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“We’ve had a lot of discussions about this and the guys have come up with a meaningful gesture,” says Boucher

Firdose Moonda25-Dec-2020The South African Test team will make an anti-racism gesture when they take the field against Sri Lanka on Boxing Day.Coach Mark Boucher confirmed that the squad has decided to express their support for inclusion after the interim board issued a statement of concern over the team not taking a knee when they returned to international cricket last month. Whether their action will include taking a knee will only be known on the eve of the match.”We’ve had a lot of discussions since we’ve come into the bubble about this, especially after what the board statement was and the guys have come up with a meaningful gesture,” Boucher said. “That’s something the players will share with everyone before match day.”Last Friday, the interim board criticised the team’s response to Black Lives Matter (BLM) but emphasised that they would not force anything on them. However, the board was disappointed that the team did not join other international sides such as England, West Indies and New Zealand in showing “the world that all of us are together in opposing racism at every turn,” and encouraged the team to continue exploring ways to demonstrate anti-racism while reiterating its own support for BLM.Related

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Now, it appears that the team has taken the board’s concerns on board and will go beyond what they did in the England series – a banner on the stands that read: “We stand in solidarity against racism and gender-based violence” – although they were hesitant to say the board’s statement persuaded them to do so.”We appreciate the board isn’t looking to compel the team into doing anything one way or the other and that they are happy to allow the team to go through their process and come up with something meaningful to them,” Boucher said. “We are happy to engage further with them and what they would like to discuss at a more appropriate time.”South African cricket’s collision with the BLM movement began when Lungi Ngidi expressed hope that the team would join the rest of the world in “making a stand,” against racism. It then exploded when Ngidi was criticised by four former players, all white.South African players and support staff took a knee during the exhibition 3TC match in July but decided against doing so when they played as a national side, though they did not explain why. Their decision was met with criticism from within the country, where the legacy of Apartheid remains strong, and most recently by the interim board, proving a divisive and distracting issue for the national team.And that is not all Boucher has had to think about. After England’s withdrawal from their tour to South Africa because of concerns over breaches of the bio-secure environment, Sri Lanka’s tour was at risk. Sri Lanka Cricket agreed on the team travelling but wanted stricter measures than had been in place for the England series – during which players were allowed to leave the hotel to play golf – and now Cricket Australia will be watching to decide if they will visit South Africa in February-March 2021.South Africa is also in the midst of a second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic and saw its highest increase in infections on Wednesday, driven by a new and more transmittable strain of the virus, which makes ensuring the Sri Lanka series takes place without incident all the more important. Boucher explained that while he will ensure the players stick to the protocols, he is not overly involved in how the bio-bubble works.Getty Images

“I don’t like to micromanage. There are certain people who have been put in places to do certain jobs,” he said. “My job is coaching the team so if it’s not my job to control the bio-secure environment and it’s not my job to speak to England to see how they are feeling or speak to Sri Lanka to see how they are feeling. We get given information from our medical staff on what they feel is going to be the best and the safest way for this tour to go ahead.”On Thursday, South Africa’s squad cleared their fourth – and final – round of testing for Covid-19. For this series, the medical team decided that both teams would be housed at the Irene Country Club, a lifestyle estate near Centurion.”It is very comfortable. It’s a great place. There’s a nice big dam out here,” Boucher said. “The guys have been doing a little bit of fishing, I always like to fish with a mate next to me but we can’t do that so the guys have got to fish by themselves. We’ve got a golf simulator that’s been set up for us here so that’s nice. The guys really like to play golf. It’s quite irritating that we’ve got Centurion Lakes and Irene right next to us that we can’t go to but these are things we’ve got to do in order to get some cricket.”Because ultimately, with all that has been going on behind the scenes, cricket is the one thing the South African team has lacked and are desperately in need of.”Do I want to play cricket? Absolutely. There’s no cricket going in South Africa at the moment, which is disturbing. We want the best for the players and we want to try and get these guys onto the field,” Boucher said. “It’s no use talking about the game of cricket. The best way to better yourself as a player is to get out there and go and play. From my side as a coach, I want the guys to go and play. If we have to go through certain hoops, albeit very strict things, to get us to play a game of cricket then we have to do it. I will drive from that a coaching perspective. With regards to the other stuff, that’s not my job to worry about. I will abide by what I have to do. There’s a lot of other things going on at the moment but these guys are going to play cricket.”

