It felt like a night to remember for Keaton Jennings and Matt Parkinson, but their exploits with bat and ball counted for nothing as Notts emerged victorious

ECB Reporters Network17-May-2018
ScorecardNottinghamshire, the Royal London Cup holders, reaffirmed their credentials with a thrilling come from behind win over Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford during the opening night of the competition.The Outlaws defended a target of 319 as the Red Rose county slipped from 245 for 3 after 40 overs when it looked like they would secure their record chase.Lancashire’s Keaton Jennings opened with an excellent 136 during a mixed day for him, with them finishing on 309 for 9, losing by nine runs.He also claimed a career best two-wicket haul, but the England hopeful will be frustrated that, despite a third successive century in all forms, he fell in the 47th over to leave the score at 288 for 6. Harry Gurney had him caught at square-leg pulling before Jake Ball struck twice in the next. Left-arm seamer Gurney finished with three for 61.After electing to bat, Outlaws captain Steven Mullaney crunched a whirlwind 70 during the final 20 overs of an innings which started well, stuttered and was revived fiercely on a superb surface.Chris Nash and New Zealand overseas Ross Taylor hit 52 and 58, with the 84 for the fifth wicket in 12.2 overs shared between Taylor and Mullaney sparking a late flood of runs after 128 for one had become 164 for four inside 32 overs.While the last 10 overs yielded 106 runs, Lancashire leg-spinner Matt Parkinson claimed all of his five wickets inside the last seven on the way to career best figures of five for 68 on his Red Rose List A debut. He had Taylor caught at long-off and Mullaney, who faced 54 balls, caught at cover.Captain Liam Livingstone and Dane Vilas then attacked for 33 and 41 respectively, taking all the pressure off left-handed Jennings in the chase.He shared half-century stands with both of them (70 with Livingstone and 63 with Vilas) as the hosts reached the 30-over mark ideally played at 179 for three. The former Durham man reached his fourth career List A off 98 balls with nine fours just under six overs later, becoming the fourth player to score a century on Lancashire List A debut.Jennings added 87 for the fourth wicket with Steven Croft before the score fell to 245 for 4 in the 41st with the departure of the latter to Samit Patel.At that stage, Notts were still behind, but they weren’t for long as new ball pair Gurney and Ball combined to leave the target at 16 off the last, bowled by Ball, with only last pair Arron Lilley and Parkinson to get them.

Sunday presents Scotland with an opportunity to show they are deserving of more fixtures against England, let alone other Full Members

Preview by Peter Della Penna09-Jun-2018

Big Picture

This week begins the start of a historic event, something everyone pouring through the stadium gates only gets to witness once every four years, an occasion the host country’s players and fans pour their heart and soul into because it might be their lone shot at capturing greatness on the world stage for a very long time.No, no, not Russia welcoming the FIFA World Cup. It’s when Scotland hosts England in an ODI. Initially intended to be a biennial affair, with England alternating benevolent visits to Ireland every other year, the Bannockburn bilaterals on Saltire soil have only achieved a completed result twice since the first ODI between the two sides was played north of the wall in 2008.After a no result in the maiden encounter at the Grange, England claimed a seven-wicket win in 2010 defeating their former team-mate Gavin Hamilton who had gone back home to captain his country. After 2012’s scheduled match was called off weeks in advance due to flooding issues at the Grange, the 2014 affair was a rain-marred contest in Aberdeen, with Scotland falling well short in a 20-over chase.Nothing was scheduled in 2016 to follow up their only ever encounter at an ICC tournament when England prevailed once again behind a Moeen Ali century in Christchurch at the 2015 World Cup.For Scotland, Sunday presents an opportunity to show they are deserving of more fixtures against England, let alone other Full Members. They’re also keen to show everyone their form at the World Cup Qualifier was not a one-off. After opening the tournament with a shock win over Afghanistan, they tied with Zimbabwe before running Ireland and West Indies tight in a pair of matches infamous for the lbw decisions given by Paul Wilson that didn’t go their way.The Grange is the scene of Scotland’s famous maiden ODI win over a Full Member almost a year ago to the day when they knocked off Zimbabwe. Coach Grant Bradburn, a man of many mottos including “playing with teeth” and “Kaizen”, has told those around the team this week that they are “hunting history” in their pursuit of a maiden win over England.Scotland’s coaching staff has called on reinforcements for some inspiration to visualize that happening. Former Scotland rugby international Duncan Hodge, who famously denied England the 2000 Grand Slam by singlehandedly outscoring the opposition 19-13 for Scotland’s first victory over England in a decade, has been on hand this week to provide just a little bit more motivation. As Calum MacLeod said “all it takes is one person” to stick their hand up, “to be bold and take that opportunity if it presents itself.”Making that happen will be a tall order. Scotland had enough difficulty taking on the middling limited-overs sides put out by England in years past. The outfit ready to step onto the field in Edinburgh on Sunday arrives with a No. 1 ranking in tow, their brand of one-day cricket unrecognizable to what most fans grew up with.Even without the injured Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes plus the rested Jos Buttler, England boast more than their fair share of established names forming an explosive batting line-up. Jason Roy, Alex Hales, Sam Billings and Moeen Ali all saw time during the IPL this spring though with mixed results and all four will be keen to find form heading into the start of the ODI series against Australia which begins midweek.The anticipation at the Grange has been immense. A quaint club ground hugging the River Leith has done its best Malahide impression, shapeshifting into a sold-out 4600 seat pop-up stadium. The city is hosting a Rolling Stones concert at Murrayfield Stadium on the eve of the cricket match and with Mick Jagger’s penchant for showing up at cricket in offbeat places – whether it be watching USA in the final of 2016 WCL Division Four at Los Angeles or the Ireland men’s maiden Test against Pakistan – locals are prepping for another cricket cameo from rock royalty to add a bit more prestige to the occasion.

