Former World Cup winning captain backs Buttler and Mott as captain-coach combo to lead England’s defence in the T20 World Cup next year

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Nov-2023Eoin Morgan has described the idea he should replace Matthew Mott as England’s white-ball coach ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup as “a bit far-fetched” and said that Mott should be given the chance to put things right at next year’s tournament.Morgan, who captained England to their first men’s ODI World Cup in 2019, has been working on the 2023 tournament as a broadcaster, either side of a trip home for the birth of his child. Since returning to India last week, he has been highly critical of England’s performance, which has left them on the brink of elimination after five defeats in six games.Mott coached England to the T20 World Cup last year and on Sunday, he denied Morgan’s implication that there are issues in the dressing room. He has come under growing scrutiny from the English press and after England’s 100-run defeat to India in Lucknow, one column in the argued that Morgan should take over in the event that the ECB decide Mott’s time is up.Related

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Speaking on Sky Sports, Morgan said that the column was “a bit far-fetched” and said that he had no intention of becoming a coach in the near future. “Everybody’s entitled to interpretate [sic] my comments,” he said. “I was very clear in what I thought might be a cause to the performance that the England team have produced throughout this World Cup.”Nobody in the changing room – captain or captain, any of the players – can explain the situation that they find themselves in. But I’m very happy and cemented, hopefully, in what I’m going to do for the future. I spend a lot of time at home now with my young family, which is great, and I love watching on.”Eoin Morgan: “The players have to look at themselves and take a bit of responsibility”•Getty Images

Morgan believes that the short turnaround before next year’s T20 World Cup in June will play in Mott and captain Jos Buttler’s favour. “I actually think talk of replacing captain and coach is not a good idea at the moment, simply because of the high turnover of World Cups,” he said. “They’re double world champions for a reason: they’re not a bad team by any stretch.”Matthew Mott is going through his biggest challenge of his England coaching career at the moment, and it’s one that he should be given time to put right, certainly towards the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the USA,” he added.Mark Wood became the latest England squad member to defend Mott on Wednesday, saying that the players themselves need to take more responsibility for their underperformance. Asked by the BBC if there is still support for Mott among the players, Wood said: “For a [T20] World Cup-winning coach? Support for a World Cup-winning coach? Absolutely.”As a player you have everything you need… you cannot pin everything on the coach. Sometimes, the players have to look at themselves and take a bit of responsibility. I have not performed well enough in this World Cup… I don’t think you can pin it on the captain or the coach. Sometimes you have to look at yourself and say you haven’t been good enough.”England still have plenty to play for in their final three group games, starting against Australia in Ahmedabad on Saturday before fixtures against the Netherlands and Pakistan next week – not least qualification for the 2025 Champions Trophy. The ICC confirmed last week that hosts Pakistan will be joined by the other seven-highest finishers at this World Cup, and England sit 10th as things stand.Morgan said that failure to reach that tournament would leave the ECB and men’s managing director Rob Key in a difficult position. “If the England team don’t qualify for the Champions Trophy, the likes of Rob Key and the board at the ECB will come under increasing pressure surrounding his [Mott’s] job,” he said.

He copped a blow to little finger of his right hand during the sixth over of Australia’s second innings on third day

Tristan Lavalette16-Dec-2023Australia No. 3 Marnus Labuschagne has avoided serious injury after copping a blow to his finger during a withering short-ball assault from Pakistan’s quicks late on day three of the first Test in Perth.During the sixth over of Australia’s second innings, Labuschagne was whacked on the little finger of his right hand from a rearing delivery by debutant quick Khurram Shahzad that jumped off a length. He sought medical attention immediately, but resumed batting after several minutes.A seemingly rattled Labuschagne fell shortly afterwards for 2 in an ungainly dismissal when he top-edged a pull shot that was caught by wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed. Labuschagne was captured during the broadcast receiving treatment from medical staff in Australia’s team room.Related