Opener will need to pass a fitness test on game day but appears unlikely to be fit

Alex Malcolm05-Feb-2021Perth Scorchers opener Jason Roy is in severe doubt to take his place in Saturday night’s BBL final against the Sydney Sixers with him needing to pass a final-minute fitness test prior to the toss.Roy was withdrawn from the Challenger against Brisbane Heat on Thursday night after injuring his ankle at training during the week when he went over on it during a warm-up game at training in unusual circumstances.Cameron Bancroft replaced him at the top of the order and made an unbeaten half-century in a rollicking 114-run opening stand with Liam Livingstone which set-up the Scorchers’ comfortable win.Scorchers captain Ashton Turner said Roy has barely tested the ankle since the injury and would need to do so before being declared fit to play.”He hasn’t been put through many physical tasks,” Turner said. “I think the call was made pretty early that he’d miss the last game. I know he’ll do a fitness test before the game tomorrow and I think he’s waiting as eagerly as I am to see how much he can move and what his restrictions are. On the back of not being able to really test it, I don’t think anyone has a great idea of the chances of him playing.Related

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“It was pretty innocuous. I wish it was on film because he would have looked like a bit of a clown. He was changing direction with no balls around him, no other people around him and he just went over on his ankle. It was one of those, sort of, freak incidents.”At the time no one really knew what was happening. It’s unfortunate for him. He’s been such an important part of our team and like most superstars of international cricket they love playing in big games and they pride themselves on their performances in big games. I know he was shattered to not be able to take his place in the XI.”Turner said it was a luxury to be able to bring in Bancroft at short notice and have him perform like he did, considering he had batted just five times in the tournament prior to the Challenger and had not opened in a T20 game for more than two seasons.”It’s a nice position to be in for me where I’m not too stressed either way,” Turner said. “We’d love to have [Jason] come back. He’s been brilliant for us in this tournament. But should he not pull up and be able to take his place in the XI, to have Cam Bancroft, who has shown over a number of years that he’s capable of playing match-winning innings as he did last night., we’re very fortunate to be in that position.”The Scorchers and Sixers will meet for the fourth time in a BBL final and the fourth time this season. The two teams have developed a healthy rivalry in the 10 editions of the tournament.The ending to the Qualifier in Canberra last Saturday, where Andrew Tye bowled a wide which denied James Vince the chance at a century, has the potential to add extra spice to the final but Turner was not convinced.”I’ll say yes so you can write about and create some more hype and gets some more eyeballs on the articles,” Turner said. “I think that there are so many different factors that come into creating tension in a game. There’s probably no more motivation than being able to lift a trophy to incentivise playing well.”I said this on the night of that game that anyone who knows AJ Tye knows that he plays the game in the best spirit. That was an unfortunate end to the game and I said on that night I hope it didn’t take away or detract from how well James Vince played. He was brilliant that night and that being said, to watch AJ bowl last night, he was back to his best.”It has been a remarkable turnaround for the Scorchers after starting the season without a win in their first four games. There was some pressure on coach Adam Voges after the winless start but Turner believes his calming influence has played a big part in their turnaround in form.”We knew it was a long season, 14 games, and we knew we were too good a team to keep losing,” Turner said. “Our fortunes were going to turn eventually and thankfully for our coach’s sake, we were able to take some of the heat off him. He’s been brilliant throughout the tournament.:The consistency from when we’re losing to when we’re winning, the preparation has remained the same. Vogesy has been so level-headed throughout a long tournament that we feel as players we’ve been able to pay him respect by winning games and hopefully we can give a trophy to lift tomorrow night.”

The spinner’s future will be decided in the coming weeks while Christian has added another trophy to his haul

Andrew McGlashan07-Feb-2021Steve O’Keefe and Dan Christian have seen and done a lot in their cricket careers, but Saturday’s BBL title triumph at the SCG had extra special meaning.It was a season that only brought Sydney Sixers home at the very end – the final against Perth Scorchers was the first and last match they could play in Sydney due to the Covid-19 border restrictions that have had to be navigated throughout a 61-match season that defied many hurdles to get completed.For O’Keefe, who was a survivor from the Sixers’ first title in BBL01 along with captain Moises Henriques, it may yet prove the final outing of his professional career (although don’t rule him out just yet) with discussions to be had over his future.”It would be hard to top that and we’ve got some great young so spinners so we’ll just wait and see what happens,” he said.Related

