All posts by n8rngtd.top

Australian stars with bat, ball and in the field in one-off appearance to ruin Flintoff coaching debut

ECB Media26-Jul-2024Trent Rockets 185 for 5 (Banton 66, Hain 49) beat Northern Superchargers 138 for 8 (Dwarshuis 40*, Green 3-14) by 47 runsAn immense all-round performance by Australian star Chris Green propelled Trent Rockets to a commanding 47-run victory against Northern Superchargers at a packed Headingley.Asked to bat first, the Rockets’ openers dominated the powerplay, putting on 44 before Adam Lyth mis-timed a drive to give Ben Dwarshuis his first wicket.Matthew Potts, hotfooting it from Edgbaston having been left out of the England Test XI, then hurried up Alex Hales, who was well caught by Adam Hose on the long-on boundary.Thereafter Sam Hain joined Tom Banton and they played out a compelling duel with the Superchargers’ spin twins, Adil Rashid and Callum Parkinson, Banton edging the exchanges to reach a classy fifty from just 27 balls.Potts finally checked their progress, spearing in a brilliant yorker to remove Banton on 66, the Banton-Hain partnership having yielded 65 from just 36 balls.Hain’s mix of orthodoxy and invention brought him 49 (28), and it was Green’s magical seven-ball 25 – featuring three sixes – that blasted the Rockets up to 185, their third-highest score in the competition’s history.In reply Ollie Robinson and Graham Clark plundered six fours and a six inside the powerplay but when Clark was clean bowled for 17 (12) by Imad Wasim, the floodgates opened.Superchargers skipper Short was magnificently caught by a diving Green at long-on, Robinson was trapped in front by a Green off-break, and when Green removed Hose and Nicholas Pooran, the Superchargers were languishing on 62 for 5.Green’s perfect night was made complete with a smart run-out of Clark, and despite some spirited late-order hitting from Potts and Dwarshuis, the Rockets ran out comfortable winners.Green, who returns to Australia after the game, was the Meerkat Match Hero: “That was a lot of fun, my first taste of The Hundred. Short and sweet! I was told to go out and give it a whack and luckily it was my night to have some fun with the bat. I got good info from the other batters who’d done a great job up top.”I enjoyed bowling out there tonight, it was conducive to spin. I saw that if you hold your length for as long as possible and spin it hard you could put the batters under pressure.”I’ve only been here for five days and unfortunately this is my last day, but the staff at Trent Rockets have been fantastic and I wish them all the best for the remainder of the tournament. I think they’re going to be a good team.”

England fast bowler and county colleague to move on from Worcestershire at end of season

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jul-2023Josh Tongue and Dillon Pennington have both signed for Nottinghamshire on three-year deals, and will leave Worcestershire at the end of the 2023 season.Tongue, who featured in the second Test against Australia at Lord’s last week, after claiming a five-for on the same ground during his England debut against Ireland, now has 172 first-class wickets at an average of 26.02.And as revealed by ESPNcricinfo in June, he was a prominent target for rival counties after the expiration of his Worcestershire contract.”When I found out Notts were interested, I was delighted,” Tongue said. “From what I see and hear, it is a really well-run club which places a big emphasis on player progress, which is what I want right now.”I’ve worked a little bit before with Kevin Shine, and he is a big reason for joining, as I know he’ll help me to kick on. He and Pete have made it clear that they see me getting better here, which is nice to hear.”The Notts squad is also full of international experience and I am looking forward to watching and learning from these players in practice as well as in games.”Whilst I have had a bit of success recently which is really rewarding, I still want to keep improving and developing to be the best player I can be.”I know that’ll take hard work, but the prospect of taking my cricket to the next level is something I really embrace.”Pennington, meanwhile was Worcestershire’s leading wicket-taker in the LV=Insurance County Championship last season, with 44 scalps from 12 appearances. He now has 119 first-class wickets, plus a further 52 in the T20 format.”I’m really excited for this move,” Pennington said. “I’ve thought at length about how best to develop as a cricketer to achieve the ambitions I have in the game, and coming to Notts felt like the best way for me to do that at this point in my career.”It is a brilliant set-up, with a strong squad who I will benefit from playing alongside. Both learning from the quality in the bowling group and practicing against some of the best batters in the country will stand me in good stead.”The opportunity to work with the coaching team here also stood out as a big factor, particularly Kevin Shine.”With what he has done so far at Notts and the people he has worked with throughout his career, I am really looking forward to the chance to spend some time with him over the winter and into the season.”I know the move is a challenging one, but that’ll keep pushing me to keep getting better and better, and that’s ultimately the reason for the move.”Between them, the pair have over 380 wickets across 180 games in all formats at the senior professional level.”Dillon and Josh are already highly skilled bowlers though it is their potential to improve further that really excites us” Peter Moores said.”Dillon is someone who is still early in his career yet has already gained extensive experience in both the red and white-ball formats of the game and his ceiling is extremely high.”Likewise, Josh has taken the international game by storm in the last few months, overcoming various setbacks early in his career to enjoy his current success.”That shows real character and determination on his behalf, which are traits all players need if they are going to become the best they can be.”It’s a huge compliment that both players see us as the best place to continue their development and I know how excited our bowling coach Kevin Shine is about getting stuck in and working with both of them in the future.”We take great pride in helping all our players maximise their potential, so that they are in the best position to take advantage of the opportunities presented to them across the game.”We know we already have a strong group of seamers though this season more than ever has shown the need for depth in our bowling resources.”The schedule can be brutal for bowlers at different times and the ability to keep players fresh is key to staying competitive in all competitions.”Both players will join Notts when their existing contracts expire at the end of October.

