A strong Australian contingent will head to the IPL with plenty to play for ahead of the T20 World Cup

Andrew McGlashan18-Mar-20245:25

Green? Williamson? Rabada? Who makes the cut?

T20 World Cup push for Cameron Green, Spencer Johnson

Twelve or perhaps 13 of Australia’s T20 World Cup squad are locked in. But national selector George Bailey has gone on record saying that IPL performances will be factored into the final decision-making of the spots up for grabs.Cameron Green and Spencer Johnson are at the top of the list with most to gain over the next few weeks. Green was deliberately allowed to focus on red-ball cricket ahead of the New Zealand Test series rather than playing the T20Is and the result was compelling with his 174 not out in Wellington. Part of the selectors’ thinking was they knew he would have a full IPL to work on his T20 game.Related

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“It’s a constant conversation with multi-format players, working out the priority at any given time, and making sure they get what they need but he’s certainly one whose name I think, as we are finalising that 15 for the World Cup, will be firmly in the mix,” Bailey said.If Green hits his straps for Royal Challengers Bangalore (providing he can make the XI), having been traded from Mumbai Indians, his all-round skillset will make him a compelling option. The question could be whether he covers more bases than Steven Smith.Cameron Green has been traded from Mumbai Indians to RCB•BCCI

Meanwhile, Johnson currently sits behind Nathan Ellis in the pace pecking order should Australia take just the four specialist quicks. However, Johnson is doing all he can to force the selectors’ hands having had an impressive BBL before bowling with pace and hostility against West Indies and, briefly, New Zealand. If he lives up to his AU$1.78 million price tag with Gujarat Titans he could be a compelling option.”It’s going to be tight for those last few spots, I don’t envy George’s [Bailey] position,” Matthew Wade said after the recent series against New Zealand. “I wouldn’t want to be picking the 15, there’s going to be a couple of unlucky players. But…there’s always injury around. Guys that are outside the 15 may get opportunities as well so we’re happy we’ve got so much depth.”

The return of Mitchell Starc

It’s been a long time between IPL outings for Mitchell Starc. Through a combination of injury and prioritising Test cricket, his last appearance came in 2015 where he was part of an RCB side with a top three of Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers. Starc’s overall IPL record reads 34 wickets at 20.38 with an economy of 7.16 and in the 2015 season, he claimed 20 at 14.55 with an economy of just 6.76.This time Starc will be with Kolkata Knight Riders and returns to the competition having smashed the record for the highest price with an eye-watering AUD$4.43 million at the auction, shortly after team-mate Pat Cummins had set a new record himself.”No doubt there’ll be some pressure that comes with the territory, but having the extra experience I have from my last IPL hopefully helps,” Starc said shortly after the paddle came down.Given Australia’s focus on Tests and ODIs over the last 18 months, Starc’s recent two outings in the T20I series against New Zealand were his first in the format since the 2022 T20 World Cup.”There’s a T20 World Cup, it’s a nice lead-in to that with the IPL and the quality of cricket that tournament presents. In terms of the [Australia] schedule, it’s much more quiet,” he said after getting his IPL deal. “Instead of bowling in the nets in April and May – generally there’s no batter there – so it’s much more interesting to go and play in an IPL and test myself against the best.”0:45

New SRH captain Cummins banking on inputs from Head, Vettori

Weary bodies and minds

The schedule might be quieter internationally for Australia this winter, but the IPL is yet more cricket for some players who have had a packed couple of years. While there is a considerable gap after the T20 World Cup in June, there will be some fingers crossed that key names aren’t burnt out before that tournament finishes.Travis Head, who will appear for Sunrisers Hyderabad, is a player that comes to mind. After the highs of the ODI World Cup, where he raced against time to enter midway through due to his broken hand, his form tailed off significantly during the home summer with his century in Adelaide the only major contribution. He was given a break during the white-ball matches against West Indies but struggled in the Tests against New Zealand. He is pencilled in to have a key role at the top of the order in the T20 World Cup.”There’s a lot of stresses,” Australia coach Andrew McDonald said after the New Zealand Test series. “He was coming off a significant injury through that World Cup, and it takes a lot out of you mentally and physically. There’s no doubt we can learn some lessons on the back of Trav’s entry into all three formats and how to give him a bit of rest in the Australian summer.”Justin Langer returns to coaching in the IPL with Lucknow•CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images

