Month: April 2018

11:09 AM ET Peter Della PennaCricket Close Peter Della Penna is an American cricket journalist who also writes for ESPNcricinfo.com and DreamCricket.com. Since 2010, he has penned the USA entry in the Cricket Round the World section of the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack.Follow Peter on Twitter @PeterDellaPenna Outgoing Netherlands captain Peter Borren has said he decided to not just step down but also retire altogether in order to give up-and-coming youngsters the best…

3:00 AM ET Big Picture Much has changed since Chennai Super Kings last played Rajasthan Royals in 2015. Shane Watson has switched camps. Suresh Raina has missed an IPL game in yellow jersey. Ajinkya Rahane hasn’t conformed to the hold-my-end-up-and-let-the-rest-hit-around-me norm. And the MA Chidambaram Stadium will not host CSK’s home matches this season. Chennai Super Kings: lost to Kings XI Punjab by four runs, beat Kolkata Knight Riders by…

3:00 AM ET Toss: Kings XI Punjab chose to bat v Sunrisers HyderabadLive scorecard and ball-by-ball details play 3:40 James Faulkner and Shaun Tait look forward to some fun in Mohali Kings XI Punjab’s R Ashwin became the first captain to opt to bat in IPL 2018, against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Mohali. He felt his team would be better off setting a target against a formidable attack at a large…

3:00 AM ET Mohammad IsamESPN North Zone bowled out East Zone twice on the third day as they romped to an innings-and-28-run win at the Shere Bangla National Stadium. Rookie pace bowlers Yeasin Arafat and Shoriful Islam shared 14 of those wickets as they extracted ample assistance from an unusually green Mirpur pitch. East Zone began the third day at 110 for no loss, in reply to North Zone’s first-innings…

8:41 AM ET ESPNcricinfo staff The ECB’s new city-based T20 competition could be set to be a 100-balls-a-side affair, according to a radical proposal released today. The concept suggests that the eight-team competition could consist of 15 traditional six-ball overs, and a final 10-ball over – a 20-delivery shortfall on traditional T20 matches. The proposed approach was presented by the ECB to the chairmen and chief executives of the first-class…

8:24 AM ET The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) has responded with “surprise and disappointment” to Cricket South Africa’s statement regarding its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which expires at the end of April and has yet to be re-agreed to. On Wednesday, CSA released a statement announcing its intention for an interim agreement and indicated the MoU may only be finalised by July, something SACA claims was not discussed with…

6:52 AM ET ESPNcricinfo staff Virat Kohli remains eager for a spell in county cricket ahead of India’s tour of England later this year after it was confirmed last month that the BCCI had granted permission for him to seek a deal. Test success in England remains the one major missing piece to Kohli’s stellar career after he endured a torrid series in 2014 where he made 134 runs in…

5:40 AM ET ESPNcricinfo staff Shahid Afridi will return to the scene of his 2009 World T20 starring role after being confirmed among the first group of players in the World XI to face West Indies at Lord’s next month. The match on May 31 has been arranged to raise money for the rebuilding of stadiums in the Caribbean that were badly damaged Hurricanes Irma and Maria last year. Afridi,…

5:11 AM ET Chennai Super Kings’ home matches in IPL 2018 have been moved out of Chennai, but they won’t be lacking in support in Pune, as the team management has arranged a chartered train called ‘Whistle Podu Express’ from Chennai to Pune for about 1000 fans. All the expenses of the fans, including food, accommodation, local transportation, train and match tickets, will be borne by the CSK management. The…

3:17 AM ET ESPNcricinfo staff Michael Papps, the first man to score 10,000 runs in the Plunket Shield, has called time on his playing days. The 38-year old retires having played 20 seasons of domestic cricket, representing Canterbury and later Wellington. Papps was part of eight Tests and six ODIs for New Zealand and is a much loved figure in the country and he saluted the people on his way…