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“During the week I said this was already in the top six [achievements] regardless of how the night went so this is No. 1 without a doubt, given the nature of the tournament, the pressure, the way we had to adapt and change, the way things moved around. The way we were able to adapt under those circumstances was unbelievable so this is easily the best in my BBL career.”I’m not getting any younger and my body at times does fail me. So we’ll have a chat, let the dust settle, if they [Sixers] still see some value in me then great, then it will be up to me to whether I want to go round again.”In the final, O’Keefe did what he so often does: tie up batsmen and produced four overs vital to the outcome of the match with 13 of the runs he conceded coming off one over.And the same can be said of Christian as he secured a ninth T20 title. “The guy doesn’t know how to lose,” O’Keefe said, adding that the allrounder spoke to the team on the bus journey to remind every player what part they had played. “He just instills belief in the group.”Dan Christian’s T20 titles•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Christian has played T20 cricket for 17 teams (No. 18 will follow shortly with Karachi Kings in the PSL) but this campaign has meant more. A chance to come home in what is a globetrotting existence.”Having the opportunity to come back and play for my home city was huge,” he said. “It was something I’ve really wanted to do for a long time, so to get that opportunity was really exciting and to go on and win the cup means a hell of a lot. From that perspective it’s probably a bit more [special] than usual when you do start with a new team.”The game was sealed by the time he was given the final over, but he was able to add the finishing touches of a couple of wickets having contributed a handy 20 off 14 balls.He had done the hard yards with the ball earlier, bowling the final over of the Powerplay where he conceded just five to pull back a rapid Scorchers start, the 10th and the second of the Power Surge in the 16th which he kept to six.”That’s why I play these days, to try and win things,” he said. “I’m just really pleased for everyone involved with the team. From our first training session together out at Blacktown then going down to Hobart, we gelled really well.”To play cricket the way we did all through the season, we got off to absolute flyer, top of the table for most of the season, a couple of hiccups at the end, but we fully deserved that result.”Christian is on a two-year deal with the Sixers so will be back for more next summer. “Let’s keep him till he’s 45, he’s never going to get old, is he,” O’Keefe joked as he waits to find out, or decide, whether he’ll be there with him.

Decision made due to return flights needing to be rerouted after UAE was classed as a ‘red list’ country

Mohammad Isam13-Mar-2021Ireland Wolves’ tour of Bangladesh has been reduced by three days, with the second T20 match that was scheduled being cancelled on account of Covid-19 related restrictions in Ireland about their transit country on the flight back home.The Wolves have already played one unofficial Test and four unofficial one-dayers against the Bangladesh Emerging Team. They will play the fifth and final ODI in Dhaka on Sunday, and a solitary T20 match on March 16, following which the Wolves will fly back home.Related

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Cricket Ireland said in a statement that both boards had agreed to the change in the itinerary, which originally had two T20 matches scheduled for March 17 and 18. The change was brought about because the team will have to reroute their return flight that was originally transiting through the UAE, and fly back home via a different country. With the UAE being a Category 2 ‘red list’ country as per Ireland, even transiting through would force the squad into a two-week hotel quarantine.Richard Holdsworth, Cricket Ireland’s High Performance director, said the Irish authorities had intimated the board of the quarantine regulations,.”While unfortunate that we will be sacrificing one T20, Irish authorities have advised that extensions of quarantining regulations for in-bound passengers to Ireland flying through Category 2 ‘red list’ countries mean a compulsory 14-day hotel quarantine,” Holdsworth said. “As our route home was via the UAE, that would mean our squad would be caught up under these regulations – regardless of whether we were stopping over or simply transiting through – so we have had to re-route the players home via another country not on the red-list.”We have always said that the mental and physical health and welfare of our squads are our first priority, so avoiding a 14-day hotel quarantine was essential. Given the rigorous bubble conditions these players have already abided by over the last four weeks, the fact that some of the squad would have experienced similar bio-bubbles in the UAE not so long ago, and the possibility that countries could be added to the red-list at any time, we considered the sacrifice of one T20 a reasonable compromise in order to get the squad home as quickly as possible, via a non-category 2 country.”Last month, the Pakistan women’s tour of Zimbabwe was cut short after its carrier, Emirates, announced it was suspending the Harare-Dubai route.The Wolves’ tour of Bangladesh has already had the first one-dayer called off after Ruhan Pretorius was found Covid positive during the game in Chattogram. He was found to be negative within two days, after which the third game was delayed by two hours when one of Ireland’s local support staff was found Covid positive.

