Potts due to make his Test debut after he was preferred to Craig Overton as the third seamer. The reshuffle in the batting line-up sees Pope promoted to No. 3, a position he has never batted in first-class cricket, while Root, Jonny Bairstow and Stokes form the middle-order engine room. Jack Leach plays his first home Test since 2019.England: 1 Alex Lees, 2 Zak Crawley, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Jonny Bairstow, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Ben Foakes (wk), 8 Matthew Potts, 9 Jack Leach, 10 Stuart Broad, 11 James Anderson.Trent Boult, who arrived late from the IPL, was under consideration before New Zealand trained on Wednesday but appears to be a major doubt. Henry Nicholls, whose rehabiliation from a calf injury was delayed by a positive Covid test, has been ruled out and Williamson confirmed Daryl Mitchell will bat at No. 5 in his place. The main selection call is whether Ajaz Patel – who has not played a Test since taking 10 wickets in an innings against India in Mumbai – should be included, with Stead hinting that he might earlier this week. If he plays, one of Kyle Jamieson, Neil Wagner or Matt Henry will miss out.New Zealand (possible): 1 Tom Latham, 2 Will Young, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Devon Conway, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Tom Blundell (wk), 7 Colin de Grandhomme, 8 Kyle Jamieson, 9 Tim Southee, 10 Neil Wagner, 11 Matt Henry/Ajaz Patel.Stuart Broad and James Anderson pose in the Long Room•Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Pitch and conditions

After an unseasonably dry spring, the rain has returned in London this week and may cause some delays over the weekend, though the first two days are expected to be clear. Pitches at Lord’s have been significantly better for batters this season with an average of 34.24 runs per wicket in the Championship, compared to 20.76 on the green seamers of 2021. There was still some live grass on the surface 24 hours before the toss, but cut much shorter than New Zealand are used to from their home pitches. Supporters have been encouraged to wear red, white and blue to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubillee but some empty seats are expected after slow ticket sales.

Stats and trivia

• Ben Foakes will play his first Test in England, after five in the Caribbean and three in both India and Sri Lanka. Potts and Alex Lees will also make their home debuts.
• Root needs 111 runs to reach 10,000 in Tests; he would be the 14th player and second Englishman to reach that landmark.
• Stokes is 18 sixes away from overtaking his coach, McCullum, as the leading six-hitter in Test history. Stokes is currently sixth on the all-time list; Tim Southee is 15th.
• New Zealand are unbeaten in their last four Tests in England. They have twice gone five Tests in a row without losing in England, from 1937-49 and from 1986-90.
• Southee needs seven wickets in the match to go clear of Glenn McGrath and Sir Richard Hadlee as the leading overseas wicket-taker in Tests at Lord’s.

Quotes

“There’s been talk around the word reset, which is something that I don’t particularly like. I just see this as a complete and utter blank canvas for this Test team going forward.”
“I’ve seen him a couple of times around the hotel and it is strange to see him in it, but good on him. He’s done exceptionally well in his transition from cricket and to get a job like this shows you the type of person he is, and the coach he is as well.”

We run the rule over all the teams featuring in the inaugural Women’s Hundred

Matt Roller20-Jul-2021

Birmingham Phoenix

Coach: Ben Sawyer
Captain: Amy Jones
Overseas players: Shafali Verma (India), Erin Burns, Katie Mack (both Australia)Significantly weakened by withdrawals of Ellyse Perry, Sophie Devine and Ashleigh Gardner but the signing of Shafali Verma is perhaps the most exciting of the whole competition, on the back of her top-order pyrotechnics against England. Exciting young seam-bowling attack with Central Sparks’ new-ball combination, Issy Wong and Emily Arlott – likely to open the bowling together, while Kirstie Gordon has a point to prove after losing her England central contract.Verdict: Verma can win them games on her own but will need support from the middle order.Possible XI: Shafali Verma, Katie Mack, Amy Jones (capt/wk), Erin Burns, Georgia Elwiss, Evelyn Jones, Marie Kelly, Ria Fackrell/Abtaha Maqsood, Issy Wong, Emily Arlott, Kirstie Gordon