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Labuschagne, who has played 39 Tests in a row since becoming a permanent member of the team during the 2019 Ashes series, went for a scan after play but was back in the nets on Sunday morning.A spokesperson said: “An x-ray taken last night did not demonstrate any visible fracture. Marnus was able to bat unhindered in the nets this morning.”If Australia do need a replacement batter during the series, the door would likely open for allrounder Cameron Green to return.”He was with the doc and physio for the last hour just chatting through it and doing a few tests on the finger…dare say he might be pretty sore,” Australia quick Josh Hazlewood told reporters after the third day’s play.Australia’s top order faced a thorough examination on an Optus Stadium surface that had more bite as the day wore on. Steven Smith copped several blows on his arm during a short-ball barrage from spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi.Smith needed medical attention just before the close of play after an Afridi delivery whacked into his forearm. But Smith and opener Usman Khawaja survived as Australia reached stumps at 84 for 2 with a lead of 300 runs.”He’s incredibly brave,” Hazlewood said of Smith. “I think it’s probably going to be tougher to play the short ball than in the first innings.”Batting looked really tough there in the end. I think as the game goes along the cracks will come more into play. It’s another hot day tomorrow.”

India coach Amol Muzumdar insists the team still has a “happy dressing room” despite comprehensively losing the ODI and T20I series

S Sudarshanan10-Jan-2024Two moments at the DY Patil Stadium on Tuesday summed up the women’s white-ball series between India and Australia.The first in the tenth over of the Indian innings. Alyssa Healy waited for Harmanpreet Kaur, on 3 off 5, to look up before ringing in the field changes. Ellyse Perry was moved to her right to deep backward square leg. Ashleigh Gardner was pushed back from the ring to deep midwicket. Harmanpreet had just faced a couple of dot balls – the first on a shortish length, pushed towards backward point, and the second on a good length outside off that she defended towards the off side.Annabel Sutherland then slipped in a full ball on the fourth-stump line. Harmanpreet anticipated another short-length ball and moved back and across early, and ended up chopping it onto her stumps. the result – her sixth single-digit score across formats in the series against Australia.Related

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And then the second moment, in the 17th over of Australia’s chase. Phoebe Litchfield, in after a double-strike from Pooja Vastrakar, was to face Shreyanka Patil for only her fourth ball. Spooked by her abilities to hit behind the stumps, the four fielders India had on the boundary were cover-point third, backward square leg and midwicket. It took no time for Litchfield to shimmy down and loft one over mid-off, and then again to find the gap between mid-off and cover. Eventually, Australia got to their 148-run target with eight balls unused.After completing their 2-1 T20I series win against India, Australia’s captain Healy lavished praise on Litchfield, who finished the white-ball leg with 344 runs at an average of 86.”I was joking sitting on the bench that I remember when I was that fearless when you come out and you have lost two wickets in an over and play a ramp over the keeper for four,” Healy said. “Unbelievable talent but at the same time she has got a good head on her shoulders and has fitted in beautifully in our squad and will play a key role for us in the Bangladesh [T20] World Cup [2024] and the ODI World Cup [2025] in these conditions in the next 18 months. She is great to watch and hopefully she is going to have a long and successful career for Australia.”Healy also threw her weight behind Harmanpreet, after India head coach Amol Muzumdar had brushed off concerns surrounding the captain’s form by saying a form slump “happens to every cricketer”.Harmanpreet began the T20Is against England with 26 off 21 before two single-digit scores including an unbeaten 6 in the third T20I win. She then scored 49 and 44 not out in the one-off Test against the same opposition before returning single digits in each outing with the bat against Australia.”She got out playing the sweep shot quite a lot, which she traditionally plays quite well,” Healy said. “It might be down to some form. She has had probably had two hard series on the trot and this series has been a long one. [We had] no specific plans in place, but we know we need to be switched on when she walks out to the crease and our bowlers did a great job at keeping her quiet.”Despite Pooja Vastrakar’s blows, it was not an evening to remember for Harmanpreet Kaur’s side•Getty Images