The board, however, has not confirmed him for any engagements beyond that tour

Danyal Rasool17-Nov-2024The PCB has said there will be no change of Test match coach for one more series, with Jason Gillespie taking charge of the upcoming two Tests against South Africa. The board has not confirmed him for any engagements beyond that tour, though he does have a contract with the PCB that runs till 2026.Over the past few days, multiple local reports indicated that Gillespie’s time with Pakistan cricket was limited, with Aaqib Javed lined up as replacement. Earlier today, ESPNcricinfo also reported that Aaqib was likely to take over as all-format coach. The white-ball coaching role remains vacant after Gary Kirsten resigned last month, and Aaqib remains the frontrunner to be replace him, with Pakistan’s T20I and ODI tour of Zimbabwe starting next Sunday.The PCB, though, has denied that Gillespie’s job is under immediate threat. “As announced previously, Jason Gillespie will continue to coach the Pakistan side for the two red-ball matches against South Africa,” a statement from the PCB on X said.Related

• Gillespie's future in further doubt as PCB ditches Nielsen

• Aaqib Javed set to replace Jason Gillespie as Pakistan head coach

• Gillespie frustrated by lack of clear communication in role as Pakistan coach

• Jason Gillespie 'sits on the fence' as Pakistan go all-in on the short term

The PCB have not confirmed whether Gillespie will be the head coach for any series beyond those two Tests. Pakistan have a two-Test home series against West Indies immediately following the Tests in South Africa.ESPNcricinfo has reached out to the PCB to confirm if their statement locks Gillespie for any engagements beyond the two-Test series of South Africa, and await a response.Earlier this week, the PCB sounded Gillespie out on the prospect of taking over as white-ball coach until the conclusion of the Champions Trophy. However, the increased responsibility did not come with a commensurate increase in his financial compensation, which is understood to be the reason Gillespie turned them down. Consequently, the PCB turned their attention to replacing Kirsten with a local appointment.They initially considered the possibility of either elevating Azhar Mahmood, or appointing Saqlain Mushtaq, who served as coach in 2021-22. Neither, though, appeared to draw enough support from within the PCB’s advisory circle, which led to Aaqib being offered the position. It is understood he will be asked to take on the role until the end of the Champions Trophy, following which the PCB will reevaluate.Gillespie’s next immediate engagement is the third T20I against Australia, a series he took over as interim coach for. Pakistan’s Test series against South Africa, the only other engagement he has yet been formally confirmed by the PCB for, begins on December 26.While Gillespie appears to have kept his job in the immediate term, the relationship between the coach and the board has been anything but smooth. Three Tests into his tenure, Aaqib was hired by the PCB as part of a revamped selection committee, with Gillespie’s powers significantly reduced. He was removed from the selection committee, and no longer had a say in which players were selected for a match or series.He was left thoroughly unimpressed by the changes, admitting in a press conference during the home series against England that he was “just a matchday strategist”. In another interview with broadcaster Sky the following day, he said that it “was not what he signed up for.””For me, when I came on board with Pakistan cricket, I was told there was a long-term plan, and we need to make sure our communication’s spot on,” he said at the time. “I made that a real focus and so you can get frustrated if those things aren’t done how you would like. It wasn’t what I signed up for, I’ll be completely honest.”