Justin Langer’s coaching comeback

Another interesting Australian angle at this year’s IPL is the return of Justin Langer to the coaching scene for the first time since his acrimonious exit from the national team. He will take charge of Lucknow Super Giants having replaced Andy Flower in the role.Langer will have a strong Western Australia flavour around him with Marcus Stoinis retained and WA and Perth Scorchers batter Ashton Turner picked up at the auction. However, Turner is coming off knee surgery that curtailed his domestic season. He has also brought WA and Perth Scorchers coach Adam Voges on as an assistant.Langer had outstanding success with Scorchers in the BBL and was in charge of Australia when they won the 2021 T20 World Cup. But it will be fascinating to see how he deals with the pressures of the IPL, particularly if LSG don’t make a good start.

All the Australia players at the IPL

Cameron Green (RCB), Glenn Maxwell (RCB), Mitchell Starc (KKR), Nathan Ellis (PK), Mitchell Marsh (DC), David Warner (DC), Jake Fraser-McGurk (DC), Jhye Richardson (DC), Adam Zampa (RR), Tim David (MI), Pat Cummins (SRH), Travis Head (SRH), Marcus Stoinis (LSG), Ashton Turner (LSG), Spencer Johnson (GT), Matthew Wade (GT)*The story was amended after Jason Behrendorff’s withdrawal

Young batter one of four to reach fifty as Lancashire struggle for penetration

ECB Reporters Network12-Apr-2024Tom Prest suggested 2024 will be his breakthrough season by scoring an impeccable 85 as Hampshire edged day one of their Vitality County Championship clash with Lancashire.Former England under-19 captain Prest hinted at his first-class talents with his maiden ton towards the end of last season and opened his account this year with a high-quality knock.He was one of four half-century makers for the hosts – with Nick Gubbins, James Vince and Liam Dawson also reaching the milestone as Hampshire totted up 305 for six in front of their highest first-day-of-the-season crowd from over a decade.Nathan Lyon picked up his first two wickets for Lancashire during a mammoth 32-over day which yielded two for 97.Skipper Vince won the toss and chose to bat first, giving debutant Ali Orr an immediate chance to impress the Hampshire supporters after his winter move from Sussex.His collaboration with new opening partner Fletcha Middleton may need some work after the latter was run out in the ninth over by a George Balderson direct hit after a miscommunication.Orr departed four overs later when Tom Bailey cut him in two with a wicked in-jagger to be caught behind, but from there, Hampshire found more fluency and built partnerships in overcast conditions.Vince had come off a winter of seemingly endless white-ball cricket, taking him from Abu Dhabi to Australia, Dubai to Pakistan.He ended last season’s Championship campaign – one where he become Hampshire’s first batter to 1,000 first-class runs since 2016 – with 56 and began the new campaign in identical fettle.It was a look down and you missed it half-century, coming up in 62 balls but with hardly a shot in anger. It included a cover drive but otherwise kept the ball on a string to ease his side from danger in an 84-run stand with Gubbins, taking the score away from the worrying 26 for two.Gubbins, who had scored twin centuries on Lancashire’s previous trip to Utilita Bowl, unfurled his typically aesthetic yet steady knock to provide the foil for Vince before helping Prest lay the foundations for his innings.Australian spinner Lyon had been due to play for Hampshire in 2020 before Covid prevented him from arriving. His maiden first-class outing on what would have been his home ground saw him strike in his seventh over as Vince tamely turned to leg-slip.Lyon was given the lone front-line spinner furrow, with England left-armer Tom Hartley left out having played in the rain-affected draw against Surrey. The 36-year-old also lured Gubbins into a drive to edge behind three balls after reaching a 112-run 50 but the most intriguing passage of the day was Lyon’s battle with 21-year-old Prest.It began with a sharp chance at short-leg, which was followed by a maiden over where every ball landed on the same spot, before Prest replied with a pair of reverse sweeps. The battle would conclude with 33 runs and 34 dots in 51 balls – including the day’s only maximum on the slog sweep.Prest is one to watch this season after his maiden century in the penultimate fixture of last season, where he took down Simon Harmer in style.His 76-ball fifty oozed quality and underlined his tag but fell short of a century when he gloved a sweep to slip, three balls after Lyon had dropped a difficult chance on the dive. It ended a 93-run alliance with Dawson.Ben Brown fell soon after when Will Williams secured an edge to third slip with the second new ball but Dawson made it a quartet of fifty-makers with an unbeaten 61 – although was dropped on 51 before the close.

