Month: February 2021

Mitchell Swepson has formed an impressive pairing with Marnus Labuschagne © Getty Images Colin Munro has said the Perth Scorchers will need to “take our egos out” of their batting when they come against Brisbane Heat in the BBL Challenger final on Thursday with the prize a place in the final against the Sydney Sixers. The two sides faced each other in their final regular-season match with the Heat coming…

Shakib Al Hasan’s return will bring with it the balance Bangladesh XIs have lacked of late   Big picture On paper, this first Test between Bangladesh and West Indies looks a bit of a mismatch. The tourists don’t have a bunch of their regulars, including their captain, and are taking on a team that dominates most at home. Bangladesh’s spin-heavy attack and experienced batsmen are expected to steamroll West Indies…

West Indies and Sydney Sixers allrounder Carlos Brathwaite has cautioned against the Caribbean Premier League introducing the Power Surge into this year’s tournament for fear it might jeopardise players preparation for the T20 World Cup in India. Speaking ahead of the BBL final at the SCG on Saturday, Brathwaite has liked the innovation that was introduced in the BBL this season as part of three new rule changes. Leagues around…

Mitchell Starc runs in for Sydney Sixers © Getty Images Mitchell Starc will not play in the BBL final for the Sydney Sixers despite being available after he and the Sixers came to a mutual agreement that the club should stick with the squad that has secured them a home final. Starc has not played in the BBL since December 2014 but made a surprising decision to sign a contract…

Alex Hales has enjoyed an outstanding BBL campaign © Getty Images England’s treatment of Alex Hales has been described as “really unfair” by Shane Bond. Hales has not played an international match for almost two years after being deemed to have shown a “complete disregard” (in the words of Eoin Morgan) for England’s team values by failing tests for recreational drugs. Hales was also present on the night Ben Stokes…

News Left-arm spinner embraces pressure as he prepares for the “ultimate test” Jack Leach is promising to “cherish” every moment of the Test series in India despite knowing it represents the “ultimate” challenge. Leach returned to England’s Test team in Sri Lanka after an absence of 14-months during which he has admitted he both feared for his life and his career. As a result, he has a clear sense of…