Streak is understood to have facilitated approaches by a corruptor to people within teams he was coach at

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Apr-2021Former Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak has been banned for eight years after being charged with – and admitting to – five breaches of the ICC’s anti-corruption code, including accepting a payment in bitcoins from a potential corruptor.Streak, Zimbabwe’s greatest fast bowler, had been under investigation for an extensive list of games through 2017 and 2018, during his post-playing career as a coach, from his time in international cricket – with Zimbabwe from 2016 to 2018 – as well as stints in T20 leagues including the IPL, the BPL and the Afghanistan Premier League (APL).The charges paint a picture of Streak as a facilitator of approaches by a corruptor to people within teams he was a part of. But they also include one charge of disclosing inside information pertaining to matches during a 2018 tri-series involving Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, a Zimbabwe-Afghanistan series in 2018, the 2018 IPL and the 2018 APL.Streak was also charged with facilitating or attempting to introduce four players – including a national captain – to a potential corruptor. The three other charges revolve around his failure to disclose receiving gifts or payment in lieu of this facilitation, the failure to disclose potentially corrupt approaches in the 2017 BPL, and, in 2018, the PSL, IPL and the APL. Those gifts include accepting two bitcoins – converted eventually into US$ 35,000 – from the potential corruptor identified in the ICC’s investigation as Mr X. At the APL, Streak was also gifted a new iPhone for this wife, both of which he failed to disclose to ICC anti-corruption investigators.Although he is believed to initially have contested the allegations, Streak eventually admitted to the charges and agreed to the sanctions. He is now banned from all cricket activities and would be free to resume his involvement again on March 28, 2029.”Heath Streak is an experienced former international cricketer and national team coach, who had participated in numerous anti-corruption education sessions and was fully aware of his responsibilities under the Code,” the ICC’s anti-corruption head Alex Marshall said in a statement. “As a former captain and coach, he held a position of trust and owed a duty to uphold the integrity of the game. He breached the Code on several occasions, including facilitating the approach of four other players. At times, he also sought to obstruct and delay our investigation.”The offences did not affect the outcomes of any relevant matches and Mr Streak has agreed to assist the ICC anti-corruption education programme for which we are grateful. He has also expressed his remorse and contrition and entered this agreed sanction decision to avoid the need for a full disciplinary process. The sanction reflects this cooperation.”Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, members of the Zimbabwe cricket-playing community expressed their shock and sadness at the update, with reactions ranging from “I’m blown away” and “I am genuinely shocked”, to “It’s a kick in the teeth for Zimbabwe cricket and the current crop of players – not only that, but now to regain trust is lengthy process.”David Coltart, the former Zimbabwe sports minister, also expressed his anguish on Twitter, saying “there can be no excuses for this type of behaviour”. ‘Darkest day in Zimbabwe cricket’Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC), meanwhile, welcomed and endorsed the ICC decision, calling it a “very sad and shameful episode that might well go down in history as the darkest day in Zimbabwean cricket”.”Streak was a powerful figure adored by many and held up as an idol for future generations of cricketers. In doing this, he held a position of trust and owed a duty to uphold the integrity of the game,” a statement, signed by ZC chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani, said. “But, as we and the rest of the world now know, Streak was also a corrupt, greedy and selfish character who regrettably abused his status and position in pursuit of dirty benefits.”He has let cricket down. He has let down the teams and players he coached. He has let the nation down. He has let down the fans – including impressionable children – who loved and idolised him.”While we have been left to pick up the pieces from the damage, it is our hope that the punishment meted out on Streak will help to reinforce the measures that the ICC and ZC have been taking to root out any wrongdoing in cricket. The integrity of ZC and the sport itself is of paramount importance and, therefore, the need to maintain high levels of honesty and professionalism at leadership and all levels of the game cannot be overemphasised.”Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s sports and recreation commission has requested the country’s national prosecuting authority to “ascertain whether any of the criminal laws in Zimbabwe, particularly those relating to corruption, have been breached by Heath Streak in order that appropriate action is also taken locally”. Saying that the body has zero-tolerance for corruption in sport, the commission has “fully supported and endorsed” the action on the part of the ICC.The sanctions will come as a shock to many given his status as one of the greatest players Zimbabwe has produced. He was a major figure in the national sides of the mid-to-late 90s, a period in which they enjoyed their greatest successes. He remains the only Zimbabwean bowler with more than 100 Test wickets (he has 216) and the only Zimbabwean with over 200 ODI wickets (237). Streak captained Zimbabwe as well in the 2000s, during a difficult period when a number of players withdrew from the national side and as relations between the board and team hit rock bottom.He has since remained in cricket as a coach, with stints as bowling coach of Bangladesh and multiple stints with Zimbabwe. He was also bowling coach for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL.One of Zimbabwe’s greatest cricketers, Heath Streak ended with 216 wickets in Tests and 239 in ODIs•EMPICS via Getty Images