Mohammedan bundled Gazi for 40, edged past Sheikh Jamal but were no match for Abahani

Mohammad Isam06-Apr-2024

Key takeaways</h2Abahani Limited romped to nine successive victories in the Dhaka Premier League after trouncing old rivals Mohammedan Sporting Club and Legends of Rupganj to top the points table after week three. Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club and Mohammedan remain second with seven wins each, while Gazi Tyres Cricket Academy suffered two massive losses.Bowling dominated play this week as only two teams crossed the 250-run mark while there were 12 hauls of four wickets or more. Left-arm quick Abu Hider took 7 for 20 – the second best List-A figures in Bangladesh history – to bundle Gazi Tyres for 40 in 12 overs. Mohammedan chased the total down in 6.2 overs with nine wickets to spare.

Best batters – Anamul tons up, Mohobbot shines on debut

Parvez Hossain Emon remained the top run-getter despite three low scores. Meanwhile, his Prime Bank team-mate Tamim Iqbal breached the 400-run mark this week. Sheikh Jamal’s Saif Hassan, Abahani’s Anamul Haque and Brothers Union’s Abdul Mazid struck hundreds.Anamul struck his 15th List A century, an unbeaten 107, with seven fours and four sixes, spanning 118 balls, to help Abhani beat Gazi Group Cricketers by seven wickets. Gazi Tyres’ opener Mohobbot Hossen Roman struck 63 off 47 balls on List A debut against Rupganj Tigers at a strike rate of 134.04.

Best bowlers – left-arm pacers rule

Left-arm quicks Hider, Maruf Mridha and Ruyel Miah are now the top three wicket-takers in the DPL. Hider overtook Maruf with his seven-wicket haul to climb to the top of the tally, while Ruyel’s second five-wicket haul, against Gazi Tyres, earned him a spot among the top three.

Best match – Saif’s resilience can’t take Sheikh Jamal over the line

Before a defeat against arch-rivals Abahani and a big win against Gazi Tyres, Mohammedan started the week by beating Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club by five runs in Fatullah.Defending 200 runs, Mohammedan’s bowlers didn’t allow Sheikh Jamal to settle. Saif kept them going with a half-century but retired hurt after 33 overs – 60* at the time – due to cramps. He returned in the 44th over and remained 84* off 120 balls but couldn’t finish the job. Kamrul Islam Rabbi was the bowler who kept him down and successfully defended 14 runs in the last over.

Points to ponder

There’s no stopping Abahani who crushed Mohammedan with 90 balls to spare. If they win the last two games of the first phase, it will be tough for the rest of the Super League teams to topple them.City Club finally won a game but there was no such luck for Rupganj Tigers who remain winless in eight games. After winning two games last week, Gazi Tyres got hammered this week: 84 all out against Gazi Group Cricketers and 40 all out against Mohammedan. The latter is the second lowest List-A total in Bangladesh.

Players to watch – Saif Hassan

Saif’s all-round skills came to the fore this week. He made 115 and took 2 for 44 against Prime Bank, apart from his three-wicket haul against Legends of Rupganj, both in winning causes. Mahidul Islam Ankon is the only uncapped player among the top run-getters in this year’s DPL. The Mohammedan wicketkeeper-batter has struck six fifties in nine outings so far, and looks primed for some time in the Bangladesh A side in the coming months.