Healy and Harmanpreet had contrasting build-ups to the series and Healy, in her first tour as full-time captain, alluded to the different attitudes they have.”[Harmanpreet and I] are two competitive cricketers going out there doing their job. We approach it differently and that is no disrespect to her, and that’s over to her to deal with that. From my point of view there is no animosity there. If I need to be given a send-off, so be it. I am all for it, because at the end of the day, I am chirpy behind the stumps. If you are willing to dish it out, you have got to be able to cop it.”While India won the one-off Test against Australia, they lost the ODI and T20I series comprehensively. Despite the result, Muzumdar said that the Indian dressing room “a happy space” and was “proud” of the way they played.”Irrespective of the result, we should be proud the way we played all the games,” he said. “Apart from the third ODI, all the other games have been close, so they should be proud of what they have done. The biggest positive is the girls have responded nicely in all the formats, whether it was Test cricket – we played after nine years in India. Not many had played red-ball cricket till then. In white-ball cricket we really need to focus on our fielding and our fitness.”At the moment it is a happy dressing room. I know we have not gotten the results we would have wanted this series, but they are in a happy space in the dressing room. That is how it should be and that is how I intend it to be till the World Cup.”Healy was also happy with the learnings from the series and said Australia played only “two and a half days” of poor cricket on their part.”I am just really, really proud of this group of people. We are here in India over a month that we are traditionally at home spending time with our families, and it is the first time we are away this time of the year.”The month that we have been here, we have played two and a half bad days of cricket – one and a half days in the Test match and one T20 – and I am really proud of the group. Hopefully we can have a really successful 2024 on the back of it.”

Mumbai’s young batter also credits Ajinkya Rahana and Shreyas Iyer for their roles in putting up big partnerships

PTI12-Mar-2024Mumbai batter Musheer Khan has said that the presence of Sachin Tendulkar at the Wankhede Stadium during the third day of the Ranji Trophy final inspired him to “bat with motivation”.Musheer, 19, scored a patient 136 that all but batted Vidarbha out of the game. He had earlier made 203 not out in the quarter-final against Baroda, as well as a crucial 55 in the semis against Tamil Nadu.”I did not even know that Sachin sir was here,” Musheer said. “But when I was batting on 60, I saw on him on the big screen and (thereon) I batted with the motivation that he is watching today and I have to impress sir.”Besides Tendulkar, India’s Test captain Rohit Sharma was also present at the ground. However, it was two other experienced players – Ajinkya Rahane and Shreyas Iyer – who provided valuable advice in the middle, as Musheer put up century stands with both.Related

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“I got to learn a lot during the partnerships,” Musheer said. “It is a matter of pride for me that I got to bat with two Test players, it becomes easier for me too. Everyone in their team was trying to get Ajju (Ajinkya Rahane) out and it becomes easier for me.”It was a dream for me to score a century in the Ranji Trophy final. Me and Iyer had a good partnership, we communicated well and (Iyer) was insisting that we have to bat for long period and take the game as far as we can.”Musheer said there was no risk involved in his tendency to move down the line of deliveries since he has practised a lot for it.”When I was dropped from the Ranji Trophy (squad) last year, I got to learn a lot about the (need to) work on the technique. I have done a lot of preparations with , there still is a lot to do.”There are some wickets where the ball keeps coming straight at you but one odd-delivery cuts (from the pitch), hence I try to not let the bowler settle down and find the right spot to bowl at.”Risk is there in everything. There is risk in defending too – what if there is a bat-pad situation to get out? But I have a lot of confidence with it; I have done a lot of preparation and practise by moving in the front.”I am also ready for the bouncer. If someone bowls that, I can duck too. I move in the front but not with the intent to hit unless I get a half-volley.”Musheer, who is now the youngest to have scored a century for Mumbai in a Ranji Trophy final, revealed that his brother and India player Sarfaraz Khan asked him to forget the first-innings failure and back himself in the second.”I had spoken with earlier and he told me that this is a good opportunity for me in the final, with everyone watching. If I would make runs here, it would be better for me in the future.”When I got out (for cheap) in the first innings, (he told me) it’s okay, back yourself in the second innings and play your game. He told me to bat the way I found was comfortable.”