London Spirit

Coach: Trevor Griffin
Captain: Heather Knight
Overseas players: Deandra Dottin (West Indies), Deepti Sharma (India), Chloe Tryon (South Africa)The Knight-Griffin combination that has enjoyed success in both the KSL and the WBBL takes on the Hundred, with a strong top order that should see them score consistent runs throughout. Their bowling attack is a little lighter, with Freya Davies the spearhead, but Knight and overseas players Deepti Sharma and Chloe Tryon offer useful spin options, particularly on slower surfaces, while Charlie Dean is the leading wicket-taker in this season’s Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.Verdict: Strong squad which should be eyeing a top-three finish, especially if the batting line-up clicks.Possible XI: Tammy Beaumont, Deandra Dottin, Heather Knight (capt), Deepti Sharma, Chloe Tryon, Naomi Dattani, Amara Carr (wk), Grace Scrivens/Dani Gibson, Charlie Dean, Freya Davies, Sophie Munro

Manchester Originals

Coach: Paul Shaw
Captain: Kate Cross
Overseas players: Harmanpreet Kaur (India), Mignon du Preez, Lizelle Lee (both South Africa)Emma Lamb is the in-form allrounder in the country, leading both the runs and wickets charts in the early rounds of the Charlotte Edwards Cup, and could form a powerful opening partnership with Lizelle Lee, while Harmanpreet Kaur and Mignon du Preez add quality to the middle order. The spin attack of Sophie Ecclestone, Alex Hartley and Hannah Jones is strong but Kate Cross carries a heavy burden in the seam department.Verdict: Emirates Old Trafford’s spinning pitches and big boundaries should boost their chances.Possible XI: Lizelle Lee, Emma Lamb, Harmanpreet Kaur, Mignon du Preez, Georgie Boyce, Cordelia Griffith, Ellie Threlkeld (wk), Sophie Ecclestone, Kate Cross (capt), Alex Hartley, Hannah JonesKate Cross will lead Manchester Originals after a successful ODI series against India•Getty Images for ECB

Northern Superchargers

Coach: Dani Hazell
Captain: Lauren Winfield-Hill
Overseas players: Laura Kimmince (Australia), Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa), Jemimah Rodrigues (India)Strong, deep batting line-up but bowling attack looks light on paper and will need either plenty of runs to play with or an unheralded domestic player to step up. Tough calls to make over batting order: should the silky Laura Wolvaardt open or continue at No. 4, where she has batted for South Africa, and will the specialist finisher Laura Kimmince face enough balls to make an impact?Verdict: Batting strength offset by bowling attack’s lack of international quality.Possible XI: Lauren Winfield-Hill (capt), Laura Wolvaardt, Jemimah Rodrigues, Holly Armitage/Sterre Kalis, Laura Kimmince, Alice Davidson-Richards, Beth Langston, Bess Heath (wk), Linsey Smith, Phoebe Graham, Katie Levick

Oval Invincibles

Coach: Jon Batty
Captain: TBC
Overseas players: Shabnim Ismail, Marizanne Kapp, Dane van Niekerk (all South Africa)Different squad composition to the majority of the tournament, with all three overseas players – all South Africans – offering bowling options. Lacking a star-name England player but Tash Farrant, Mady Villiers and Fran Wilson are all regular squad members and Georgia Adams is pressing for inclusion. New-ball attack of Farrant’s left-arm swing and Shabnim Ismail’s genuine pace should be potent.Verdict: Competitive squad that can challenge for a top-three finish, especially if South African core performs.Possible XI: Georgia Adams, Sarah Bryce (wk), Marizanne Kapp, Dane van Niekerk, Fran Wilson, Alice Capsey, Grace Gibbs, Mady Villiers, Tash Farrant, Shabnim Ismail, Dani Gregory

Southern Brave

Coach: Charlotte Edwards
Captain: TBC
Overseas players: Stafanie Taylor (West Indies), Smriti Mandhana (India), Amanda-Jade Wellington (Australia)Destructive opening combination between Smriti Mandhana and Danni Wyatt, and head coach Charlotte Edwards was particularly pleased to secure Sophia Dunkley’s services before her England breakthrough this summer. Versatile seam attack with Lauren Bell’s height, Anya Shrubsole’s swing and Tara Norris’ left-arm angle while Amanda-Jade Wellington’s legbreaks and Charlotte and Stafanie Taylor’s darts are all useful spin options.Verdict: Top three should be the minimum expectation.Possible XI: Smriti Mandhana, Danni Wyatt, Stafanie Taylor, Sophia Dunkley, Maia Bouchier, Carla Rudd (wk), Anya Shrubsole, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Tara Norris, Charlotte Taylor/Fi Morris, Lauren BellSmriti Mandhana forms half of an imposing opening duo with Danni Wyatt•Getty Images