Form guide

Scotland LLWTW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
England WLWWL

In the spotlight

Captain Kyle Coetzer is the only player in the Scotland squad who has appeared in every previous ODI encounter against England. After a six-ball duck in 2008, he’s fared quite well, top-scoring with 51 in the loss at the Grange in 2010 and producing another leading effort at the 2015 World Cup in Christchurch – 71 at the top of the order. He’s been in sensational form throughout the last year, and piloted Scotland’s famous win on the same ground last year over Zimbabwe with a sparkling century.Sam Billings will hope to make the most of a rare chance in England’s side•Getty Images

England’s shining star at the top of the order in white-ball cricket has been Jonny Bairstow. He demolished New Zealand in the series decider in Christchurch, in England’s most recent ODI tie-up in March, crunching 104 off 60 balls for his second century in a row to finish as England’s leading scorer with 302 runs.

Team news

No. 3 batsman Michael Jones was called up to Durham on Friday. Brad Wheal, who was sensational with the new ball in Zimbabwe at the World Cup Qualifiers, has been laid low with a back injury, leaving Chris Sole and Stuart Whittingham as options to join Safyaan Sharif in the seam attack. Dylan Budge, who played for Scotland in their Champions Trophy warm-up win over Sri Lanka last year, may get his full international debut ahead of George Munsey after entering the contest in sizzling domestic form.Scotland: (probable): 1 Kyle Coetzer (capt), 2 Matthew Cross (wk), 3 Calum MacLeod, 4 Richie Berrington, 5 Preston Mommsen, 6 Dylan Budge/George Munsey, 7 Michael Leask, 8 Safyaan Sharif, 9 Mark Watt, 10 Alasdair Evans, 11 Stuart WhittinghamChris Woakes was ruled out of this contest earlier in the week with Tom Curran called up as cover. Morgan revealed in the pre-match press conference that Alex Hales has been pencilled into the XI as Jos Buttler sits out ahead of the Australia series.England (probable): 1 Jonny Bairstow, 2 Jason Roy, 3 Alex Hales, 4 Joe Root, 5 Eoin Morgan (capt), 6 Sam Billings (wk), 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Adil Rashid, 9 David Willey/Tom Curran, 10 Liam Plunkett, 11 Mark Wood

Pitch and conditions

The Grange pitch is a belter, where 300-325 is par on a normal day. But with the boundaries brought in at the Pavilion End to make room for Sky Sports TV scaffolding and wiring, 350 or more would not be farfetched for Sunday.Saturday’s training session stayed dry until just after England departed; then, showers started to fall. However the ground is expected to remain mostly dry for game day; early morning rain is forecast but a clear afternoon with temperatures hovering around a mild 20C.

