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After Sri Lanka lost a wicket before they had even scored a run, Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal Silva wiped 187 runs off Bangladesh’s 513

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando01-Feb-2018Stumps Kusal Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva run between the wickets•Associated Press

Mahmudullah’s 83 not out heaved Bangladesh to 513, before the two big hopes of Sri Lanka’s top order – Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal Mendis – wiped 187 runs off the deficit together, and remained unbeaten at the close of play.Though the spinners had a little more purchase, this was, in short, another batting day in Chittagong. Rangana Herath did impose himself on the match for the first time and Mehidy Hasan took the only Sri Lanka wicket with the new ball, when the opposition were still scoreless. But only the occasional ball turned sharply, and the quicks had little assistance. By mounting such a monumental score, however, Bangladesh have given themselves a cushion – Sri Lanka must bat well again on Friday to come to a position of parity.De Silva, rarely rattled, was calm and assertive from the outset, driving impeccably, and never shy to flit around the crease in the course of manufacturing of a dab or a lap sweep against the spinners. There is growing sentiment that he is one of Sri Lanka’s most versatile Test batsmen, and this innings was further evidence. No portion of the field was unfruitful for Dananjaya, and bowler could trouble him for long. If a few dot balls mounted, he would slink down the pitch to loft the spinner over the offside, or back away to punch him square of the pitch. Where many batsmen fear losing their wickets just before a break, Dananjaya saw opportunity; thrice he ran at Taijul Islam in the over before tea, and thrice he hoisted him over the infield for boundaries. In between the big blows, singles and twos, eased comfortably through the field – no fuss, just confident Test batting.The only half-chance off de Silva’s bat came when he was on 65, and Mustafizur Rahman drew an edge with a ball that straightened. The chance flew low between first and second slip, neither fielder getting close to the ball. A few overs later, Taijul Islam hit him on the pad after he had skipped down the track, and Bangladesh burned one of their reviews, now quite desperate to dislodge him. As he had been struck more than three metres from the stumps, the ball tracking did not even come into play. Six overs later, after a minor deceleration during the nineties, Dananjaya struck a sublime backfoot punch off Taijul to complete a 122-ball century. It was his second triple-figure score in as many innings: the excellent match-saving hundred at Delhi being his most recent effort.Mendis’ innings, was not nearly as convincing. He had been beaten repeatedly by Sunzamul Islam in the early overs, and was often uncomfortable against each of Bangladesh’s three left-arm spinners, right until the final over of the day. He could have been caught in the slips twice. He was dropped by a diving Mehidy on four, off the bowling of Mustafizur, and later, Mehidy had a similarly difficult chance go down of his own bowling. Batting on 57, Mendis edged a straighter delivery, that just evaded he keeper’s gloves, but was too fine for slip to lay a hand on it. There was an lbw review against him also, but as the ball was passing over the stumps, the original decision prevailed.In between the tetchy moments, were flashes of Mendis skill – the rocket-powered flat sweeps, and the rapid pull shots whenever the bowlers dropped short. All six of Mendis’ intentional boundaries came on the legside, as did a majority of his singles. This being his comeback Test innings after being dropped for the tour of India, Mendis stuck largely to his stronger scoring areas. The two had come together after Dimuth Karunaratne fell in the third over, edging Mehidy to slip.Earlier on day two, Mahmudullah had been the spine in a good lower-order batting effort from Bangladesh. Though they had lost two quick wickets inside the first seven overs – including that of overnight centurion Mominul Haque – Mahmudullah had combined with Sunzamul Islam to ensure Bangladesh remained on track for a score of over 500. The two put on 58 for the eighth wicket, before Sunzamul was stumped down the legside, having failed to read a Lakshan Sandakan googly. Mahmudhullah trusted his tail-end partners. Only when No. 11 Mustafizur came to the crease did he kick his own innings into a higher tempo, and even then, did not turn down singles.Suranga Lakmal dismissed Mustafizur with a short ball to finish with the innings’ best figures of 3 for 58. The spinners’ returned far less flattering numbers. Dilruwan Perera and Herath both conceded well over a hundred runs, and Lakshan Sandakan had 2 for 92.