Fast bowler shows good rhythm in first red-ball match since 2021, as Ackermann leads Durham fight

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay 23-Jun-2025 Jofra Archer picked up a wicket on his return to red-ball cricket after a 1,501-day hiatus, as a half-century from Colin Ackermann helped Durham fight back on day two of their Rothesay County Championship clash with Sussex.James Coles picked up where he left off for Sussex in the morning and took his side to a competitive total of 361 all out, with him finishing unbeaten on 148.Durham’s response against a Sussex bowling attack which included Archer, got off to a good start, making it to lunch without loss, but they lost skipper Alex Lees just after the break.Archer, whose previous first-class match had come against Kent at Hove in May 2021, then came into the attack and struck during an exciting spell to leave Durham in a spot of bother in the afternoon.However, Durham bounced back in the evening through a partnership worth 76 between Ackermann and Graham Clark, but the loss of Ackermann with the last ball of the day gives Sussex the edge, with Durham on 249 for five and the deficit still 112.Resuming on 322 for nine, unbeaten centurion Coles and number 11 Gurinder Sandhu were at the crease for Sussex.Coles continued to play nicely as he produced a delightful shot down the ground off the bowling of Bas de Leede.Coles then used his feet to launch one down the ground from George Drissell, but the spinner wrapped up the innings just three balls later, bowling Sandhu for eight, leaving Coles unbeaten on 148.Alex Lees and Emilio Gay were tasked with kicking off Durham’s response and they started in a serene manner.Archer then came into the attack and nearly had Gay with his first ball, but Lees was finding things a bit easier as he played a nice on-drive off the bowling of Sandhu which went to the boundary.Gay, who initially found life tough against Archer, managed to break the shackles with two boundaries, one through point and the other off his legs. However, Sussex struck back after lunch as Lees went for 34 when he edged a delivery from Fynn Hudson-Prentice and John Simpson made no mistake behind the stumps.Hudson-Prentice continued to probe and offered few opportunities for run scoring as Will Rhodes and Gay consolidated after the wicket.Meanwhile, Archer gave Rhodes and Gay a working-over with some short stuff, but the Durham batters weren’t falling for the short ball ploy. The England man changed plans and got that vital wicket as he trapped Gay in front for 37, prompting a big celebration from the 30-year-old.Archer’s second spell of six overs went for just eight runs, so Durham decided to take the game to Carson as Rhodes and Ackermann picked up a couple of boundaries to relieve some pressure.Rhodes then played a glorious straight drive from a Robinson ball which went to the boundary, but he then chipped one straight to Daniel Hughes at cover for 24 to hand the economical Hudson-Prentice a second wicket of the day.That brought Durham’s OIlie Robinson to the crease before tea and he decided to take on Hudson-Prentice, picking up 11 runs from four balls, more than he’d gone for in his previous eight overs.Archer returned after tea, with Durham’s Robinson edging one which dropped just short of John Simpson, but he bounced back with two consecutive fours including a dab to third region.Ackermann then played a glorious cover drive off the bowling of Archer for four, but the fluent Robinson fell to Sandhu for 34 as he nicked one down the legside and Simpson produced an excellent diving catch to his left.Graham Clark came to the crease and absorbed a bit of pressure before he started to put his foot to the accelerator with back-to-back pull shots from Hudson-Prentice going to the boundary and he followed that up with a cut shot for four.Ackermann joined Clark in the hunt for boundaries when he swept a Coles delivery to the rope and the number four passed fifty for the fourth time this season from 115 balls.Ackermann, who looked good throughout the innings, was then bowled by Sandhu for 65 with the final ball of the day, which leaves Durham five-down while the deficit is still 112.

The full text of Stokes’ statement at Lord’s, in the wake of the publication of the ICEC report

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jun-2023The long-awaited report by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket was published on Tuesday, and offered a damning critique of both English cricket, and Marylebone Cricket Club – the hosts for this week’s second Test against Australia at Lord’s.The issues raised in the report have overshadowed England’s preparations for the contest, and at the start of his pre-match press conference, captain Ben Stokes read the following statement.“Just before I start, I want to make it clear I have not read the report as it only came out last night.”To the people involved in the game who have been made to feel unwelcome or unaccepted in the past, I am deeply sorry to hear of your experiences. Cricket is a game that needs to celebrate diversity on all fronts because without diversity, this game would not be where it is at today.”As a sport, we need to learn from past mistakes and do all we can to make people feel safe and be themselves at every level. I have been an England player since 2011 and I feel very fortunate to have been a part of some incredibly diverse teams and love how everyone has a different story to tell.”We must go further and be more inclusive and diverse because the game I love – and millions worldwide love – should be enjoyed without fear of discrimination or judgement whether that be due to your upbringing, race or gender.”As I said earlier, everyone has a different story to tell. I am Ben Stokes, born in New Zealand, a state-educated pupil who dropped out of school at 16 with one GCSE in PE. I needed help with the spelling and grammar in this speech and I am currently sitting here as the England men’s Test captain.”It is clear there is so much more the game has to do and, as players, we really want to be a part of that to ensure this is truly a sport for everyone.”