Stats and trivia

• Despite being neighbours, eight Full Members played an ODI against Scotland – beginning with their maiden fixture against Australia at the 1999 World Cup – before England finally faced them for the first time in 2008. Only Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe took longer. England’s fifth ODI against Scotland on Sunday ties Australia for most number of ODIs played by a Full Member against Scotland.
• Coetzer, who will be playing his 50th ODI on Sunday, needs 89 runs to become the first Scotland player to reach 2000 runs in ODIs. Only Calum MacLeod, Richie Berrington and Majid Haq have played more ODIs for Scotland.
• Eoin Morgan needs 130 runs to pass Ian Bell as England’s all-time leading scorer in ODIs. Morgan currently has 5287 in 177 matches to Bell’s 5416 in 161.

Quotes

“Every occasion like tomorrow’s game is going to be a special occasion. It’s going to be one in which we always feel as if we have to put on a good show.”
“It should be a really good game. We watched them play in the qualifying tournament for the 50-over World Cup, which was an extremely competitive tournament. I don’t think there was a lot between the teams.”

Yuzvendra Chahal is also in contention, according to the India captain, after watching how England have struggled against the two wristpinners

Nagraj Gollapudi13-Jul-2018India’s wristspinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal could both find a place in the Test squad, according to Virat Kohli, following their success in the limited-overs games against England. India are set to pick their team for the five-Test series in England in the next few days.”There might be a few surprises in there,” Kohli told Sky Sports after India won the first ODI at Trent Bridge, when asked by Mike Atherton whether Kuldeep had done enough to play the Tests. “Anything is possible because we still have a few days to pick the Test side. Yeah, look, he is making a strong case for himself. So is Chahal. Both of them together are pretty lethal for us. Looking at the English batsmen struggling against them we might be tempted to do that.”Kuldeep’s case is particularly compelling, having taken a five-for in the T20I series and a six-for in the first ODI, on his maiden tour of England. He has played two Tests so far and taken nine wickets at an average of 20.77. Chahal has only featured in limited-overs cricket for India and has played 27 first-class matches for Haryana. He has 70 wickets at an average of 33.90 with two five-fors.The fingerspinners R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have been India’s regular spinners in Test cricket in recent years, but they have lost their place in the limited-overs teams and now face a challenge from the two wristspinners. Although the BCCI has not revealed a date for the Test selection, it is understood the squad will be picked in the next few days. MSK Prasad, the chief selector, joined the Indian squad in Nottingham this week and it’s likely the Indian think-tank will consult the India A coach Rahul Dravid before the squad is announced. Dravid is currently with India A, who are playing West Indies A in the UK.India have so far lost just one match on this tour, which began with two T20Is in Ireland. Before leaving India, Kohli had said his wristspinners would be his primary weapon, especially in the middle overs of ODIs.”When given more overs and more time they become even more lethal when guys are not going hard against them for 4 overs,” Kohli had said. “When they have 10 overs and they have something to play with to come back into the game, they know they have the skill to make an impact.”Kohli summed up the victory in Nottingham as “clinical” and gave credit to Kuldeep, whose 6 for 25 were the best figures for a left-arm wristspinner in ODIs. “Tonight Kuldeep was outstanding. To give away 25 runs on that sort of a pitch and picking up 6 wickets in the first innings with two hard balls was an outstanding spell,” Kohli said. “I don’t think I have seen a better ODI spell for a while.”But why had Kuldeep been dropped for the Bristol T20I? Kohli said that was a “tactical” decision keeping in mind the breeze blowing towards the shorter boundary. “We want him confident because we know he can be a matchwinner. And T20 cricket is such a short game that anyone can make an impact and win you games, but when it comes to longer games we need players who can really make an impact, because in 50-overs cricket if you don’t get wickets in the middle overs it is going to be really difficult.”Kuldeep and Chahal had already proved their worth in South Africa, where India won the ODI series 5-1 – 28 of the 33 wickets they had taken there had come in the middle overs. So far in England, Kuldeep has 18 wickets from 24.3 overs at an economy rate of 4.89 and an average of 6.66. Chahal has got 8 wickets from 30 overs at an economy rate of 6.73 and an average of 25.25.There is also a stark difference in the impact Kuldeep has made in the middle overs against England, who have played Chahal more confidently. Kuldeep has given just 59 runs off 69 balls at an economy rate of 5.13, while Chahal has gone for 132 runs off 198 balls at an economy rate of 7.33.”These two remain a strength for us in the middle overs,” Kohli said. “We got to make sure we keep them strong, keep them confident and put in these kind of performances regularly. These two guys since they have come into the team they have been the difference for us. They remain a huge weapon for us.”