Trent Rockets

Coach: Salliann Beams
Captain: Nat Sciver
Overseas players: Rachel Priest (New Zealand), Sammy-Jo Johnson, Heather Graham (both Australia)Ellyse Villani, Annabel Sutherland and Sophie Molineux’s withdrawals have hit the Rockets hard: veteran keeper-batter Rachel Priest starred in the KSL for Western Storm but Sammy-Jo Johnson and Heather Graham have a single Australia cap between them. But with three of England’s best T20 players in Nat Sciver, Katherine Brunt and Sarah Glenn, they have more than enough talent to overcome those losses and compete for a top-three spot. Expect a fluid batting line-up, with Glenn an option as a pinch-hitting opener.Verdict: Remarkable batting depth and all-round quality of England stars means they should be in contention.Possible XI: Rachel Priest (wk), Nat Sciver (capt), Michaela Kirk, Heather Graham, Sammy-Jo Johnson, Katherine Brunt, Abi Freeborn, Sarah Glenn, Kathryn Bryce, Teresa Graves, Lucy Higham

Welsh Fire

Coach: Mark O’Leary
Captain: TBC
Overseas players: Hayley Matthews (West Indies), Piepa Cleary, Georgia Redmayne (both Australia)Perhaps the weakest squad in the competition on paper but with enough talent to cause a few upsets: Georgia Redmayne had a dominant 50-over season in Australia, Hayley Matthews comes into the competition on the back of an ODI hundred, and Sophie Luff and Bryony Smith have been dominant in domestic cricket. Sarah Taylor’s return adds intrigue while Piepa Clearly will lead the seam attack with Katie George’s injury meaning she has played as a specialist batter for most of the summer.Verdict: Bowling attack lacks international quality of other sides, while batting isn’t strong enough to compensate.Possible XI: Georgia Redmayne, Bryony Smith, Hayley Matthews, Sophie Luff, Sarah Taylor (wk), Katie George, Georgia Hennessy, Piepa Cleary, Lissy Macleod, Alex Griffiths, Nicole Harvey

Usman Khawaja’s maiden Ashes ton was backed up by the Marsh brothers – with Shaun going to the close on 98 not out – as Australia built a commanding 133-run lead

The Report by Brydon Coverdale06-Jan-20180:53

Khawaja and Shaun Marsh keep Australia in control

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsIf the new year is about fresh starts, then Usman Khawaja has nailed the brief. Having failed to score a Test century in 2017, Khawaja used his first innings of 2018 not only to raise his sixth Test hundred, but to bat, and bat, and bat some more, spending 381 balls at the crease in the longest innings of his decade-long first-class career. Khawaja’s 171 was the centrepiece of a day of Australian dominance at the SCG, where Shaun Marsh was also approaching triple-figures by stumps, and Australia, hoping not to have to bat again in the match, had built a 133-run lead.For England, it was a long, hot, demoralising six hours in the field. They managed only two wickets all day, and the best that could be said of their results was that they prevented Steven Smith from making yet another century. And frustrating? Was it ever frustrating for England. Mason Crane missed a maiden Test wicket due to a no-ball, and both Marsh brothers, Shaun and Mitchell, were given out only to be reprieved on review. Both were still there at stumps, Shaun on 98 and Mitchell on 63, with Australia’s total on 4 for 479.

Stats highlights

• 171 Usman Khawaja’s second highest score and sixth century in Tests. During his 171, Khawaja also crossed 2000 Test runs. This was his first century against England in 15 innings. Khawaja now has one century in each of the five major grounds in Australia. The 381 balls faced in the innings was also his longest knock in terms of balls faced, surpassing the 301-ball effort against South Africa at Adelaide.

• 73.88 Partnership average for Steven Smith and Usman Khawaja – the highest for any pair with a minimum of 15 innings. Since April 2014, the two have added six century stands – the most for Australia. In 18 innings, the two have added 12 fifty-plus stands. Five of the six century stands have come at home.

• 1993 The only other instance for Australia in which the third, fourth and fifth wicket added 100 runs or more each in an innings, against England at Leeds in the fourth Test of the 1993 Ashes.

• 5 Instances of batsmen No. 2 to No. 6 each scoring half-centuries for Australia. The previous instance was also at Sydney in 2015 against India. All the five occasions have been at home.