The Andhra Cricket Association had said earlier in the day that Vihari hadn’t responded to the notice

Shashank Kishore28-Mar-2024India batter Hanuma Vihari has refuted Andhra Cricket Association’s (ACA’s) claims that he hadn’t responded to a show-cause notice issued to him.Vihari had lashed out during the 2023-24 Ranji season about political interference costing him his captaincy and that “he would never play for Andhra again”. On March 25, the ACA had sent a notice to Vihari over email, calling for an explanation of his comments. In his response, seen by ESPNcricinfo, Vihari stated he had “put out the facts” about the “unfair” treatment meted out to him.”I want to move out and play for another team. I’ve asked ACA for a no-objection certificate. I’m awaiting a response,” Vihari told ESPNcricinfo.On Thursday afternoon, PTI had reported that the ACA has served the notice, roughly a month after Vihari raised objections at the way he was ousted as Andhra captain, and that he hadn’t responded.”Yes, we have served him a show-cause notice and we are awaiting his reply,” an ACA official told PTI on condition of anonymity. “This is just to find what made him react the way he did last month. He has not reached out to us, so this is a chance for him to come out with his grievances.”After all, we value Vihari and his contributions to the growth of state cricket as he has played a big part in Andhra going up in the ranks in domestic cricket.”Related

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On February 26, Vihari had said he would “never play for Andhra” again, saying the treatment he had received at the hands of the ACA during the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy has left him “humiliated”. He was speaking not long after Andhra had lost their quarter-final against Madhya Pradesh by just four runs.In an Instagram post, Vihari alleged that he was forced to step down as captain following Andhra’s opening-round game against Bengal in January. At the time, he had cited “personal reasons” for the decision, but said on Saturday that the truth was that the association had taken “action” against him because of political interference.”I was captain in the first game against Bengal, and during the game, I shouted at 17th player, and he complained to his dad (who is a politician),” Vihari wrote. “His dad in return asked the association to take action against me. Although we chased 410 against last year’s finalists Bengal [for a first-innings lead], I was asked to resign from captaincy without any fault of mine.”I never said anything on a personal note to the player, but the association thought the player was more important than the guy who gave his body on the line last year and batted left-handed, took Andhra to the knockouts five times in the last seven years and played for India in 16 Tests.”The ACA issued a statement later on the same day, saying there were questions around Vihari’s captaincy stint. “It has come to our attention that Mr Vihari personally verbally abused a specific player during the Bengal Ranji game in front of everyone,” the statement said. “The affected player filed an official complaint with the ACA.”

Jason Holder stars for Worcestershire but visitors hit back on 14-wicket day in Kidderminster

ECB Reporters Network19-Apr-2024Ollie Robinson spearheaded a powerful Durham response with the bat after Jason Holder had threatened to place Worcestershire in a position of strength on day one of the Vitality County Championship match with Durham at Kidderminster.The England Lions keeper was responsible for a partial recovery after Durham had subsided to 141 for 7 midway through the afternoon session.Former West Indies captain Holder, who is available for the opening five Championship matches, had bowled an inspired spell of 8-2-26-3 to remove David Bedingham, Graham Clark and Paul Coughlin post lunch. But Robinson went on the offensive to such an extent that his half-century came up in only 41 balls with three sixes and five fours.Ben Raine and Matthew Potts provided useful lower order support and then made early inroads with the ball but Jake Libby dug in for an unbeaten 35.Worcestershire were back playing first-class cricket at Chester Road for the first time in four years because of the series of eight floods which have engulfed New Road this winter. At least the first two home Championship matches after Worcestershire’s promotion with Durham from Division Two are being staged at Kidderminster.Groundstaff are hoping for a dry spring to enhance hopes of playing the third home match against Nottinghamshire – beginning at May 24 – at the county’s headquarters.Both sides were forced into changes because of injury setbacks. Worcestershire’s in-form batter Kashif Ali was ruled out with a back injury suffered during training, while Durham pace bowler Scott Boland suffered a foot injury during the drawn game with Warwickshire at Edgbaston. Brydon Carse was also unavailable due to his match play management schedule.Play got underway half an hour late and Durham captain Scott Borthwick opted to bat on his 34th birthday as the Dukes ball returned to the bowlers’ armoury. But it was not a happy anniversary for Borthwick as the home side struck two early blows.Borthwick had failed to trouble the scorers when a delivery in the first over from Joe Leach beat his outside edge and hit the top of off stump. And it became 19 for 2 when Alex Lees pushed forward to Nathan Smith and fell to a low catch by Holder away to his right at second slip.Colin Ackermann had an escape on 18 when he flicked Holder off his legs and saw the chance put down at midwicket. The third-wicket pair of Ackermann and David Bedingham had to fight hard for runs although the latter greeted Matthew Waite’s entrance into the attack with successive cover drives for four.Durham reached 89 for 2 at lunch but Holder switched to the pavilion end and struck in the first over back. Bedingham on 38 went to cut the former West Indies captain but only succeeded in chopping onto his stumps.Leach bowled a probing post lunch spell and was rewarded when Ackermann (47) went lbw to a delivery angled back in.Holder was constantly asking questions and struck again when Graham Clark was lbw working to leg. Adam Finch then replaced Leach and immediately tasted some success as Bas de Leede played a similar shot and perished in the same fashion.Robinson decided attack was the best policy and received excellent support from Ben Raine during a stand of 61 in 8.4 overs. The Durham wicketkeeper struck Waite for two straight sixes in an over and raced to his half-century. But Waite had the final say when Robinson pushed forward and keeper Gareth Roderick held onto a low catch.Finch wrapped up the innings with two wickets in three balls as Raine top edged a pull through to Roderick and Callum Parkinson missed a full toss and was lbw.But Worcestershire quickly ran into trouble against the new ball attack of Raine and Matthew Potts. Raine had Roderick caught behind and club captain Brett D’Oliveira offered no shot and was bowled by Potts.Libby and Rob Jones initially dug in but then started to reel off a series of fine strokes. The stand was worth 60 when Jones (32) pushed forward to Coughlin and was lbw and then Adam Hose chopped the same bowler onto his stumps.