The Middlesex seamer broke down early in the season after returning to action following the injury which ruled him out of the Ashes

Andrew McGlashan02-Aug-2018Toby Roland-Jones has refused to feel sorry for himself despite being ruled out for the majority of this season with a recurrence of the back stress fracture which scuppered his hopes of being on the Ashes tour last year.Two matches into the County Championship season, Roland-Jones felt pain in his back against Derbyshire and subsequent scans showed an eight millimetre fracture (compared to the six millimetre one he picked up at the end of the 2017 season) and he has since embarked on a lengthy rehabilitation programme.Currently he remains in the recovery stage with no fixed timescale on a potential return, but he has been adamant not to dwell on the difficult times which have caused his Test career to be stalled after four highly promising outings. In his maiden home summer in 2017, he claimed 17 wickets against South Africa and West Indies, including a five-wicket haul on debut at The Oval.”The mental side that’s toughest is not being able to play, firstly for Middlesex and then not having the chance to regain an England place,” Roland-Jones told ESPNcricinfo while part of the Match Day coverage of the first England-India Test at Edgbaston. “It’s always important to find a positive side to any scenario, even if you feel like the unlikeliest fella in the world or everything is going your way, you always have to try and stay level.”That was my approach when things were going great after a Test match so at the same time, when things are tougher and there are more negative notes, you have to try and bring yourself up.”Roland-Jones’ initial return following last year’s injury came on the England Lions tour of West Indies where he played a warm-up match and two four-day games. Given the spin-friendly conditions, his workload was not excessive and he then started the domestic season with Middlesex before breaking down.”I don’t harbour any regrets, it’s so difficult with stress fractures to know where they are at or how hard to push them,” he said. “I’ve always been someone who would rather attack the game rather than fear my body. I didn’t want to sit back then wonder if I could have played. I felt fine at the time, I don’t know whether it was too soon … it’s hard to know, it would be wrong to regret. I was trying to play for England again.”Despite the repetitive nature of the injuries, Roland-Jones does not believe he will need to make changes to his action when he does return to the field.”Everyone is always looking to make technical tweaks to be at their best, but I’ve bowled for a long time without having any injuries of note so I don’t think it comes down to my action not being able to hold up to certain things. That’s something that can maybe be discussed further down the line, but it’s not been fed back to me that there’s an isolated problem.”It’s unclear as yet when we’ll look to bowl but physically I’m making some good strides. Hopefully it will put me in a good place to come back stronger and fitter than ever, and stand up to the physical strains of bowling again.”

Two late wickets left Yorkshire facing a mountain to climb to take anything from the match