England women look to evolve in wake of World Cup triumph, with three new caps named for their tour of India

Raf Nicholson07-Mar-2018Sometimes new caps are like buses. You wait ages for one, and then three come along at once.So it was today at Loughborough, as England Women’s squad to tour India in the forthcoming ODI and T20 tri-series was announced, and not one but three new names appeared on the list: Hampshire’s 18-year-old left-arm seamer Katie George; Bryony Smith, Surrey’s 20-year-old opener; and Alice Davidson-Richards, the 23-year-old all-rounder who has represented Kent for eight years, four times winning the County Championship title, but whose name will still not fit on most scoreboards.The man pulling the strings is of course coach Mark Robinson, who has plucked the three from county obscurity in a move that nobody – not least George, Smith and Davidson-Richards – was quite expecting.George is fresh from completing her A levels. Davidson-Richards has a degree from the University of Leeds in Human Physiology, and works as a personal trainer. Smith is a secondary school teacher. These are players who one week were jobbing county amateurs (lest we forget, there is still almost no money to be made in English women’s domestic cricket), and the next have had the possibility of a glittering career in international cricket dangled before their eyes.”It’s really weird,” Davidson-Richards (known to her team mates as “ADR”) said in the ensuing press conference. The three have spent the past two months up in Loughborough training almost full-time with the full England squad, something that is still alien to her: “It’s such an odd concept that you train, and then you’re done for the day.”It has been a marker of Robinson’s tenure as coach that, unlike the previous incumbent, he is prepared to blood new players. Spinners Alex Hartley and Sophie Ecclestone have both made their debuts; Fran Wilson has been brought back in from the cold, after five years’ absence from the international scene. All have experienced success, with Hartley and Wilson both integral to England’s World Cup win last year.And yet Robinson’s selections, this time around, seem bolder; more unexpected.Katie George, who debuted for Hampshire in 2013, has spent her entire county career playing in Divisions 2 and 3 of the Women’s County Championship; in 38 matches for the county she has taken 32 wickets at a nothing-special (in women’s county terms) economy rate of 3.59. Bryony Smith has represented Surrey for the last four seasons, since the age of 16. In that time she has hit 797 runs at an average of 17, with a highest score of 70. On paper, these numbers are far from spectacular.Davidson-Richards’ selection is in some ways the most surprising. Perhaps it shouldn’t be, but given the dearth of career opportunities, 23 – in women’s cricket terms – is old. Davidson-Richards was one of only a handful of players to survive a recent cull by Robinson of the Women’s Senior Academy squad, in which several players of her generation lost out, including Georgia Adams (24), Eve Jones (25) and Sophie Luff (24).”I definitely thought my time had passed me by,” she admitted today. “When I finished university it was like, ‘what am I going to do with my life? No idea!’ I went and played for six months in Australia, enjoyed the game again, which is the important thing for me. And from there it’s somehow got me to here!”Then there is the fact that should Smith or Davidson-Richards make their debut in India – and with three ODIs and the potential of five tri-series matches (assuming England reach the final), the likelihood is that they will – either one would become the first batsman to debut for England in five years.So why these three? And why now?Robinson was, as ever, frank in his assessment: “We’ve got to address some areas that we haven’t done very well in T20. The youngsters are there to wake a few people up. What we’re doing at the moment isn’t going to win you a World Cup, and we have to change that.”Smith, he suggests, “gives it a good hit”; Davidson-Richards – who bats at No.5 for Kent and Yorkshire Diamonds – offers “power down the order”. For an England side which has struggled to acclimatise to the new era of women’s T20, in which scores of 160-plus are the new norm, these are potentially crucial assets in what is, after all, a World Cup year.Of Smith in particular he was clear that her role lay in attempting to answer the as-yet unsettled question of who might open alongside Danni Wyatt in the World T20 in November: “We haven’t been able to find that partnership. Bryony will chuck herself into the ring as a potential opener.”His most effusive praise, though, was reserved for George, who he described as “a junior Katherine Brunt”. Brunt herself will be missing the India tour with a back injury; and at 32 will in any case not be around forever. There is perhaps no better time to attempt to blood a possible replacement.Another factor has been the importance of their ongoing performances in the Kia Super League, a competition which has helped expose players to the kind of high-level opposition which has sometimes been lacking from women’s domestic cricket. George and Smith both shot to national attention during the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2016: George, at age 16, stood out in particular as being the youngest player to feature, yet still looked right at home in Vipers’ world-class bowling attack. For Davidson-Richards her time came last season as, in front of the TV cameras at Headingley, she scored 22 not out and took 3 for 20 for Yorkshire Diamonds, securing the Player of the Match award.”The KSL’s fantastic,” Robinson said. “Watching Katie George bowl [for Vipers] in last year’s final, I absolutely loved it. She raced in, she bowled quick. She absolutely went round the park” – she bowled three overs and finished with figures of 1 for 34 – “but she kept running in fearlessly and bowling.””Live on TV, 5000 people at Hove – what brilliant exposure. That wasn’t a player shrinking, that was a player having a proper go, and that’s what you want.””And I watched Bryony Smith, again on TV, hit four consecutive fours against Katherine Brunt in that first year. And you’re thinking – wow, she’s taking on the big girls, it’s brilliant!”Certainly Smith did not shy away from the idea of “taking on the big girls” in today’s press conference. Asked what she saw as her role for England, she was unequivocal: “I want to open. That’s where I want to be, at the top.”For all three, one thing that will need to be carefully managed is their possible future transition into full-time professionalism. For now, both Davidson-Richards and Smith will continue to juggle paid employment outside cricket with their international commitments. “It’s a really big step up,” Davidson-Richards admitted. “I like going back to work on a Monday. It brings me back to the centre.” It highlights the dilemmas for a women’s game which, in England at least, is still caught somewhere between its amateur history and the professional present.For Robinson, the important thing right now is to broaden the talent pool: “We’ve got to improve our depth and we’ve got to get players up and running.” For the players concerned, meanwhile, the tour represents nothing more or less than an opportunity to represent their country. That, for now, is more than enough.