The charges

• 2.3.2 – disclosing inside information under both the ICC code and various domestic codes, in circumstances where he knew or should have known that such information may be used for betting purposes. In particular, he disclosed inside information in relation to matches in the 2018 tri-series involving Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, the Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan series in 2018, the IPL 2018 and the APL 2018.
• 2.3.3 – directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any participant to breach the code. In particular, he facilitated or attempted to facilitate the introduction of four different players, including a national captain, to someone he knew, or should have known, may have wanted to approach them to provide inside information for betting purposes.
• 2.4.2 – failing to disclose the receipt of any gift, payment, hospitality or other benefit that the participant knew or should have known was given to them to procure a breach of the code or that was made or given in circumstances that could bring the participant or the sport of cricket into disrepute.
• 2.4.4 – failing to disclose to the ACU full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in corrupt conduct under the code including in relation to international matches, matches in the 2017 BPL, the 2018 PSL, the 2018 IPL and the 2018 APL.
• 2.4.7 – obstructing or delaying an investigation, including concealing, tampering with or destroying any documentation or other information that may be relevant to that investigation and/or that may be evidence of or may lead to the discovery of evidence of corrupt conduct under the ICC Anti-Corruption code.

Trevor Hohns knows that those players also involved in the T20 World Cup will get very little red-ball preparation

Andrew McGlashan24-Apr-2021Australia’s national selector Trevor Hohns has admitted to being “very concerned” about the lack of Test cricket the team will play ahead of the Ashes next season.With the tour of South Africa last month postponed, there will be a 10-month gap between Tests when they are due to play Afghanistan in a one-off match in late November before facing England.That game against Afghanistan could be the only red-ball cricket those players also involved in the T20 World Cup will have ahead of the Ashes due to the likely need to quarantine on their return from India.For those not in the T20 set-up, Hohns expects there to be a decent amount of Sheffield Shield cricket available in the first part of the next season but he conceded it is not an ideal situation with England having a full Test season ahead of them at home.Related

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“Very concerned about that, no doubt, and hopeful that they’ll be plenty of Shield cricket – and I believe there will be – programmed leading up to the first Test,” he said. “However, that won’t help some of our players as hopefully they’ll be fully engaged in the T20 World Cup.”It’s a difficult one, England are certainly playing plenty of Test cricket and we haven’t got anything on the plate so it’s a concern.”There will be at least two Test batting positions vacant leading into the next home summer following the announcement of a trimmed down central contracts list that only included three specialist Test batters – David Warner, Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne – along with allrounder Cameron Green.An opening partner for Warner will need to be found – Will Pucovski will be the frontrunner if he recovers from shoulder reconstruction – along with a middle-order batter to fill the No. 5 spot which rotated between Travis Head and Matthew Wade against India, both of who lost their contracts.Will Pucovski made a promising start to his Test career but has since undergone shoulder surgery•Getty Images

“There’s no secret that there are positions available whether that’s middle order or the top of the list,” Hohns said. “Yes, it is a concern because there’s no standout but that’s what we are challenging our players to really put their hands up at the start of next season then get into the Australia side and perform well when they do.”There may also be conversations about whether the bowling attack needs freshening up with Hohns indicating that rotation is likely to be forced on the fast bowlers to ensure they aren’t flagging towards the end of the series as happened against India where Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins played throughout alongside Nathan Lyon. While Green’s introduction provided somebody to share the burden he did not take a wicket in the series.James Pattinson was retained on the contracts list despite playing just four Tests in the last five years with Hohns terming him “our premier back-up fast bowler” although Jhye Richardson and the uncontracted Michael Neser will also come into contention.The initial part of the new contract period will be heavily focused on T20 with the World Cup in October and a number of the players on the list are likely to only feature in white-ball cricket. Hohns said that the idea of offering separate white and red-ball deals had been floated but it was still some way off being an option.”It’s an interesting conversation and while we have mentioned that we are not quite ready for that yet, but it may progress to that down the track because it’s becoming more obvious that players are specializing in the different formats. Certainly something to be looked at down the track.”There’s a little bit of focus on T20 cricket but we also try to make sure we remain focused on the fact that Test cricket to us, and hopefully to our players, is the prime form of the game. We see that as the top of tree, but there is a T20 World Cup coming up so we’ve had to cover a core group of players we think will feature in this list.”

