Month: November 2019

12:35 PM GMT ESPNcricinfo staff “The main thing now is every Test counts,” said Tim Paine, after his Australia side secured 60 World Test Championship (WTC) points by thrashing Pakistan at the Gabba last week. “Unless it’s England and New Zealand.” Paine was right: while New Zealand’s series against England counts towards the ICC’s Test rankings, and gives the hosts the opportunity to close the huge gap India have opened…

9:15 AM GMT Justin Langer describing Marnus Labuschagne as among the most “coachable” players he has been involved with does not sound particularly special unless it is placed in the context of the vexed role for coaches over cricket’s long history. Unlike the football codes or numerous other sports, coaches have never quite held the same rarified place as the final decision-maker or mentor for many cricketers. They have instead…

8:58 AM GMT ESPNcricinfo staff Rapid fifties from Danni Wyatt and captain Jess Duffin helped the Melbourne Renegades pull off the highest chase in WBBL history by beating table-toppers Brisbane Heat. The Renegades chased down 184 with six wickets and as many balls to spare at the Allan Border Field. Wyatt and Duffin came together in the ninth over when the Renegades needed 103 from 67 balls and the duo…

9:03 AM GMT Alex Malcolm Australia’s limited-overs captain Aaron Finch believes that George Bailey‘s quality as a person and a cricketing judge will transcend any danger of bias towards his Tasmania or Hobart Hurricanes team-mates as the newly appointed selector alongside Trevor Hohns and Justin Langer. Cricket Australia confirmed on Wednesday that Bailey has been appointed as the third national selector alongside chairman Hohns and coach Langer. Bailey, 37, is…

6:55 AM GMT ESPNcricinfo staff A week after being left out of India’s T20I squad without playing a game against Bangladesh, Sanju Samson has been called in again as an injury replacement for regular opener Shikhar Dhawan for the three T20Is against West Indies starting on December 6. Dhawan injured his left leg, which the BCCI’s medical team described as a “deep cut on his left knee”, during a Syed…

6:29 AM GMT ESPNcricinfo staff Will Pucovski and Nic Maddinson have been named in Victoria’s Sheffield Shield squad to face New South Wales at the MCG starting Friday after receiving medical clearance to return following a break to treat mental health and well-being issues. Both Pucovski and Maddinson had taken breaks from the game within a space of six days earlier this month, citing mental health reasons, just after Glenn…

Two heads, one problem: Ben Stokes and Joe Root need to solve England’s batting issues  6:06 AM GMT Joe Root “has the backing of everybody” in the England dressing room, according to Ben Stokes. Root has endured a tough few days. After experiencing perhaps his worst Test as captain – England suffered an innings defeat and he recorded his lowest return in any Test as leader where he has batted…

8:00 AM GMT West Indies chose to bowl v Afghanistan In the first-ever Test match at the Ekana Cricket Stadium, West Indies captain Jason Holder opted to bowl after winning the toss, citing early moisture in the surface. However, the only other fast bowler in the West Indies XI apart from Holder is Kemar Roach. Since the match is being played on a red-soil pitch that is expected to aide…

4:52 AM GMT Emily Smith‘s three-month ban (with a further nine months suspended) by Cricket Australia will not be contested by the Australian Cricketers Association (ACA). However, the players’ association will provide her with employment for the term of the ban, and also seek an urgent meeting with the CA Board to better understand how the Hobart Hurricanes wicketkeeper was suspended under its strict integrity regulations. Smith was offered and…

MSK Prasad (left): “We have enough bench strength to say that we have one more Test team in the offing. Credit should go to both the selection committee and Dravid and his team at India A”  4:28 AM GMT ESPNcricinfo staff MSK Prasad, in all likelihood India’s outgoing chief selector, has hinted that “constitutional changes” within the board might have diminished the travelling selector’s role in a few contentious selection…