Lawrence, Burns, Smith, Clark half-centuries extend lead past 400 at The Oval

ECB Reporters Network18-May-2024Leaders Surrey are in a strong position to claim their fourth win of the season in the Vitality County Championship after dominating the second day against Worcestershire at the Kia Oval.Dan Worrall wrapped up Worcestershire’s first innings by claiming the last three wickets in five balls to finish with 6 for 22 as Surrey took a lead of 85.Skipper Rory Burns laid the foundations with 70 at the start of Surrey’s second innings and although Worcestershire fought back after lunch with four wickets in eight overs, Jamie Smith and Dan Lawrence, who was dropped on four, reasserted Surrey’s control with a fifth-wicket stand of 115 in 29 overs.Smith made 72 before Lawrence and Jordan Clark added further punishment with an unbroken sixth-wicket alliance of 108 as Surrey closed on 342 for 5, a lead of 427.Worrall now has 22 wickets in four games – with power to add in the second innings – after ending Worcestershire’s first innings during a high-class spell at the start of the day from the Vauxhall end.In his fourth over and having bowled a series of inswingers at Joe Leach, he moved one away and Ben Foakes dived in front of first slip to take the edge. Ben Gibbon lost his off bail when the next ball nipped back and although Yadvinder Singh survived the hat-trick he drove airily at his second delivery and Foakes snaffled his 300th first-class catch for Surrey.All out for 128, Worcestershire were up against it, but their seamers bowled with good control with the new ball and Burns and Sibley took no risks and settled for patient accumulation.Sibley’s first six runs came off 50 balls before he doubled his score by hoisting Gibbon off his pads and over the mid-wicket boundary. The partnership was worth 79 from 29 overs when Sibley nicked a fine ball from Singh on a fourth-stump line that left him off the pitch.In the next over Ollie Pope was superbly caught by the diving Nathan Smith at leg slip to reward Gibbon’s wholehearted endeavours and, having claimed his maiden first-class wicket, debutant Singh took his second in his fourth over when Burns, having passed 50 for the fourth time this season, nicked off and was well held low down at slip by Rob Jones.Surrey slipped to 115 for 4 in the 38th over after Foakes missed a straight one from Matthew Waite, but Waite was left shaking his head in frustration when Lawrence was put down on the mid-wicket boundary by Kashif Ali having made just three. It felt like a defining moment in the day and so it proved as the sun came out and Lawrence and Jamie Smith built the lead after tea in the best batting conditions of the match.Smith, playing with increasing freedom, hit 12 fours in a typically enterprising 72 from 109 balls before losing his off stump to Gibbon via an inside edge as he shaped to drive through the covers.Lawrence followed him to fifty – his second of the match – in the next over and the situation was perfect for Clark to go on the attack. He raced to his half-century off 42 balls, including a six over long-off off Ali, as the lead swelled beyond 400 with 160 runs added in the final session. Both will have their eyes on a century in the morning.

The captain’s two wickets threatened a huge result but West Indies’ depth saw them home

Shashank Kishore03-Jun-2024

John Kariko’s excellent spell put pressure on West Indies•ICC via Getty Images

From being labelled as the nearly men in the cut-throat world of associate cricket, the tide is beginning to turn for Papua New Guinea. They missed the bus in 2014 and 2016 after frittering away a good chance to qualify but are now playing their second T20 World Cup in three years, after breaking through for the first time in the UAE in 2021.Sunday’s T20 World Cup 2024 opener against West Indies was only their eighth against a Full Member and, for a while reputation counted for little as PNG smelt an upset. After having huffed and puffed to 136, they had West Indies on the racks at 97 for 5 in 16 overs. Then their dreams were shattered as Andre Russell and Roston Chase bailed West Indies out.Related