No surprises as IPL contingent are rested, and Craig Overton is recalled

Andrew Miller18-May-2021James Bracey, the Gloucestershire wicketkeeper-batter, and Ollie Robinson, the Sussex seamer, are in line for Test debuts against New Zealand next month, after being named in England’s 15-man squad for the two-match series, starting at Lord’s on June 2.Both players have been rewarded for their patience in travelling as reserves during England’s bio-secures campaigns during the Covid pandemic, as well as for their impressive starts to the county season. Bracey has scored 478 runs at 53.11 to help lift Gloucestershire to the top of the County Championship Group 2 standings, while Robinson has taken 29 wickets at 14.72 for Sussex, including a career-best haul of 9 for 78 against Glamorgan.There is also a recall for Somerset’s seam-bowling allrounder Craig Overton, who played the most recent of his four Tests against Australia in the 2019 Ashes. He too has been in fine form this summer with 32 wickets at 13.96, including five-fors in each of his last three outings.Related

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The squad is the first to have been chosen by the ECB’s new selection panel, led by the head coach Chris Silverwood, following the decision to part company with the former national selector Ed Smith last month.”James Bracey and Ollie Robinson deserve their call ups to the Test squad,” Silverwood said. “They have been consistent performers in the County Championship this season and over the past 18 months, have excelled for the Lions on the field and in the various camps they have been involved in.”Having spent all winter and last summer in the company of our established Test players, they have immersed themselves in preparing and understanding what it takes to play at this level. The environment and culture will be something they are used to, and should they be in a position to make their Test debuts, they will be ready to showcase their skills.”They are both resilient characters and have demonstrated to me, the captain and coaches that they have the desire, temperament and the ability to continually improve to give themselves every chance of succeeding on the international stage.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Bracey’s and Robinson’s opportunities come, in part, due to the decision to rest England’s contingent of IPL players, who have recently completed their quarantine periods following the postponement of the tournament earlier this month.Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran and Chris Woakes will link up with their counties after a period of down time, ahead of the white-ball series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka as well as the five-match Test series against India, while both Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer were out of the reckoning due to their respective injuries.Archer may have to undergo surgery on his right elbow after failing to complete his first-class comeback for Sussex against Kent last week, but Stokes is progressing well from his fractured left index finger that he sustained while diving for a catch during the IPL, and is set to return to action next month for Durham in the Vitality Blast – his first game at county level since 2018.”Jofra Archer is to see a consultant this week to understand the severity of his right elbow injury,” Silverwood said. “He struggled in Sussex’s Championship fixture last week and he wasn’t able to bowl on the final two days of the match. We need to get this resolved once and for all to give him the best chance of being fully fit as we build up to an intense winter, which will include a T20 World Cup and the Ashes. We need him firing in all formats of the game.”Ben Stokes is making excellent progress following his fractured left index finger sustained last month in the Indian Premier League,” he added. “If he continues to improve without any impact on his rehabilitation, we could see him return next month for Durham in the Vitality Blast competition. We will assess him again towards the end of this month.James Bracey has been in impressive form for Gloucestershire this summer•Getty Images

“As for the players who have just come out of quarantine after the cancelled IPL, we felt it necessary for them to have an extended break. We need them to recharge mentally. We will then take a view when they return to cricket. It will mean that they will get some competitive matches with their respective counties either in the LV= Insurance County Championship or the Vitality Blast next month. We will work closely with each individual on when they are likely to play again.”The squad is due to convene in London on Friday, May 28, five days ahead of the Lord’s Test, starting June 2. The second Test, at Edgbaston, gets underway on June 10.”This is the start of our international summer and an exceptionally long winter, so we are mindful that we need the players ready both physically and mentally,” Silverwood said. “Understanding players’ needs are paramount in our planning and something that will continually develop across the year leading into the World Cup and Ashes campaigns.”The summer of Test cricket will be fascinating,” he added. “Playing the top two teams in the world, in New Zealand and India, is perfect preparation for us as we continue to improve and progress towards an Ashes series in Australia at the back end of the year.”With several players not available through injury or being rested for the New Zealand series, it is an opportunity for us to reward those who have been on the fringes of England squads over the past 12 months.”England squad: Joe Root (capt), James Anderson, James Bracey, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Dom Sibley, Olly Stone, Mark Wood