Men’s limited-overs home internationals will go behind a paywall for the first time, while all Test cricket and women’s internationals are guaranteed a free-to-air broadcast for the next six years

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Apr-2018The Seven Network and Fox Sports have bagged the broadcast rights for Australian home cricket for the next six years, signing a deal worth AUD 1.182 billion with Cricket Australia.The deal represents a significant jump in revenue for CA, with the previous five-year deal with Channel Nine (international cricket) and Ten (Big Bash League) having been worth around AUD 600 million in total. The size of the new deal allays any fears that Australian cricket may have become a less attractive commodity in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal that broke during the recent tour of South Africa.

Where can I watch what?

Seven Network: Men’s Tests, women’s internationals, 43 BBL games, 23 WBBL games, Allan Border and Belinda Clark Medal Night
Fox Sports: Men’s Tests, men’s ODIs, men’s T20Is, women’s internationals, all BBL games, 23 WBBL games, Allan Border and Belinda Clark Medal Night, Prime Minister’s XI and Governor-General’s XI matches, Sheffield Shield final, 13 One-Day Cup matches
Live streaming on cricket.com.au and the CA Live App: 36 WBBL matches, Sheffield Shield, One-Day Cup, international tour matches, on-demand highlights

Free-to-air Seven will partner with Fox to simulcast all men’s Test matches and women’s internationals, 43 BBL games and 23 WBBL games each season. This is the first time all of Australia women’s matches are guaranteed a free-to-air broadcast.”What we are particularly proud of in this partnership is the focus on extending our broadcast coverage of women’s matches,” CA chief executive James Sutherland said. “Our partners are key to inspiring more women and girls to pick up a bat and ball. If more elite content is accessible to fans be it on TV or through their mobile devices, we’re helping tap into new audiences to attract them to the sport.”Men’s home limited-overs internationals, however, will move behind a paywall for the first time, with Fox Sports set to exclusively showcase men’s ODIs and T20Is, as well as the remaining 16 BBL matches.The deal also involves a digital partnership between Fox Sports and Cricket Network, which will offer streaming of matches not shown on Fox Sports or Seven, as well as on-demand highlights of all Australian cricket.The new deal ends Channel Nine’s four-decade-long association with Australia’s home summer.”Our thanks go to Channel Nine, who for more than 40 years has broadcast international cricket at a world-renowned standard – and in so doing has done more to promote our sport than any organisation in Australian cricket history,” Sutherland said.”Our sincere thanks also to Network Ten for their role in taking the Big Bash League to a new level, and for so willingly providing a platform to launch and grow the Women’s Big Bash League. As a startup League, the BBL is a phenomenal success story. Over the last five years Ten has made an extraordinary contribution to the league and its growth in bringing new fans to cricket.”We have nothing but gratitude and respect for Nine and Ten – and sincerely thank them for their contribution to our sport. We’re very excited about what the future holds with both Fox Sports and Seven West Media.”

It will be his first time playing the IPL, stepping in for Mitchell Starc, who has been ruled out with injured shin

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Apr-2018Surrey and England fast bowler Tom Curran has signed up for Kolkata Knight Riders for IPL 2018. It will be his first time in the tournament after he was announced the replacement for Mitchell Starc, who was recently ruled out with injured right shin. Curran is expected to join the Knight Riders squad before their first match on April 8 against Royal Challengers Bangalore.Curran went unsold at the auction in January with a base price of INR 1 crore (USD 1,56,000 approx) and was picked by Knight Riders for INR 1.62 crore (USD 2,53,000 approx).*

England players in the IPL

Ben Stokes (Rajasthan Royals)
Jos Buttler (Rajasthan Royals)
Moeen Ali (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
Jason Roy (Delhi Daredevils)
Alex Hales (Sunrisers Hyderabad)
Chris Woakes (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
Mark Wood (Chennai Super Kings)
Sam Billings (Chennai Super Kings)
Chris Jordan (Sunrisers Hyderabad)
Tom Curran (Kolkata Knight Riders)
Jofra Archer (Rajasthan Royals, qualifies in 2022)

“I’m thrilled and excited to be joining Kolkata Knight Riders for the IPL,” Curran was quoted by the Surrey website. “I know from chatting to other players I can learn a lot from being in that environment, skills that I hope will benefit Surrey and my chances of representing England again this year and if selected, for next year’s World Cup.”Although he does not bowl express pace, or left-arm, Curran’s skills include a deceptive, back-of-the-hand slower ball, and a superb yorker. He used both of them to good effect to pick up a maiden five-wicket haul in a thrilling ODI against Australia at the new Perth Stadium in January.Curran was a hit in his first T20I as well, taking a wicket with his second ball, against South Africa last June. He is also a handy lower-order batsman, with a strike-rate of 128, accumulated over 51 T20s, and a highest score of 51 not out. Curran is the 11th player from England to take part in the league after Alex Hales was recruited by Sunrisers Hyderabad two days ago. He joins a promising brigade of young fast bowlers in the Knight Riders squad alongside Under-19 World Cup winners Shivam Mavi and Kamlesh Nagarkoti.The new-look squad is, however, expected to regain some of its old flavour with KKR chief executive Venky Mysore claiming opening batsman Chris Lynn and allrounder Andre Russell should recover in time for their opening game which they will play at home.*1415 GMT – The figure was added after a release was issued by the BCCI