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Assad Vala, the PNG captain, felt they may have been in a position to challenge West Indies with a “few more runs towards the end” after playing catch up for most parts of their innings. From 34 for 3, PNG recovered courtesy a fine 43-ball 50 by Sese Bau. Then towards the end, Kiplin Doriga injected momentum to make an 18-ball 27.”I think batting as well, I think we didn’t play the crucial moments the way we wanted,” Vala said. “They had batsmen towards the end, which we didn’t. I think we missed out on a few runs towards the end as well. But I think credit to them. They got a lot of experience. So, I think we played really well. We executed our skills really well.”We just couldn’t execute towards the end when we were put under pressure, but really happy with the overall performance of the boys. We didn’t post the target we wanted, but they fought till the end, so really happy with the effort.”Assad Vala’s two wickets had PNG dreaming•ICC via Getty Images

With Tony Ura, PNG’s highest run-getter and arguably their most destructive batter, gone early and Vala out for 21 to a sensational catch at backward point by Chase, PNG needed someone to step up, and Bau’s efforts gave them chance to be in the contest.Fast bowler Ale Nao dismissed Johnson Charles first ball. They should have had Nicholas Pooran first ball, but for a lbw shout PNG chose not to review, with replays confirming the ball had pitched in line and would have hit middle and leg. Pooran eventually got going as he went after Bau to hit him for 18 in his only over, but his dismissal for a run-a-ball 27 in the ninth over had PNG turn the screws as the spinners came storming back.Vala dismissed Brandon King and Sherfane Rutherford, while John Kariko, the 20-year-old left-arm spinner, built on his wicket of Pooran to finish with figures of 4-0-17-1 to count as one of many positives for PNG. All told, PNG were in the contest until the 18h over.”I think Sese Bau batted really well. And John Kariko, the left-arm spinner bowled really well. I think, Alei upfront with the new ball. There was a lot of stuff that we did really well,” Vala said. “I think there are a lot of positives to take out from the game today. I think the overall performance was really good, but just the key moments that we just couldn’t put the nail in the coffin. But I think as I said before the effort was outstanding, we kept fighting against a really good side so happy, really happy.”How crucial did the decision to not review Pooran prove to be? Vala pointed to their inexperience of using technology as the reason for the one that got away.”It’s a bit of a funny story,” Vala said. “It was a bit like in street cricket, we don’t use a lot of DRS, so there was a lot of calls coming from everywhere – take it don’t, take it, take it, don’t take it. I didn’t know who to listen to but it is something we can learn from like I said we need to get the communication right when we [play] in the upcoming games.”

It also announced an expansion in the number of teams in the Women’s T20 World Cup to 16 from 2030

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Jul-2024The ICC has confirmed that a review into the conduct of T20 World Cup 2024 will be carried out after the global body set up a panel with three of its board directors – Roger Twose, Lawson Naidoo and Imran Khawaja – to oversee the review and submit findings later in the year.ESPNcricinfo had reported earlier that there was scrutiny on the extent of expenditure on the US leg of the tournament and the organisation of the Caribbean leg. The decision to appoint a review panel was taken at the ICC annual conference in Colombo from July 19 to 22, which was attended by all 108 members. The three-man panel will engage an independent consultancy to carry out the review, before reporting back to the board.The ICC also approved the expansion of the Women’s T20 World Cup to 16 teams in 2030. Eight teams had taken part in the inaugural tournament in 2009 and that number rose to ten in 2016. Ten teams will also take part in the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in October. The 2026 edition will have 12 participating teams, for which the cut-off date for qualification is October 31, 2024, before the expansion to 16 in 2030.For the next Men’s T20 World Cup in 2026, the ICC said the allocation of the eight regional qualifying spots would be as follows: two teams each from Africa and Europe, one from the Americas, and three from Asia and East Asia Pacific (EAP) combined. Previously, Asia had two spots and EAP one.The ICC also announced that USA Cricket and Cricket Chile have been “formally put on notice” because both organisations are not compliant with ICC membership criteria. They have 12 months to make rectifications.”Neither member is considered to have in place a fit for purpose detailed governance and administrative structure and systems,” the ICC said in a release. “The ICC Americas office will work with Cricket Chile to support them in remedying their non-compliance. The board agreed that a normalisation committee comprising of board and management representatives will be set up to oversee and monitor USA Cricket’s compliance roadmap and the ICC board will reserve its right to suspend or expel the member for continued non-compliance.”