First instance of a concussion substitute being used in a men’s ODI

Mohammad Isam25-May-2021Mohammad Saifuddin, the Bangladesh allrounder, has been ruled out of the second ODI against Sri Lanka, being played on Tuesday in Mirpur, after suffering concussion when he was hit on his helmet by a delivery from Dushmantha Chameera. Taskin Ahmed has since replaced Saifuddin as a like-for-like concussion substitute for the rest of the game, the first time a team has been forced to make use of the rule in a men’s ODI.An update from the BCB* during the second half of the match confirmed that Saifuddin had undergone a scan at a city hospital, and while the scan hadn’t revealed anything serious, he has been kept under observation.The incident took place in the 47th over of Bangladesh’s innings. The short ball from Chameera pinged Saifuddin on the helmet as he missed with an attempted hook. Saifuddin ended up running himself out that same ball as he and Mushfiqur Rahim, who led Bangladesh’s batting effort with a 127-ball 125, tried to steal a single, but Kusal Mendis caught Saifuddin short with a direct hit. Saifuddin walked off with the Bangladesh team physio by his side.Related

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His replacement, Ahmed, did play the first match of the series, which Bangladesh won by 33 runs, but proved ineffective – he conceded 62 runs off nine wicketless overs, the economy rate of 6.88 the poorest among the six Bangladesh bowlers to be in action on the day.Ahmed – and Saifuddin – however, entered the record books as the first instance of a concussion sub in a men’s 50-over international game. It has happened once in a women’s ODI, when Shabika Gajnabi replaced Chinelle Henry for West Indies against India in North Sound on November 1, 2019.There have, however, been seven instances of concussion subs being used in men’s Tests: Marnus Labuschagne for Steven Smith against England in 2019, Jermaine Blackwood for Darren Bravo against India in 2019, Theunis de Bruyn for Dean Elgar against India in 2019, Mehidy Hasan for Liton Das and Taijul Islam for Nayeem Hasan for Bangladesh against India in 2019, and Brian Mudzinganyama for Kevin Kasuza against Sri Lanka and Timycen Maruma for Kevin Kasuza for Zimbabwe against Sri Lanka last year.The two instances in men’s T20Is were when Qalandar Khan stepped in for Saqlain Arshad for Qatar against Jersey in 2019, and the time Yuzvendra Chahal replaced Ravindra Jadeja against Australia in 2020.Saifuddin, meanwhile, played a useful hand in the win in the first ODI, first hitting two fours in a nine-ball 13* from No. 8 as Bangladesh scored 257 for 6, and then picking up the wickets of Dasun Shanaka and Wanindu Hasaranga on his way to returns of 2 for 49 as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 224.

The legspinner’s 2 for 20 was a key part of Australia’s victory in the fourth game

Andrew McGlashan16-Jul-2021With West Indies surging away in their chase on the fourth T20I, threatening to make a mockery of Australia’s 189, Adam Zampa went to Aaron Finch and told him he wanted to bowl inside the Powerplay.It hadn’t been part of the initial plan, with the legspinner set to be used when the fielding restrictions lifted, but such was the onslaught from Lendl Simmons and Evin Lewis that Australia needed to change tack.And it worked. With his fifth delivery, Zampa slid one through Lewis’ attempt to cut and took the off stump. It was his first wicket of the series. When he returned for the ninth over he strung together three dots against Andre Fletcher and in his next skidded one through the struggling right hander.Zampa would finish with the most economical figures on a night with nearly 400 runs: 2 for 20. It was in stark contrast to the previous game where Chris Gayle had taken 22 off his third over, but for Zampa nothing needed to change.Related