Crane’s bowling was one of the stories of the day. He turned some big legbreaks, and googlies, and induced the odd false stroke, but made even more false starts himself. The sight of Crane walking to his crease, entering his delivery stride, and then holding on to the ball became about as ubiquitous on day three at the SCG as pink clothing. Perhaps he was worried about no-balling, for he often landed close to or over the crease, and had missed out on the wicket of Khawaja in the final over before lunch due to a no-ball.Coming around the wicket, Crane turned a big legbreak in to Khawaja, who thrust his pad out without playing the ball, and England asked for a review of the not-out lbw decision. Replays showed that, by a small margin, Crane had failed to land his foot behind the crease. Ball-tracking went on to show that Khawaja would have otherwise been out. An exasperated Crane appeared to argue the point, pointlessly, with umpire Kumar Dharmasena. Quite how a spinner can so consistently be close to no-balling is a matter for Crane to rectify.At length, he did manage his maiden Test wicket, and it was Khawaja. But by the time Crane beat the advancing Khawaja and had him stumped by Jonny Bairstow, the batsman had 171 runs, and had been at the crease for nearly nine hours. It was a patient innings from Khawaja, who brought up his hundred – his first in Ashes cricket, and his first at the SCG – from his 222nd delivery, and his 150 from his 334th. Until this Test, the best Khawaja had to show for this Ashes was a pair of fifties; this innings alone buys him a lengthy stay in the side.His dismissal, shortly after tea, was the last breakthrough England would make all day. The Marsh brothers made it three consecutive century partnerships for Australia in this innings – Khawaja and Smith had put on 188, Khawaja and Shaun Marsh 101, and by stumps Shaun and Mitchell Marsh had compiled an unbeaten 104.England thought they had Mitchell Marsh late in the day when he was given out lbw off the bowling of Tom Curran, and asked for a review. The third umpire, S Ravi, overturned the decision on the basis of Marsh having nicked the ball, though the Hot Spot and Snicko evidence appeared far from conclusive. At least the ball was shown to be missing the stumps in any case, so Marsh would have been let off even without the supposed edge.Usman Khawaja celebrates his first Ashes century•Getty Images

On 22, Shaun Marsh had been given out caught behind off the part-time offspin of Joe Root, and after consulting with Khawaja, he called for a review. It was hard to work out why Marsh had not reviewed immediately, for the replays showed between bat and ball a gap big enough that Cameron Bancroft could almost have been bowled through it. Marsh went on to register his fifty from 121 balls, and by stumps was eyeing off a sixth Test century.He had come to the crease after the dismissal of Smith in the penultimate over before lunch. Smith appeared destined for his fourth hundred of the series when on 83 he chipped a return catch to Moeen Ali, who was bowling around the wicket. It was Moeen’s fourth wicket of the series, and the first time he had dismissed a right-hander in this campaign. And given Smith’s recent dominance, England could have hoped that wicket turned the tide. One wicket and 205 runs later, it was clearly anything but the case.

Ireland batsman Andy Balbirnie and allrounder Stuart Thompson have been ruled out of the Desert T20 Challenge in the UAE after sustaining injuries while training

Peter Della Penna in Abu Dhabi15-Jan-2017Ireland batsman Andy Balbirnie and allrounder Stuart Thompson have been ruled out of the Desert T20 Challenge in the UAE after sustaining injuries at Ireland’s final training session on the eve of the tournament.Balbirnie suffered a strained glute muscle and will be out of action for one to two weeks, according to Ireland team manager Chris Siddell, while Thompson strained ligaments in his right ankle when he landed awkwardly on the thick boundary rope at Sheikh Zayed Stadium during a catching and six-saving drill. Thompson was seen on crutches wearing a cast after Ireland’s five-wicket loss to Afghanistan on Saturday and is expected to be out of action for at least a month.”It was just devastating for them for the hard work that they’ve put in to recover from their various illnesses and injuries,” Ireland coach John Bracewell after the Afghanistan loss. Balbirnie had been out for most of 2016 after hip surgery – which contributed to the loss of his Middlesex contract – while Thompson was attempting to make his Ireland return in this tournament after taking indefinite leave in June to get treatment for performance anxiety.Stuart Poynter and Lorcan Tucker are the two replacement players who were drafted into the Ireland squad for this tournament in place of Balbirnie and Thompson. Despite arriving at 2 am, about 17 hours before the first ball was bowled, Poynter was slotted in to open the Ireland batting and made 18 off 20 balls.Ireland captain William Porterfield revealed after the match that Thompson had been set to open the batting with Paul Stirling and the team felt inserting Poynter in that vacated slot was the best option to avoid further disrupting their batting plans. Tucker arrived in the country while the match was in progress, leaving Ireland 13 fit players to choose from against Afghanistan but should be available for their next match against Namibia on Tuesday.