Cricket Australia chair says, “the Gabba has a use for life that ends in 2030. We need a solution, and are working on it”

Andrew McGlashan18-Aug-2024The Gabba in Brisbane has played host to plenty of iconic Test moments – the 1960 tie, Ian Botham’s last great Test innings, Shane Warne’s career best, Peter Siddle’s birthday hat-trick, India’s famous 2021 heist and Shamar Joseph’s heroics to pick out a few – but there are now major questions over its future as an international venue.On Sunday it was confirmed that the Queensland government had only signed a two-year hosting agreement with Cricket Australia which means beyond the upcoming India Test and next year’s men’s Ashes fixture there is great uncertainty when, or if, the famous ground will be back on the schedule.The Ashes encounter in 2025-26 will be the 49th consecutive season of Test cricket at the Gabba, but there will be no half-century with it not having one of the four New Zealand Tests the following year. There are, however, discussions ongoing about white-ball internationals with England due to visit that summer for ODIs and T20Is.Related

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The Gabba is coming towards the end of its viable working life in 2030. Brisbane will host the 2032 Olympics and initially, there had been plans to completely rebuild the venue, but that was ditched by the Queensland government due to costs and instead, there is expected to be a renovation along with other stadiums in the city.While a complete rebuild would have taken the stadium out of commission for a number of years, there is still uncertainty over whether it will be usable during a renovation.In an open letter, the chair of Queensland Cricket Kirsten Pike and chief executive Terry Svenson outlined the organisation’s frustrations and concerns for cricket in the state.”The State Government’s decision to not progress with its commitment to rebuild the Gabba and downgrade its proposed Olympic role has resulted in direct and indirect changes to how we proceed with our business,” they wrote.”It is deeply disappointing that the 2026-27 Gabba Test has become a casualty of the uncertainty around the infrastructure planning and development ahead of the 2032 Olympic preparations, specifically around the Gabba.”…and while not being unduly alarmist, the potential outcome of this continuing uncertainty could have a significant impact on participation statewide and fan engagement across men’s and women’s cricket.”The future of the Gabba is under threat by new stadiums around the country, including a proposed indoor venue in Hobart•Tasmania Government

Speaking last week, former Australia and Queensland captain Allan Border called for a new multipurpose venue to be built in the city.”It’s sad, but they [Cricket Australia] have got to have some certainty, probably over the next four years, if they can use the Gabba or not,” he told the . “I’d be knocking down the Gabba and building a new venue from scratch at Victoria Park. A brand new 60,000-seat stadium suits rugby, cricket, Aussie rules and the Olympics, and the Gabba becomes housing.”Whatever the future of a major cricket venue in Brisbane, there could be a potential challenger on the horizon with Tasmania having ambitions to host indoor Test cricket in the proposed new Hobart stadium which is set to be ready in 2029. However, Cricket Australia chair Mike Baird said it was hard to envisage a future where Brisbane was not part of the regular Test schedule.”That’s hard to imagine, but we have to have the facilities and a ground that supports it,” he said. “We want the fans to have the best experience as they come and see the world’s best players.”What we do know is the Gabba has a use for life that ends in 2030. We need a solution, and are working with the AFL as well on a long-term solution. We want a great venue in Brisbane, that can support Queensland Cricket and Australian cricket for years to come.”The Queensland Cricket letter added: “We remain hopeful that Test cricket will return to the Gabba after the summer of 2026-27 despite the current lack of detail and uncertainty surrounding the upgrades to the Gabba.”Queensland does have other smaller international venues. Allan Border Field in Brisbane regularly hosts the women’s team and Australia A and the Gold Coast hosted a T20I against West Indies in 2022. In regional Queensland, Mackay is used while Townsville and Cairns hosted the T20I and ODI series respectively against Zimbabwe and New Zealand in 2022.The men’s Future Tours Programme has some winter home cricket on Australia’s schedule in the coming years which could open the door for venues such as Cairns and Townsville. South Africa are due to visit for ODIs and T20Is in August 2025 while Afghanistan have a Test and three T20Is allocated in July 2026 although those would appear unlikely to happen given Cricket Australia’s current stance on bilateral series with Afghanistan.