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“It was just situational. I had a really good battle with Chris,” he said. “He’s the greatest T20 player of all time so I really enjoy those battles. Up until 2.2 overs I probably had it over him then he took me down in the last four balls so the numbers probably didn’t reflect how the ball is coming out. Bowling to two right handers with a really high score, batters under pressure, was probably the change really.”The T20 arena can be both brutal and rewarding for a spinner. And there is nothing Zampa enjoys more than being in the tough situations.”Once they’ve faced a couple of balls you know they’ll try and hit you out of the park,” he said of facing West Indies. “Bowling to Chris was such a great battle and I took a lot of confidence from just getting on top of him…I know he got me in the last four [balls], but it takes a lot of confidence to come back in the next game with the same attacking attitude and backing your plans defensively as well.”They haven’t played [Kieron] Pollard, you have guys like Chris and Fabian Allen who can hit the ball out of the park too, so it is pretty daunting but that’s what makes playing against West Indies so much fun. It’s satisfying when you do well against them, but it can be daunting when they are coming at you. It’s a good challenge.”Zampa, currently ranked eighth in T20I bowling rankings, is an integral part of Australia’s side having only missed one match since the start of the 2019-2020 season. However, that has come at the expense of his Test ambitions, with him having not played a first-class match since December 2019.A first-class average of 48.26 would not suggest a bowler close to consideration – and he is certainly behind Mitchell Swepson – but Zampa does not believe those numbers are a reflection of the bowler he has now become and that he could translate white-ball form into the longer format.”I played a lot of my first-class cricket when I was 21, 22, 23 which is six years ago. I did have the odd good game but wasn’t consistent enough whereas if I played first-class cricket now I know my game well enough and confident enough to perform at that level.”The conversations I’ll be having with selectors once Test tours particularly to the subcontinent start up again is that I’m bowling well and keen to be on those tours. Don’t think playing Shield cricket is the be-all and end-all to getting in the Test squad. If I’m bowling well at the time hopefully I’ll be on them.”

Head thumped a century in a session after Robinson took two wickets in two balls after tea

Alex Malcolm09-Dec-2021Travis Head thumped a century in a session to rip the game away from England after they briefly clawed their way back into the contest following another morning of self-destruction.Head made the joint third-fastest Ashes century, off 85 balls, and became the first to score a Test century in a session at the Gabba, to torch any hopes England had after Australia had lost 4 for 29 in the afternoon to lead by just 48 with five wickets in hand. Australia finished the day with a lead of 196 and three wickets in hand with Head still unbeaten on 112.Related

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Head’s century came on the back of a supreme 156-run stand earlier in the day from David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne, with Warner making an eventful 94, while Labuschagne a masterful 74 in difficult batting conditions to set the game up. Ollie Robinson bowled superbly to take 3 for 48, but limped off with a hamstring injury late in the day while Ben Stokes also battled a leg issue and a host of no-ball problems, including bowling Warner on 17 when he overstepped. Mark Wood also bowled whole-heartedly all day for little reward.Halfway through the day, Australia were ready to make England pay as their calamitous start to this series had turned from bad to worse. Australia were 166 for 1 with Warner and Labuschagne having passed England’s first-innings total on their own, with Warner having survived being bowled off a no-ball, dropped at slip, and missed being run-out.A rare mistake from Labuschagne opened the door for England to keep the door ajar thanks to a superb spell from Robinson, only for Head to all but slam it shut. He tore into England’s weak links, thumping a struggling Stokes for three boundaries in an over to get his innings going. He then latched onto Jack Leach, just as Labuschagne and Warner had earlier in the day, hammering him with lofted strikes over long-on and powerful cuts and pulls. Leach took 1 for 95 from 11 overs, which did include four overthrows as England unravelled.Ollie Robinson took two wickets in two balls•CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images

Head brought up his third century against the second new ball with a superb drive down the ground and celebrated to a standing ovation. Head had entered the Test as the last man picked for Australia, having beaten Usman Khawaja for the No. 5 spot, and might have cemented his place long term.England only have themselves to blame for their predicament. Warner could have been out on 17, 48 and 60.England bowled well in the first session without much luck as they induced a host of false strokes from Australia’s batters but only claimed one wicket. Marcus Harris’ lean run in Test cricket continued as he edged Robinson to slip for just 3. None of the 16 deliveries he faced until then would have hit the stumps but the slips cordon was ready and waiting for the eventual chance after he had played and missed a number of times.But while they may rue their luck in some ways, England were culpable in a variety of ways.Stokes added his name to a long list of culprits who have dismissed Warner off a no-ball, and has been guilty of doing it previously. The mistake was made worse when it was revealed he had bowled three no-balls in the lead-up without being called and 14 in total in the session, as the third umpire was unable to intervene due to a technology issue.Rory Burns added to his dismal Test match by dropping a simple chance off Warner at slip on 48. He also should have been run-out on 60 after he clipped a ball off his toes and took off only for Haseeb Hameed to stop it. Warner slipped and dropped his bat as he groped for safe ground but Hameed’s throw missed the stumps.Warner played 30 false shots in all including the chipped drive to mid-off which saw him fall six runs short of his 25th century. But his 94 was invaluable to Australia’s cause, and just one run short of his entire 2019 Ashes series tally.