Four wickets fall inside half-an-hour’s play as County Champions end campaign with defeat

ECB Reporters Network29-Sep-2023Hampshire 219 and 172 (Vince 56, Jacks 5-87) beat Surrey 207 and 132 (Sudharsan 40, Dawson 4-53) by 52 runsHampshire dampened Surrey’s celebrations within half-an-hour’s play on the final morning at the Ageas Bowl, to become just the second team to beat them across their back-to-back LV= Insurance County Championship titles.Only Lancashire had beaten Surrey in red-ball cricket in either 2022 or 2023, winning once in each campaign.But Liam Dawson took his season tally to 49 wickets by taking two of the four wickets needed to secure victory, with Surrey only scoring 20 of the 73 required to lose by 52 runs before 11am.Despite the defeat, Surrey were presented with the Division One trophy by ECB chair, and former club chair, Richard Thompson.”It was a weird way to get over the line halfway through yesterday,” Surrey’s head coach, Gareth Batty, said. “But the County Championship is set up over six months – you don’t win it over one day or one game.”It is the marathon cup and you still have to still celebrate it and respect it, even if you are on the wrong end of the result today.Surrey had made it clear throughout the match that they had the intention to finish their triumphant season off with a victory.That plan was skewed somewhat after they were confirmed as champions before lunch on day three, and their celebrations continued after play concluded.It took five balls for Jordan Clark to advance to Mohammad Abbas and prod to James Vince at first slip.Jamie Overton came out and played a delicious straight drive, and then a powerful sweep shot.But he was less gainly when his agricultural swing saw him stumped by Ben Brown off Dawson, the start of three wickets to fall in 12 balls to end the year.Kemar Roach departed second ball when his wild swing flew to first slip, with the Abbas and Vince combo striking again. The Pakistan seamer ended the campaign with 53 scalps.Sai Sudharsan, with 73 in the first innings, batted sensibly until Dan Worrall arrived and hacked at one, at which point his stylish 40 turned more towards aggression.The Indian took on Dawson but only managed to top-edge to Vince running across from the slips to end the contest and the season.Batty admitted the result was a disappointing way to finish, but acknowledged the peculiar circumstances had played a part.”We completely understand why because we had already got to the point we had driven towards all season, and that was to lift the trophy again,” he said.”There was no blame to anybody or no nothing. We almost scratched today off because it was all about yesterday when we got over the line.”Hampshire finish third for a second year in a row having won eight times – the same as the champions.”It is nice to finish with a win. First of all though, credit to Surrey for winning it they have been the stand-out team across the whole season and they deserve to be champions,” James Vince, Hampshire’s captain, said.”We’ve finished off with three wins in a row including Essex and champions Surrey. We made finals day, lost in the final of the One Day Cup and finished third in the Championship. It is one of those years where you have been there or thereabouts in all competitions but have nothing to show for it.”It is tough to win trophies but we have been consistent across all formats for the last two or three years.”

There are currently two selectors from the west in the panel, including the chair Ajit Agarkar, and none from the north

Shashank Kishore15-Jan-2024The BCCI has invited applications for the post of one national selector for the senior men’s team. However, the board’s advertisement, published on their website, doesn’t specify which of the active selectors would be replaced from the current five-member panel chaired by Ajit Agarkar.The convention has been to pick one selector from each zone (north, south, east, west and central) with the most experienced member – in terms of Test caps – heading the panel. No selector can have more than a combined term of five years (junior and senior panels taken together).Since Agarkar was brought in as chairman to fill the vacancy created by the departure of Chetan Sharma – from the north zone – last July, there are two selectors for the west, belonging to the same association (Mumbai Cricket Association), with no-one from the north. The other members currently in the panel are Salil Ankola (west), SS Das (central), S Sharath (south) and Subroto Banerjee (east).It’s possible the BCCI will want to have someone from the north in the committee, and one of the two men from the west might have to make way. Agarkar, it was understood at the time, was the unanimous choice of the three-member Cricket Advisory Committee comprising Ashok Malhotra, Sulakshana Naik and Jatin Paranjape.Applicants have until 6pm IST on January 25 to submit their candidature. The BCCI will then screen the applications before inviting shortlisted candidates for an interview. Applicants should have played (a) a minimum of seven Tests, or (b) 30 first-class games, or (c) ten ODIs and 20 first-class matches to be eligible. No date has been set for the interviews.The Agarkar-led committee has picked the India squad for the first two of five Tests against England at home beginning January 25, with the squad for the subsequent three Tests likely to be picked after the second Test in Visakhapatnam, ending February 6. India’s next assignment after the England Tests is the T20 World Cup which follows immediately after IPL 2024.