6:29 AM IST Across the space of three days in 2011 playing for Queensland, Sammy-Jo Johnson dismissed Alyssa Healy twice. It wasn’t long after she had been told there wasn’t a place for her with New South Wales. Now, nine years later, the stars have aligned to bring her back to Sydney as she pushes her case for Australia selection. Her partner, Brian, found work in Sydney and after he…
5:57 AM IST ESPNcricinfo staff Zimbabwe’s three-match ODI tour of Australia in early August has been postponed due to the ongoing impact of Covid-19. Although the series had been included in the schedule put out last month it was always unlikely that the short series, which was set to be played in northern Australia, would be able to take place. A range of issues have prevented the games from being…
11:25 PM IST ESPNcricinfo staff Jermaine Blackwood believes he has something to prove against the world’s leading bowlers, should he find himself back in West Indies’ line-up for the upcoming Test series against England. A measured 112 not out against England in April 2015, in just his sixth Test, remains Blackwood’s only international three-figure score. Having been dropped two-and-a-half years after that century in Antigua, he was a concussion substitute…
11:07 PM IST ESPNcricinfo staff There have been times in Ben Stokes’ career – you know the times; we don’t need to rehash them here – when the captaincy of England seemed a distant dream. So it is a reflection of how much he has matured as a cricketer and a man that he seems the obvious choice now. With Joe Root expected to miss one of the Tests against…
8:48 PM IST ESPNcricinfo staff The ECB has confirmed that the delayed 2020 county season will get underway on August 1. However, there is still no update on the status of the recreational game in England and Wales, despite reports that the government was preparing to give the sport the go-ahead for a return in early July. As yet, there is no confirmation of which formats will be played in…
6:50 PM IST MCC have launched a review into their extensive art collection – the largest cricket-related collection in the world – after removing artwork relating to Ben Aislabie, the first secretary, from public view. Until recent days, there were two paintings of Aislabie hanging in the pavilion at Lord’s with the club also owning a third painting and a bust. But while Aislabie’s contribution to the club, as secretary…
4:44 PM IST ESPNcricinfo staff Craig Meschede, the Glamorgan allrounder, has been forced to retire due to a shoulder injury at the age of 28. Meschede was diagnosed with Neurogenic Thoracic Outlet Syndrome last year and took the decision to end his playing career on the advice of specialists. Meschede said that the syndrome, which can cause pain, tingling and weakness in the arm, had “taken a massive toll physically…
3:25 PM IST Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) return-to-train-and-play plans have been approved by the country’s sports ministry and the organisation will meet on Thursday to plot its course back to action. ESPNcricinfo understands that CSA’s focus will be on getting the national men’s and women’s teams back in action, though franchise and provincial players will continue to wait before they can begin pre-season camps. A new date for the 3TC…
2:45 PM IST ESPNcricinfo staff India’s Nitin Menon has been included in the ICC Elite panel of umpires for the 2020-21 season after the annual review conducted by the game’s governing body. Menon, who was earlier part of the International panel, will replace England’s Nigel Llong in the Elite roster. A panel consisting of ICC general manager of cricket Geoff Allardice (chairman), former player Sanjay Manjrekar, and match referees Ranjan…
10:13 AM IST ESPNcricinfo staff Former Australia captain Mark Taylor has raised the prospect of the Australia-India Boxing Day Test being moved away from the MCG if other venues are able to host larger crowds. Although still six months away, the recent spike in Covid-19 cases in Victoria – 75 were recorded on Monday – has brought into doubt when crowds will be able to return in the state. Adelaide…