Cameron Bancroft adds fifty as India’s Siddarth Kaul takes four on Northants debut

ECB Reporters Network10-May-2024Miles Hammond struck a sparkling 112 off 133 balls, his first century in two years to help propel Gloucestershire to 338 for 8 against Northamptonshire on day one of this Vitality County Championship match at Wantage Road.Despite hitting eight fifties last season, and three so far this year, this was the first time Hammond had gone on to reach three figures since making 169 against Hampshire in Cheltenham, the town of his birth, in 2022.While batting was never straightforward with swing on offer throughout the day, Hammond took the attacking route, hitting 17 boundaries and reaching his milestone by swotting Northamptonshire quick George Scrimshaw high over fine leg for a big six. Gloucestershire’s Australian overseas signing Cameron Bancroft also contributed a solid 53 at the top of the order.Indian international Siddarth Kaul meanwhile made an immediate impact on his Northamptonshire debut, taking 4 wickets for 58 in 23 testing overs, including three in the afternoon session. Ultimately though, his new county were unable to press home their advantage of having the visitors 119 for 3 as Gloucestershire made hay in the afternoon sunshine against some loose bowling.Northamptonshire did stage a good fightback, taking three late wickets with the new ball including one for evergreen seamer Ben Sanderson, playing his 100th first-class match for his adopted county.Northamptonshire won the toss and decided to bowl, fielding a largely new look attack, with Scrimshaw playing only his second game for the Tudor Rose, and Nottinghamshire spinning all-rounder Liam Patterson-White coming in on a one-match loan deal.Gloucestershire batted solidly during the morning, Bancroft taking on the extra pace of Scrimshaw, pulling him for four and cutting him crisply for two more boundaries.But it was the former Derbyshire bowler who made the first breakthrough, getting one to lift to Ben Charlesworth (16) who could only edge behind.Northamptonshire continued to apply pressure and create chances in the hour before lunch. New batter Ollie Price took 29 balls to get off the mark and both he and Bancroft edged balls which landed just short of the slips.After the interval, Kaul picked up the big wicket of Bancroft when he fell lbw to the third delivery of the session. The bowler, who is hoping to impress the Indian Test selectors during his Northamptonshire stint, bowled consistently all day, finding plenty of movement to trouble the batters.Kaul then accounted for Price (10) with a peach of a delivery which angled in before swinging away to take the edge, Emilio Gay taking an excellent diving catch at second slip.Hammond though looked in fine form, unfurling two glorious swivel pull shots against Scrimshaw before slapping him square for another boundary and driving Kaul firmly through the covers. He also took on the spin of Patterson-White, twice dispatching him over the infield.He was joined in a partnership of 75 for the fourth wicket by James Bracey (33) who cover drove Sanderson for two fours and hit Patterson-White over midwicket before he became Kaul’s third wicket, adjudged lbw to a full one which shaped back in.Hammond and skipper Graeme van Buuren (46) then put on 67, with runs flowing freely as Northamptonshire failed to capitalise on the movement on offer. Hammond finally fell soon after celebrating his century when he came down the wicket to Patterson-White and chipped the ball to midwicket where Ricardo Vasconcelos held a stunning diving catch.van Buuren brought out the sweep against Patterson-White to take Gloucestershire past 300 before the momentum swung back Northamptonshire’s way.Sanderson had been unlucky not to pick up a wicket earlier in the day, but had been wayward too, leaking runs down the leg side. He finally drew the edge from van Buuren with Vasconcelos taking a sharp catch at third slip. Then Tom Price (23), dropped early in his innings, was finally caught at slip to give Luke Procter a well-earned reward after toiling hard all day.Zafar Gohar became Kaul’s fourth wicket when he edged behind, but the bowler was denied a fifth in the penultimate over when Gay dropped Marchant de Lange in the slips.