David Hopps31-Aug-2018
ScorecardThe suspicion is growing that the Championship season is turning sour for Yorkshire and it will take a redoubtable display on the final day at Headingley to challenge the notion. Somerset, playing with a verve that identifies them as Championship contenders, have set them 418 – a victory target they have never achieved – and Lewis Gregory who can currently do no wrong, has already accounted for the openers Harry Brook and Adam Lyth in an eight-over foray before the close.Brook was bowled cheaply by Gregory for the second time in the match – his promotion to opener, at 19, has not brought immediate rewards – and Lyth was caught at the wicket playing defensively in an uplifting finale for Somerset as they attempt to keep Surrey within binocular range.As for Yorkshire, Lancashire’s win at Southport has left then in the bottom two for the moment (that much is clear, although as usual every table is different while the matches are in progress and frankly life’s too short). Next week they go to Trent Bridge to face a Nottinghamshire side expected to give a debut to Ben Duckett, a batsman Yorkshire had also harboured hopes of signing. Such little coincidences don’t always turn out well.Somerset’s declaration at 338 for 7 centred upon a first Championship hundred of the season for Tom Abell, who played with poise throughout, and increasingly with dash for 132 not out from 168 balls, in an innings that culminated in 150 runs in 20.1 overs after tea.Abell’s modesty shines through. His growing confidence means he can reflect back on his struggles last season without embarrassment. His average is top side of 40 this season but it is centuries that really put bristles on your cheeks. “I’m quite happy with my season,” he said. “I’ve been contributing in places, but scoring hundreds for Somerset is what I wanted to do as a kid.”Yorkshire’s attack was flayed as Somerset rushed towards the declaration despite the unexpected presence of Matt Fisher, who had been suggested as unlikely to bowl in the second innings because of the recurrence of a toe injury that needed stitches during an England Lions series a month ago.For Fisher, far from fit, to bowl more overs than the fourth seamer, Josh Shaw, questioned the selection of Shaw ahead of either of Yorkshire’s two new signings, seamer Mathew Pillans and legspinner Josh Poysden. Pillans has a sound first-class record, despite limited opportunities at Surrey, and, as far as spin is concerned, it would be a surprise if Jack Leach did not find purchase on the final day.Abell has had a productive time against the Pennines counties this season, taking 82 off Yorkshire earlier this season, making 99 at Old Trafford when he became becalmed in sight of his goal before being pinned in front by Joe Mennie and now a fourth first-class hundred, only three short of his career-best.There were many good things for Abell to reflect upon, but he might be best advised to remain silent about the two fives he took off David Willey courtesy of overthrows as Yorkshire’s fielding deteriorated under pressure in the afternoon. Willey, who removed both Somerset openers, was the most disciplined of Yorkshire’s attack, but many more overthrows off his bowling and he could make Medusa just resemble an innocent young thing with a jazzy hairstyle.Gregory, who shared a stand of 93 in 13 overs, has had an extraordinary week where just about every delivery has felt like a ball he can hit for four. The dynamism that began with his 60 from 24 balls against Nottinghamshire in the Vitality Blast quarter-final at Taunton on Monday has spilled into his Championship season.Gregory came to Headingley with a grim Championship average around 15 but form can cross formats. Against Yorkshire, in two post-tea sessions, he has punished the old ball so successfully that 122 runs have come from 87 balls, vital in keeping enough time in the game for their rewarding third-evening declaration.He began with a stunning on drive against Jack Brooks, pulled Fisher with such certainty that he might have played the shot in slow motion and reached his fifty with a six over point. He fell at deep mid-on, another uninhibited blow against Willey. “I’ve not been in the game very long but never seen anyone striking it as well and as consistently as he is,” said Abell. Nice enthusiasm from a captain who knows that the history of the game is not written in a week.Abell’s partner for most of the afternoon had been James Hildreth in a fourth-wicket stand of 135 which recovered Somerset from 29 for 3, a tottering start to their second innings which threatened to destabilise their first-innings lead of 79. Hildreth, who posted 81 first time around, fell for 72, dabbing at a nondescript delivery from the fill-in offspinner Lyth.Earlier, Somerset’s Scotland seamer, Josh Davey, returned a career-best five wickets, but there was no farewell hundred (if indeed it is a farewell) for Andrew Hodd, who added only a single to his overnight 84. Presumably he is saving that for the final day?

Victoria finished higher than New South Wales on the table by a net run rate difference of 0.02 and thus progressed to face Western Australia

Alex Malcolm04-Oct-2018Victoria have progressed to the semi-finals of the JLT Cup after persistent rain in Sydney washed out the qualifying final against New South Wales at Drummoyne Oval.Victoria finished higher than New South Wales on the table by a net run rate difference of 0.02 and thus progress to face Western Australia in Sunday’s semi-final at the Junction Oval in Melbourne.Experienced Victorian batsman Cameron White faces a race to be fit for the semi-final after suffering a low-grade groin strain that would have kept him out of the clash with the Blues had rain not ruined proceedings.The wash-out has also delayed the return of Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood from a back injury. Hazlewood played one game in New South Wales Premier cricket for his grade club St George a fortnight ago where he bowled eight overs in a 50-over match. He was held out of Monday’s JLT Cup clash against Queensland with the aim of playing in the qualifying final against Victoria.New South Wales do not play again until the four-day Sheffield Shield competition begins on October 16.