Sarfraz Ahmed believes extensive preparation in the lead up to Ireland’s inaugural Test and two Tests in England will help team cope up with difficult challenges

Umar Farooq21-Apr-2018A day before departing for a daunting tour to the British Isles, Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed brushed aside criticism over the non-selection of Fawad Alam and emphasised that the 16-man squad selected for the tour is the “best of the best”.Pakistan have picked a fairly young Test squad, with five uncapped players: Fakhar Zaman, Faheem Ashraf, Imam ul Haq and Usman Salahuddin. While Alam’s exclusion caused widespread debate in Pakistan, the team continued to train in Lahore as per normal, undergoing extensive drills in preparation for the tour.”There is no pressure, but there is a will to form a squad with the best players,” Sarfraz said. “Invariably, a few will get left out, and only 16 make the squad, but there is nothing to worry. There is no problem for those who are not selected this time around, and it’s not like they will never be picked again. My hopes are very high and I am optimistic with these new boys. The best thing about them is that they are willing to perform on the big stage.”Fawad was called among the probables with an intent to consider him for the national selection. We have seen him in the nets and then considered everything before we picked the squad. It’s not like I voted him out; if it was in my hands, I would have picked all 25 players for the tour.This is Pakistan’s first visit to England for a Test series since 2016, when they drew 2-2 to become the top-ranked Test side. This will also be Sarfraz’s first away Test series as captain, and the first one in years without the retired Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan.His first series as captain was in the UAE against Sri Lanka, where they slumped to a 2-0 defeat, their only Test series loss since relocating there in 2009. Sarfraz, while wary of the challenge ahead of him, was fully confident about this new side doing well in English condition.”Whenever there is an England tour, the conditions are always tough,” said Sarfaraz. “On our previous tour in 2016, we played matches in July, but this year we are starting a bit earlier, so obviously it will be difficult to some extent. But we are working hard to give these boys as much confidence as possible and prepare ourselves. We have two practice games and we have prepared well here [in Lahore]. The way our batsman and bowlers are doing their hard work to enhance their skills, I believe this is going to get us good results.”Before the England tour, Pakistan will play a one-off which happens to be Ireland’s Inaugural Test, and Sarfraz wasn’t in the mood to take them lightly. “They [Ireland] are a strong team with every player being a regular in country cricket, so I am expecting a good competitive match against them. We have a target that if we bat first, we will try to put on over 300, and then our bowling has the capability to take control of the game.”Pakistan’s preparation was dented after their leading spinner Yasir Shah was ruled out for 10 weeks. He picked up a stress fracture of his hip and is presently undergoing an extensive rehabilitation. In the absence of Yasir, Pakistan’s selectors picked his closest replacement, legspinner Shadab Khan. However, Pakistan are likely to heavily rely on their pace battery, with Mohammad Amir and Rahat Ali leading the attack along with seamer Mohammad Abbas and Hasan Ali.”If Yasir was fit, he would have been an automatic selection,” said Sarfraz. “But we got four spinners in the camp and found Shadab is the best replacement. He has a good solid googly and a great stock delivery, so this is why we preferred him. But considering the condition there in England we are hearing the weather will be much cooler, and I am not even sure if we are going to play a spinner in the XI. We might go with our non-regular spinners Haris Sohail and Asad Shafiq as part-time spin options.”

Sam Billings takes Buttler’s spot for the one-off match against Scotland but England have named a full-strength squad to face Australia

Andrew McGlashan30-May-2018Jos Buttler has been rested for England’s ODI against Scotland next month while Liam Plunkett returns to the squad for that match and the series against Australia. A hamstring injury had ruled Plunkett out of the matches against New Zealand.Captain Eoin Morgan is expected to be fit for the start of England’s one-day season despite fracturing a finger playing for Middlesex, and coach Trevor Bayliss made the recommendation to rest Buttler for the Scotland match on June 10.Sam Billings, the Kent captain, takes Buttler’s place although it is yet to be confirmed whether he or Jonny Bairstow will keep wicket. However, when the pair previously played in the same side last year against Ireland in the absence of Buttler it was Billings who was given the gloves.