Four centuries were scored in the game, and it came down to the last ball, where Pooja Vastrakar sealed the deal and gave India the series win

Srinidhi Ramanujam19-Jun-2024Four centuries, a first in women’s ODIs. A total of 646 runs. The spectators in Bengaluru were treated to as entertaining a game of 50-over cricket as they could have imagined, and the result went their way too: India clinched a last-ball win over South Africa to secure the series 2-0 with a match in hand.It came down to Pooja Vastrakar’s final over where she had to defend 10 runs after India had posted 325 for 3. After conceding five off the first two balls, both full tosses, her next two deliveries fetched her two wickets with Laura Wolvaardt, one of four century-makers in the game, stranded at the non-striker’s end. The equation became five off the final delivery, and Wolvaardt, finally on strike, was beaten by Vastrakar’s back-of-the-hand slower delivery.Related

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Earlier, after being asked to bat first, India scored their third-highest ODI total with Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur smashing 136 and 103 not out respectively. While it looked out of reach after South Africa were reduced to 67 for 3 in the chase, Wolvaardt and Marizanne Kapp’s 184-run partnership took the game deep.Not long ago, South Africa were at the receiving end of the highest successful ODI run-chase of 302 by Sri Lanka. On Wednesday, they came close to breaking that record but fell short of it.

SA start brilliantly with the ball

The way South Africa started with the ball, one would have expected India to stop at around 230-240.The second ODI was played on a different strip to the series opener, with a patch of grass and visible cracks on it. The new-ball pair of Ayabonga Khaka and Masabata Klaas extracted everything they could from it, exerting pressure on Shafali Verma and Mandhana with a lot of movement. A bit of variable bounce also meant runs were hard to get initially. Mandhana, in fact, got off the mark after 18 deliveries.As for Shafali, she showed glimpses of patience in her 38-ball innings but it was short-lived. After smashing a four straight down the ground off left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba, she tried to go across the line next ball and holed out to Klaas at mid-on.After 15 overs, India had huffed and puffed to 47 for 1, hitting just five fours. In this period, they had faced 72 dot balls.Harmanpreet Kaur celebrates after scoring a blistering century•BCCI