Welsh legend pays price for county’s flat-lining performances on all fronts

George Dobell17-Oct-2018Hugh Morris has described as “incredibly difficult” the decision to end Robert Croft’s 30-year career with Glamorgan.Morris, the club’s chief executive, acknowledged Croft’s “incredible contribution” to Glamorgan but conceded that, after a grim year, this was “the right time for a change”.Croft had been head coach at Glamorgan for the last three years. Despite seeing the side reach Finals Day in 2017 – the first time they had done so in 13 years – Croft was unable to improve their first-class form. They finished bottom of Division Two in the County Championship in 2018, won only one List A match, and failed to progress to the last eight in the T20 Blast. The departure of 21-year-old Aneurin Donald, one of the club’s brightest prospects, to Hampshire underlined the impression that, too often in the last few years, the club had relied too heavily on imports.Before his spell as head coach, Croft had enjoyed a long career with the club – he made his debut in 1989 and captained the side between 2003 and 2006 – and had a period as assistant coach. His departure leaves the club looking for both a new head coach and director of cricket following last week’s announcement which revealed Morris, who has had a dual role as chief executive and director of cricket since 2013, would be concentrating on the former position. It is likely the new director of cricket will be involved in the appointment of the next head coach.”On behalf of the club I would like to thank Robert for the incredible contribution he has made to Glamorgan, not just as head coach but also as a player, assistant coach and ambassador over the last 30 years,” Morris said.”He is one of our greatest players and the most successful player we have ever had at the club at international level and has done more than anyone to promote not just cricket in Wales, but Welsh cricket to the world.”During his tenure, he has developed a number of young players which Glamorgan will hopefully see the benefit of for years to come. He also oversaw the club reaching the quarter-finals of the Vitality Blast in two of his three years in charge, which culminated in our return to Finals Day last year.”It was an incredibly difficult decision for the board to make, but given our performances in the County Championship we feel it is the right time for a change. Robert is always welcome back at the club and we hope he will continue to act as an ambassador for Glamorgan and Welsh cricket.””After finishing my playing career it was one of my dreams to coach at this great club and I am pleased to have been able to fulfil that dream and play a part in developing the next generation of Welsh cricketers,” Croft said. “I leave knowing that Glamorgan has a number of extremely talented cricketers who can take the club forward.”Although our County Championship campaigns did not go as I would have liked, we were able to compete admirably in the shorter formats of the game with a small and young squad of players.”Glamorgan will always hold a big piece of my heart and I would like to wish the club and supporters well for the future.”Since they were relegated at the end of the 2005 season, Glamorgan have only finished in the top half of Division Two twice. In that period, they have failed to produce an England player. At one stage in 2018, they lost seven Championship games in succession.

Measures taken as ECB look to tighten belts across game amid rising costs of the Hundred

George Dobell22-Nov-2018England’s World Cup-winning cricketers go into their crucial World T20 semi-final against India tonight with further uncertainty hanging over the women’s game, after the ECB confirmed that cuts are envisaged to the Kia Super League budget, as part of a wider effort to cut costs across the game.The tournament’s future had already been shrouded in doubt amid the ECB’s plans for a new-team competition from 2020 onwards, potentially encompassing both men’s and women’s squads.But with the ECB’s reserves dropping sharply – their latest set of accounts showed they had plummeted from £73.1m in 2016 to £8.6m in 2018 – and the costs of setting up The Hundred rising sharply – from £13m to over £40m – belts are being tightened across the game.An ECB spokesman insisted there would be no reduction in the number of teams, matches or salaries paid to players in the KSL. He also insisted there would be no dilution of the match-day experience for spectators. Instead he said “efficiency savings” had been identified around match-day costs and flights for overseas players.It is understood that the proposed cuts are in the region of 12-20 percent, and that several of the counties are advising the ECB to rethink the decision, given that the tournament has been instrumental – since its inception in 2016 – in bridging the gap between domestic and international women’s cricket.The arrival of major overseas stars, such as India’s Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur, Australia’s Ellyse Perry and West Indies’ Hayley Matthews, have helped to raise the overall standards of the tournament, with the result that England’s head coach, Mark Robinson, has leaned heavily on performances in the KSL to keep up the pressure for places in England’s international teams.Not only did Robinson select three uncapped players for his World T20 squad – Kirstie Gordon, Sophia Dunkley and Linsey Smith – on the strength of their performances in last summer’s competition, he also trusted each of them to make their England debuts in their opening match of the tournament against Bangladesh in St Lucia last week.The trio have all made telling contributions in England’s progression to the semi-finals, and speaking before their departure for the Caribbean, each of them was effusive in praising the tournament, not least for the opportunity to take part in televised matches outside of the international arena.”When you first start out in the KSL on TV, you don’t know what to expect so things can put you off, but the more you get used to it, it more it doesn’t faze you,” said Dunkley. “It’s pretty good practice for when you step up to international level, it’s one thing that won’t put you off your mark.”Gordon, who had to give up her burgeoning career with Scotland in order to play for Loughborough Lightning – a gamble that has now handsomely paid off – pointed to the steady increase in crowds as proof of the tournament’s appeal.”For the first few years in the KSL, there were crowds but they weren’t that big, but in the last couple it’s kicked on, and at the last Finals Day, there were 4-5000 tickets sold out at Sussex.”It’s massive for the women’s game to have a full crowd on television, and trying to inspire the next generation of girls growing up, knowing they can play cricket.”