England one-day squads

Scotland ODI Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Billings, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
Australia series Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

The two squads reinforce the stellar performances of the one-day side, which has risen to No. 1 in the world, in stark contrast to the dismal fortunes of the Test team of late. With a year to go until the World Cup, the majority of the 14 players named for the Australia are nailed on for the tournament – the final squad for the event will be 15 names.Plunkett, who has become a key part of England’s bowling plans in the middle overs, missed the one-day series in New Zealand after a recurrence of the hamstring injury he sustained in Australia. His absence was notable as, though England secured an impressive 3-2 series win against New Zealand, the quick bowlers struggled to make an impact in the middle chunk of the innings. They took three wickets at 117.33 and conceded 5.96 per over between overs 11 and 40.Tom Curran was the beneficiary of Plunkett’s injury and has been retained the squad for the Australia although will not be part of the Scotland fixture. Craig Overton, who earned a call-up as Plunkett’s replacement but did not feature in the series, does not make either squad.One of the selection conundrums in deciding the final XI will be the opening combination. Bairstow has cemented his spot at the top of the order having made 761 in 15 innings since taking the role against West Indies last year. That has included four centuries including back-to-back tons against New Zealand in March.For the majority of that time his opening partner has been Jason Roy but since making his England-record 180 against Australia in Melbourne Roy hasn’t passed fifty. Alex Hales returned to the opening role when Roy was injured for the deciding ODI against New Zealand in Christchurch and hit 61 in an opening stand of 155 in 20 overs. In the final outcome, Hales’ weaker fielding may count against him

Nat Sciver’s 59 from 37 balls set the platform for England before a career-best 4 for 18 from Sophie Ecclestone helped seal a convincing win

The Report by Alan Gardner23-Jun-20181:54

‘Tried to keep the stumps in play’ – Ecclestone

ScorecardEngland halted New Zealand’s 12-match winning streak in T20 internationals as Nat Sciver and Sophie Ecclestone produced the telling individual contributions in a 54-run win at Taunton. Batting first for the second time in the day, England made 172 for 8 from their 20 overs before career-best figures of 4 for 18 from Ecclestone helped derail New Zealand.There was no lack of energy as England set about defending their target, despite having been beaten in deflating circumstances by South Africa in the first match of Saturday’s double-header. Katherine Brunt claimed the key wicket of Suzie Bates lbw and New Zealand were unable to build partnerships, eventually dismissed with nine balls to spare.”Two games in a day is tough physically and mentally, and I think we’ve dealt with it brilliantly with the response we’ve had – particularly with the ball,” England captain Heather Knight said. “It was really pleasing to come away with the win. We talked about parking [the defeat] quickly, we didn’t have much time to dwell on it, and it was all about character and trying to put in a much-improved performance and nail our basic skills. I think we did that much better.”Knight had no hesitation choosing to bat first after winning the toss again, despite South Africa overhauling a target of 161 earlier in the day. Sciver’s powerful contribution, 59 off 37 balls, was the innings of substance required, but it needed some stout blows from Anya Shrubsole – including the only six of the innings – to ensure New Zealand’s task would be more demanding.Sciver was badly dropped at deep midwicket on 21, by Lea Tahuhu off the bowling of Bates, to continue a day of poor fielding by all three teams. England were three down and looking for a spark, and Sciver responded to her life by kicking on to a 31-ball fifty, reached with a dismissive lash over cover.England were grateful for Sciver producing her most-significant contribution of the home summer so far, having seen the in-form Tammy Beaumont fall short of 50 for the first time in five innings – bowled by Hayley Jensen attempting a trademark scoop; with Sarah Taylor run out for 1 after Jensen got a fingertip on Beaumont’s straight drive and Danni Wyatt the first of three wickets for Leigh Kasperek, England had fallen to 58 for 3 in the eighth over.Knight and Brunt produced cameos but, after Sciver was caught trying to clear short fine leg, it was time for some old-fashioned slogging from the tail, as Shrubsole, Ecclestone and Danielle Hazell added 32 from the last 17 balls.In response, Sophie Devine launched the second ball of the New Zealand reply over deep midwicket for six. Tash Farrant received the same treatment as Shrubsole, but then made the breakthrough to send Devine back for 13, and the big moment of the chase came when Brunt trapped Bates in front of leg stump with a delivery that perhaps kept a touch low on the worn pitch – the same one that had been used for three previous games.Bates’ dismissal had been preceded by Katey Martin playing out a maiden from Ecclestone. The 19-year-old spinner returned to bowl Martin for 16 in the 11th over, Knight chipping in with a wicket either side, and Ecclestone then helped round up the lower order as she attacked the stumps and found just enough turn – even beating the usually immaculate Taylor at one point, with Bernadine Bezuidenhoudt out of her ground. Unperturbed, Ecclestone bowled Bezuidenhoudt next ball.A second victory in three matches lifted England to four points in the tri-series standings, with one more fixture to come against New Zealand. South Africa, who resurrected their chances of reaching the final after twice conceding record totals in women’s T20I, will play New Zealand first in Thursday’s final double-header in Bristol.