The game-changing partnership

Along with D Hemalatha, the No. 3, Mandhana stitched a steady 62 runs off 68 balls. Hemalatha fell for a 41-ball 24, and it was only after Harmanpreet walked out that runs started flowing.The pitch had also eased out by then, and Harmanpreet and Mandhana put on a huge partnership – 171 runs off 136 balls. Their centuries not only helped India overcome their sedate start but also batted South Africa into a corner (though not out of the game, as it emerged).Mandhana oozed class and Harmanpreet showed what power and deft touch can do.Mandhana picked up pace, getting herself from 31 off the first 48 balls to her seventh ODI hundred in 103 balls, and went on to add 36 more. When the bowlers varied their lines, she moved around the crease and either slashed it to deep point or pulled to the square-leg area. Along the way, Mandhana also became the first Indian to score back-to-back centuries in women’s ODIs.Harmanpreet didn’t have to start slow, unlike her deputy. After racing to a run-a-ball 24, she got quicker as her innings progressed. Unlike Mandhana, who scored on both sides of the wicket, Harmanpreet scored predominantly on the leg side. A total of 70 of her runs came on that side, with four of her nine fours and two out of three sixes hit in the midwicket region.Meike de Ridder, who played in place of South Africa’s first-choice wicketkeeper Sinalo Jafta after she suffered a mild concussion on the eve of the match, missed a stumping chance when Harmanpreet was on 88, off the second delivery off the final over. It gave Harmanpreet a chance to complete her sixth ODI century, the first in almost two years, and she smoked 4, 6 and 4 to get to three figures.South Africa ran out of steam, with Wolvaardt even bringing on legspinning-allrounder Sune Luus – who was bowling in ODIs after a gap of two years – into the attack. However, they couldn’t contain India, who scored 118 runs in the last ten overs.At the other end, Richa Ghosh, batting at No. 5, plundered a 13-ball unbeaten 25, comprising three fours and a six, and was key in the unbroken 54-run stand with Harmanpreet.Marizanne Kapp and Laura Wolvaardt almost won the game for South Africa•Getty Images

Kapp and Wolvaardt fight back

Kapp and Wolvaardt, the senior pros, were resolute and unwavering in their focus.This being South Africa’s second-last series in the 2022-25 Women’s Championship cycle, they need a couple of wins out of six to ensure automatic qualification for the World Cup next year in India. They had already lost the opening game, and needed points here. They play England next at home.South Africa didn’t get off to an ideal start, losing three wickets for 67 inside 15 overs. However, unlike on Sunday, the pitch was helping the batters during the chase with the Indian spinners not getting enough grip and turn under lights. That helped Wolvaardt and Kapp settle in and then go big in the last 15 or so overs.Initially, they kept the scoreboard ticking over, putting away the loose deliveries and taking singles off good ones. That clarity and patience saw both the set batters converting their starts and getting to half-centuries.Kapp, playing as a pure batter with her workload being managed following a back injury, thrived under pressure and hit 11 fours and three sixes in her 94-ball 114. Wolvaardt, who became the first South Africa batter to score 4000 runs in women’s ODIs on the night, took calculated risks and paced her innings well to stay till the end. Her knock had 12 fours and three sixes.With 148 runs needed from the last 15 overs, the pair accelerated. Even after Kapp was dismissed in the 43rd, courtesy a superb catch from Vastrakar at long-off, Wolvaardt kept going hard, striking the ball effortlessly.Nadine de Klerk’s cameo of 28 also helped South Africa get closer. Till, in the end, they fell just short.

Scotland international’s 17-ball 39 set Worcestershire an insurmountable target of 191