Tahlia Wilson and Tahlia McGrath ensured a comfortable chase for the home side

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Aug-2024In a show of the player depth on offer, legspinner Grace Parsons and quick Nicola Hancock both starred on their Australia A debuts as the home side claimed the T20 series against India A with an eight-wicket victory.The pair had come into the Australia A side in place of Maitlan Brown and Tayla Vlaeminck and combined to finish with 7 for 44 from eight overs. Tahlia Wilson then made it back-to-back half-centuries to control the chase which was completed with ten deliveries to spareFor Parsons, the 20-year-old who is part of Brisbane Heat’s WBBL squad having missed out on a chance to play last season due to injury, it was her T20 debut having only previously featured for Queensland in the WNCL. She bagged four wickets, including the key scalp of Priya Punia who had played superbly in the opening match and top-scored in this innings with 29 off 26 balls. Parsons then closed out her spell with two more wickets in the space of three balls.”I’ve never actually played a T20 before, apart from at [my] club so today was very nerve wracking,” Parsons said. “But my plans don’t change too much.”It was pretty special. I’m always nervous at the start, especially when I haven’t played cricket for quite a few months, but it was nice to get the first game out of the way and take a few wickets. It was a pretty special thing to get the call up into the Aus A team and then to be playing today, it’s pretty awesome.”Hancock, who was a late addition to the squad when Courtney Sippel was ruled out through injury, had claimed the first wicket when she had Shweta Sehrawat taken off a top edge – Nicole Faltum taking an excellent running catch – and conceded just 14 from her three overs.The regular loss of wickets meant India A struggled for momentum and at one stage lost 3 for 10 between the 11th and 13th overs.The target didn’t stretch Australia A despite the early loss of Katie Mack as Wilson continued her impressive early-season form. Captain Tahlia McGrath, who had fallen first ball in the opening match, helped her side speed to target with a flurry of boundaries in an unbroken stand of 69.

West Indies fast bowler will be available for final three games as Durham look to avoid relegation battle

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Sep-2024Durham have signed West Indies fast bowler Chemar Holder for their final three games of the County Championship season.Holder, who has played a Test and an ODI for his country, will be available for the round of Championship games starting on Monday, when Durham host Lancashire at Chester-le-Street. He replaces Neil Wagner, the New Zealand left-armer, whose stint was cut short by injury.”We are pleased to welcome Chemar to Durham for the final stages of the season, he is an exciting tall quick bowler who will add a point of difference to our available bowling group,” Marcus North, Durham’s director of cricket, said.”With international call ups and a number of injuries, it was extremely important to bring in an additional seamer and we are pleased to have secured a bowler of Holder’s quality.”Holder won a Test cap in 2020, after impressing in the domestic first-class system, and has also featured for Warwickshire in the County Championship. He spent more than a year out of the game after requiring shoulder surgery but was given a CWI franchise contract earlier this year as West Indies looked to keep him part of their fast-bowling pool.Holder said: “It feels very good to be a part of Durham and to be playing county cricket for a second time.”Once I step on the field, I always put my best foot forward and leave everything out there. I will put my all into the upcoming games and am looking forward to this opportunity. I can’t wait to get started if I am selected this week and give my all for Durham.”Durham are currently seventh in Division One of the Championship, 24 points clear of second-bottom Lancashire.