After their bowlers limited Thunder to 135, Stars’ top-order polished the chase off in 17.2 overs

The Report by Akshay Gopalakrishnan05-Jan-2019Melbourne Stars’ bowlers settled into the ideal pace on a slow Carrara Oval surface to stifle Sydney Thunder and rise to second on the BBL table.Having struck twice inside the Powerplay, the Stars continued to chip away at the Thunder order. Only during a 25-ball 42 from their No. 6 Daniel Sams did the Thunder innings gain a measure of steam. It was enough to lift them to 135 after they had ambled along at around a run a ball for much of the innings.Getty Images

It wasn’t enough to challenge the Stars top order, however. They hardly broke a sweat, knocking down the requisite runs in 17.2 overs to win by eight wickets. Marcus Stoinis blazed away to launch the chase with a 22-ball 34. The foundation was so strong that even the usually belligerent Glenn Maxwell played a muted knock, striking just a four and two sixes in his unbeaten 41, and putting on an unbroken 80 for the third wicket with Nick Larkin to see the Stars home.The defeat has displaced Thunder from the top half of the table. They are now fourth, with six points from as many matches.Choking ’em outAs he did in their previous game, Shane Watson, the Thunder captain, opted against chasing, with the possibility of the surface slowing down as the game wore on. As he did in the previous game, Watson fell early, well inside the Powerplay. But unlike in the previous game, nobody from Thunder’s top order rode the early storm.Jos Buttler, the season’s highest run-getter, was the first to fall, his start cut short when Boland found his leading edge, which was held at point. Calum Ferguson followed next ball, when he threw his hands at an expansive punch and sliced a catch to backward point.The common element in the two balls was that both had been delivered slower. That became the primary ingredient for success on this surface. Joe Root fended softly at the hat-trick ball, which cut away off the seam and found the edge of his bat, but didn’t carry to the keeper. With Thunder 28 for 2, the pressure was on.The pushbackWhile the slower ball was effective, it came with an obvious rider. As a bowler, there was always the risk of overdoing it. Having picked up 2 for 8 in his first two overs, Boland was welcomed into his third with a cut past third man, who misfielded, for four from Root. Very quickly, it prompted Boland to drag the pace back. But Root had already sussed out a template.After negotiating a slower ball and a regular length ball, Root was waiting right back in his crease when Boland dropped his pace, and length, off the fifth ball of the over. He pulled it over midwicket. When Boland repeated the drill next ball, Root played even later, pulling him behind square to give Thunder 12 runs to close out the Powerplay.On a pitch where balls routinely stopped on the batsmen and finding the right timing was difficult, Root had managed a control percentage of 85 when he jabbed a length ball from Stoinis off the inside of his bat to midwicket. However, the best of the fightback was yet to come.Liam Plunkett hadn’t played a T20 since October last year. In fact, barring two T10 matches in the UAE in late November, he hadn’t played any cricket at all. Considering that, he had done well to give away just eight runs from his first two overs. Sams, however, would go on to ruin his figures.Sams pulled a slower short ball from Plunkett for six over backward square off the second ball of the 15th over, and sliced the next for as many over backward point. He then picked a slower ball from Stoinis and sent a towering hit soaring over deep square leg. In between all the big hits, he turned the strike over regularly. It meant that between overs 15 and 17, Thunder collected 35 runs.It was the only spell of substantial acceleration, as after another six off Stoinis, the bowler had the last laugh by having Sams caught at deep point, and Thunder slipped back into their shell. In the end, that made a telling difference.No slow, no goUnlike the Stars bowlers, Thunder’s didn’t bring out their variations and slow it up. Instead, they opted to fire it in at pace. On this surface, with its lack of bite and carry, they were setting themselves up for failure.A rush of boundaries – four of them in the first 14 balls of the innings – warned Thunder that a change in strategy might be called for. And then Ben Dunk drove a full ball from Sams into the hands of Root diving forward at short cover.Thunder’s bowlers continued to go full tilt. Even Jonathan Cook, the legspinner, hit speeds upwards of 90kph. He was taken apart for a hat-trick of fours in the sixth over, which went for 15 runs, and the Stars had raced to 53 for 1 at nearly nine an over.Stars didn’t look back. When Stoinis was taken out by Fawad Ahmed, slicing a catch to backward point, Stars needed 79 from 78 balls. Maxwell and Larkin collected 67.5 percent of those runs in ones and twos. In all, their partnership contained just two fours and three sixes, the last of which, from Maxwell, gave Stars the winning runs.