ECB Reporters Network05-Jul-2024A brutal cameo from Michael Jones helped Durham to a 22-run win against the Worcestershire Rapids in the Vitality Blast.Jones smashed 39 from 17 balls at the Seat Unique Riverside to help Durham to a big total of 190 for 5, with the Scottish international capitalising on a good platform set by Ollie Robinson who made 41.The visitors’ chase was led by an impressive 45 from Kashif Ali, but a good Durham bowling performance spearheaded by Ben Raine meant that the Rapids fell short.Durham are now in a good position to qualify for the quarter-finals for the first time since 2018, but the Rapids face an uphill challenge to qualify having lost their last six in the competition.Having won the toss, the hosts chose to bat and Graham Clark got the innings off to the perfect start as he carved one through the covers for four. Skipper Alex Lees then got the first six of the night when he smashed a Josh Cobb ball over the long-on boundary.The Rapids then fought back after a tough start with Lees and Clark departing for 22 and 24 respectively.Robinson and Colin Ackermann used the large dimensions at Chester-le-Street to their advantage, as the Rapids restricted the boundary count in the middle overs.Ackermann felt the run-scoring squeeze and Brett D’Oliveira was the beneficiary as the Durham man mistimed a slog sweep and was caught on the boundary for 19.Robinson started to tick and smashed a D’Oliveira ball for six as Durham passed 100, however the Rapids captain struck back as he bowled Ashton Turner for 20.Robinson then struck two sixes from a Brookes over but he went for one too many as he skied one to long-on for 41.That didn’t stop the hosts’ barrage as Jones smashed one out the ground and he then hit 24 from the final over to finish unbeaten on 39 and the hosts finished on 190 for 5.The visitors had a tough task to chase 191 and they struggled to get going initially, as they picked up just 10 runs from the first two overs.D’Oliveira then departed at the hands of Bas de Leede, who coaxed an edge from the Rapids skipper and Robinson was on hand to take the catch behind the stumps.Ali, who led his side to an impressive win at this ground in the County Championship earlier this week, looked to get his side going alongside Cobb and they started to make a dent into the target.Ali then smashed a Sowter ball down the ground for six and followed that with one into the stands.However, Raine picked up the key wicket of Ali for 45, with Durham’s top wicket taker bowling the impressive opener.Then the hosts got the dangerous Adam Hose for just seven, after he was brilliantly caught on the boundary by Ackermann off the bowling of Sowter.The experienced Cobb was then dropped on 25 by Sowter as the Rapids continued to live dangerously but the leg-spinner bounced back from the drop as he picked up the wicket of Brookes.Cobb then departed for 39 as he was bowled by Ben Dwarshuis, but Gareth Roderick hit a six over the legside boundary to give his side a chance however he fell to Raine for 18 to leave the visitors staring down the barrel of defeat.Late wickets from Dwarshuis, de Leede and Raine saw the hosts home comfortably, winning by 22 runs.

Ollie Pope confirmed as England captain for three-match Test series against Sri Lanka

Vithushan Ehantharajah13-Aug-2024Ben Stokes has been ruled out of the rest of the summer after scans on Tuesday revealed England men’s Test captain has torn his left hamstring.Stokes sustained the injury playing in the Hundred for Northern Superchargers against Manchester Originals on Sunday. Called through for a quick single early in Superchargers’ chase, he pulled up injured on completing the run, before falling to the floor and clutching his left leg. He had to be helped on the field and returned to the team dugout with crutches.A scan on Tuesday revealed the extent of the damage, with Stokes now unable to play any part in the upcoming three-match Test series against Sri Lanka which begins in Manchester on August 21. It means Ollie Pope, Stokes’ vice-captain for over a year, will assume full captaincy duties for the series. He was subsequently withdrawn from London Spirit’s squad for their final Hundred match against Northern Superchargers on Tuesday evening.Related

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The ECB said in a statement that Stokes is aiming to return for England’s winter Test tour of Pakistan, which will start in Multan on October 7. Zak Crawley, who is missing the Sri Lanka series with a finger injury, is also targeting the Pakistan tour for his return.England have decided not to name a replacement for Stokes in their squad to face Sri Lanka. In his absence, Jordan Cox will come into contention to make his Test debut as a specialist batter at No. 6. Alternatively, they could change the balance of the team by moving Jamie Smith and Chris Woakes up to No. 6 and 7 respectively, and select an additional seamer in Matthew Potts or Olly Stone.Ollie Pope will captain England against Sri Lanka•Getty Images

Stokes is expected to join the rest of the squad in Manchester this weekend, as originally planned, and it is understood he will try to be with the team for every day of the series, which includes two Tests in London.At the same time, England will hope Pope embraces his temporary promotion, having been made Stokes’ deputy in 2023 with a view to giving him more responsibility to harness his leadership potential. His promotion to No. 3 came on similar grounds, which has largely been a success, averaging 44.63 in that position, with five centuries.Pope’s captaincy experience is limited to a single first-class match, leading Surrey against Glamorgan in September 2021, though he did take the reins for their 2024 Vitality Blast campaign with regular skipper Chris Jordan away with England at the T20 World Cup.He has previously captained England XIs in warm-up matches in the UAE ahead of the 2022 Pakistan tour and in New Zealand at the start of 2023, after Stokes opted to sit out of both.