Support from coach and captain helped spinner rediscover his enjoyment for the game

Matt Roller21-Oct-2024Jack Leach believes that being dropped by England during their home summer enabled him to fall back in love with cricket, aided by an unexpected phone call from Ben Stokes in the aftermath of a Test win.Leach is the leading wicket-taker in England’s series in Pakistan with 14, but had only played two Tests in the 18 months before the tour and failed to complete either due to back and knee injuries. He had returned to full fitness after knee surgery by the time England picked their first Test of the summer in June, but they selected his Somerset team-mate Shoaib Bashir instead.Bashir earned widespread praise after his match-winning five-wicket haul against West Indies at Trent Bridge, and was preferred throughout the rest of the summer. But when England returned to their Nottingham hotel after that win, Stokes called Leach to tell him that Bashir’s success did not mean he had been forgotten.”I felt really happy and proud,” Leach recalled on Monday, speaking at England’s hotel in Islamabad. “He just wanted to tell me how great I was, basically, in the way that he does, and just recognise how I’ve dealt with the situation. That gave me a chance to say some nice things back to him about what he’d given me, probably going back to 2019 at Headingley.Related

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• Shoaib Bashir's raw returns turn spotlight on England's spin gamble

• Switch Hit: Spinner, spinner, chicken dinner

“There’s just a mutual respect there, so it was a nice conversation to have for sure. It just reminded me that I was going about things in the right way, and gave me confidence I still had something to offer the team and I was a part of it, in a small way. That gave me good motivation for the remainder of the summer… a nice reminder that there was still a chance to play.”Leach admitted that he briefly feared that his England career would be over when he initially learned of his omission. “You always do,” he said. “After a long time out with injury, I maybe felt that might be it… I really understood the situation. If you’re not able to stay fit, then other people come in and do well, and Bash certainly did that.”But he was happy with the level of communication from England’s management throughout, and received a similar call from Brendon McCullum the day after speaking to Stokes in July. “I was really happy with that – and in a way, not surprised, because of what I’d experienced when I was there [in the squad],” he said. “I’m very thankful for that, and my relationship with those guys.”After a slow start to the season which saw him take nine wickets at 50.44 in his first four appearances for Somerset, Leach thrived at the end of the year with 36 at 15.86 in five matches. He said that the secret was as simple as “remembering what I’m about, and being happy with that” rather than worrying too much about making minor technical changes.”I just felt like I needed to rediscover that kid-like mentality of why you play the game,” Leach said. “You have that on the journey up to playing for England, that nothing-to-lose mentality. Then it’s like, ‘I’m here now, I want to keep that’. That’s tiring, it’s stressful, it’s not enjoyable… You forget what your main strengths are.”This summer actually provided a really good opportunity to go back to play for Somerset – which is what I always wanted to do as a young boy – and to just simplify everything; just do what I was good at, and build the confidence that actually, that was good enough… I’ve discovered that again: just being myself, and actually really enjoying that.”Leach has outbowled Bashir in England’s first two Tests in Pakistan, but said that reclaiming his status as first-choice spinner is “not important” to him. “That’s not really in my thoughts,” he said. “I just want to keep building on what I’ve done in the summer and what I’m doing out here… For me, it’s all about the team. Maybe I’m at an age where that’s all that really matters to me.”The pair have worked closely together in Pakistan. “He’s just done so well,” Leach said of Bashir. “He’ll just be learning so much, so quickly. He’s quality. We have a good relationship, good fun, and try to work together. I try to help where I can. I don’t want to overload him with stuff: I feel like he’s just learning through playing, and it’s all going to come quite naturally.”The series decider starts on Thursday in Rawalpindi, with another turning pitch in prospect after Pakistan’s 152-run win last week. Two years ago, it was the scene of a famous England win: they racked up 657 in 101 overs in their first innings, and Leach applied the finishing touches when trapping Naseem Shah lbw on the final evening to seal the victory.”That’s probably my favourite wicket: just the pictures of the appeal, and then just after of everyone celebrating,” Leach said. “It was just such a good game to be part of.” England will hope for something similar this week, in their bid for a 2-1 series win.