Senior batsman returns after two-year absence to add experience to batting following Bangladesh loss

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Jan-2019Darren Bravo is set to play his first Test in more than two years, after being named in West Indies’ squad for the first Test against England in Barbados next week.Bravo, who hasn’t played Test cricket since the tour of the UAE in October 2016, was recalled to the West Indies one-day squad late last year following talks between Cricket West Indies and a handful of its estranged high-profile players.With 3400 runs at 40.00 in 49 Test appearances, Bravo’s return adds a welcome layer of experience to a West Indies’ batting line-up that struggled on their recent tour of Bangladesh, losing the series 2-0 including an innings defeat in the second Test in Dhaka.He could be joined by two debutants in West Indies’ batting ranks, following the inclusions of John Campbell, a 26-year-old left-handed opener from Jamaica, and Shamarh Brooks, a 30-year-old Bajan who captained the West Indies Under-19 team at the 2008 World Cup.Alzarri Joseph, the Antiguan quick, could be set to play in his first Test since the tour of England in 2017 after earning a recall to the squad, although his fellow fast bowler Oshane Thomas has been named as cover as Joseph continues his comeback from a stress fracture of the back.”After a difficult Test Series in Bangladesh late last year the opportunity presents itself for our team to pick itself up,” said Courtney Brown, West Indies’ chairman of selectors. “Although a tough series against England is anticipated, home turf has always been a place where our team has made strides.”That assertion is borne out by West Indies’ recent home record against England. After surrendering the Wisden Trophy for the first time in 36 years in 2004, they have not lost a series to England on home soil since. In 2009, they won 1-0 after bowling the visitors out for 51 in Jamaica, and then secured a 1-1 draw with victory in the third Test in Barbados in 2015.”With the return of Darren Bravo, who will add value to a batting department, we expect to see marked improvement,” added Browne. “Young, exciting, fast bowler Alzarri Joseph, who was sidelined by injury, returns to the squad and Shamarh Brooks has been elevated for his solid first-class performances over the last three years.”John Campbell the incumbent ‘A’ team opener, who has played first-class cricket for a number of years, will open the batting after a good first-class season in 2018. The panel takes this opportunity to wish captain Jason Holder and his team all the best in the upcoming series.”CEO Johnny Grave added: “The Wisden Trophy has got incredible history and the West Indies have got a proud record to defend. England have only won one Test Series on West Indies soil in 50 years. We hope that our fans will once again become the team’s twelfth man and rally to create the noise and colour that gives the squad the support they deserve and register a win in what will be a great battle.”West Indies squad Jason Holder (capt), Kraigg Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, John Campbell, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph
Kemar Roach, Jomel Warrican, Oshane Thomas (cover for Joseph)