Bumrah has undergone surgery for his broken left thumb in Leeds and has returned to India

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jul-2018Fast bowler Shardul Thakur will replace the injured Jasprit Bumrah in India’s ODI squad for the three matches against England.Bumrah had already been ruled out of the ongoing T20I series in England, having broken his left thumb during India’s 76-run win in the first T20I against Ireland on June 27.On Friday, the BCCI confirmed that the fast bowler would miss the ODIs too, stating that he had undergone surgery in Leeds on July 4 before returning to India.This is the second injury to hit India’s ODI team before the series, with spinner Washington Sundar being ruled out earlier with an ankle problem and replaced by Axar Patel.Shardul, 26, last played for India in the Nidahas Trophy T20I series in Sri Lanka in March, and hadn’t been picked for the T20I or ODI squads for England. He is already in the UK though, and was an important part of the India A squad that won the tri-series involving England Lions and West Indies A.Shardul took eight wickets in four matches at an average of 21.37 and an economy rate of 5.02. He was on standby to replace Bumrah, with India A coach Rahul Dravid praising his performance for the A side.Despite Bumrah’s absence, India have several pace options to call on in Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Siddarth Kaul and Hardik Pandya, with Shardul now added to the mix.

It will take at least another year for Bangladesh to consider playing day-night Tests. According to BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury, the process will begin at home when they can host day-night first-class matches with some regularity

Mohammad Isam31-Jul-2018It will take at least one more year for Bangladesh to consider playing day-night Tests, according to BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury. The process will begin at home when they can host day-night first-class matches with some regularity. Only after that will the BCB approve playing day-night Tests, starting with home matches.On Tuesday, New Zealand Cricket said the BCB hadn’t agreed to play a day-night Test in February next year. This is the second time the BCB has declined such an offer from NZC, having already done so in 2016.Bangladesh and India remain the only Test-playing nations apart from Ireland and Afghanistan to not have played a day-night Test yet. Zimbabwe became the latest team to join the list when they played South Africa in a four-day day-night Test in Port Elizabeth last December.Chowdhury said the BCB’s decision was based on discussions with the Bangladesh players and team management. “After an approach made by the New Zealand board, we spoke to our team management,” Chowdhury told ESPNcricinfo. “We have been seeing it positively but since our players don’t have an opportunity to play day-night matches in domestic longer-version tournaments, we felt that it wouldn’t be right to play a day-night Test.”The BCB wants to take a steady approach to day-night Tests by hosting one at home, but only after they have introduced it more regularly in domestic four-day tournaments. Bangladesh are following the model of Australia, England, Pakistan and West Indies who played some domestic day-night first-class matches before their first day-night Test.Australia, who have played the most day-night Tests thus far, hosted 15 day-night first-class matches before their first Test against New Zealand in 2015. England hosted 11 County matches under lights before their inaugural day-night Test last year. India have hosted eight day-night first-class games so far since 2016. But Bangladesh have held just one first-class domestic match under lights, back in 2013.South Africa, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Zimbabwe didn’t play a domestic day-night four-day game before their first day-night Test. While New Zealand and Sri Lanka have introduced day-night four-day games in their domestic competitions since then, South Africa and Zimbabwe haven’t held one till now, and have only played that one four-day Test.”We are looking to try pink ball at the domestic level first, and then play a day-night Test at home. After that, we want to play day-night in away Tests,” Chowdhury said. “We will hold discussions at the policy level at the board, as well as with the players when they return from West Indies.”The tricky part for Bangladesh is to ensure the presence of their international cricketers in these domestic four-day matches since ultimately the whole idea would be to get them accustomed to the pink ball under lights. The BCB’s centrally contracted cricketers have been criticised in the past for skipping longer-version domestic matches, even when they are available.

The SA captain has been withdrawn to fully recover from a shoulder injury, while Amla will miss out because of a torn finger tendon, picked up during the CPL

Liam Brickhill25-Sep-2018South Africa will be without two of their most experienced players in their upcoming limited-overs series against Zimbabwe. Captain Faf du Plessis has been withdrawn from the ODI series to fully recover from a shoulder injury, while Hashim Amla has been ruled out by a torn finger tendon, picked up during the Caribbean Premier League.Dean Elgar, the Test opener, has been been called up to replace Amla in the one-day squad, for the three-match series starting in Kimberley on Sunday, while JP Duminy will lead the side in du Plessis’ absence.”Hashim sustained a tear to the tendon in his left fifth digit while fielding during the recently concluded Caribbean Premier League,” team manager Dr Mohammed Moosajee explained. “The injury will need up to three weeks to heal, making him unavailable for the series against Zimbabwe.”Du Plessis is recovering from his second shoulder injury in less than a year. He had surgery on his right shoulder in late 2017, and missed the end of South Africa’s tour of Sri Lanka in August this year, with a rotator-cuff tear in the same shoulder. The CSA medical team, as a result, decided to not rush his return, ahead of a busy summer and the 2019 World Cup.”The CSA medical committee has also withdrawn Faf from the ODI series,” Moosajee said. “He has not made a satisfactory recovery from his shoulder injury and has been given more time to make a complete recovery. We are hopeful he will be fit enough to return to lead the T20 side for the three-match series against Zimbabwe.”The absence of the two seniors will allow South Africa to test their bench strength against somewhat modest opposition, and also give an opportunity to Elgar to push his claims for a spot in South Africa’s top order ahead of the World Cup.Elgar, who has played just six ODIs for South Africa since his debut in 2012, with his last match coming against India in Mumbai almost three years ago, is known to be desperate for a one-day call-up ahead of next year’s World Cup, and would have been on the selectors’ radar after topping the batting averages for Surrey in the Royal London One-Day Cup this season, where he struck three fifties and averaged 57.25.”We have said that the Zimbabwe series is an opportunity to further explore our ODI options and the unfortunate injury to Hashim gives us an opportunity to see what Dean is capable of in the limited-overs format,” Linda Zondi, the CSA national selection panel convener, said. “He has always been on our radar having put in consistent performances both in South Africa and the UK, and brings a wealth of valuable experience to the batting group in Hashim and Faf’s absence.”Keshav Maharaj has also been released from the ODI squad and will play for the Dolphins in their first round four-day competition fixture against the Titans, starting at SuperSport Park on Wednesday.