Month: February 2023

Andrew Strauss believes that the proliferation of T20 franchise tournaments could be a sign of the “democratisation” of world cricket, arguing that “no one, not Strauss, England’s former Ashes-winning captain who oversaw the ECB’s High Performance Review last year, warned his audience at the annual MCC Cowdrey Lecture that the ongoing shift in the game’s focus could leave “some old institutions creaking at the seams”, but believes the sport will…

New Zealand chief selector Gavin Larsen is hopeful fast bowler Trent Boult will spearhead the country’s bowling attack at the ODI World Cup in India later this year. Last year, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) agreed to release Boult from his central contract as he wanted to make himself available for T20 leagues around the world. He is currently turning out for MI Emirates in the UAE’s International League T20. Although…

So, it’s time for the 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup? Yes, and it’s been quite a ride between editions. The Women’s T20 World Cup, the global short-format showcase, was last played in early 2020 and a record MCG crowd of 86,174 watched hosts Australia thrash India by 85 runs in the final on March 8, 2020. That was just days before the world changed dramatically in the face of the…

Hardik Pandya believes that he has evolved so much as a T20 cricketer that he can absorb pressure and play any role for his team. About six years ago, he came to a press conference and said: “I could hit a six anytime I wanted to“. Hardik is now “okay” to step back, take the game deep, and play the role that MS Dhoni did towards the end of his…

Brisbane Heat allrounder Michael Neser says he is ready to step up and be the calming influence for the rest of the bowling attack in the absence of “spiritual leader” Usman Khawaja in the Big Bash ‘Challenger’ final against Sydney Sixers. Khawaja had been in great form with the bat in Heat’s run of six wins from their last seven games, but his words of wisdom at mid-off to the…

Stafanie Taylor has been named in West Indies’ squad for this month’s T20 World Cup, subject to a final fitness test. Taylor, the experienced allrounder and former captain who led West Indies to the title in 2016, has been troubled by a back injury. Her last international appearance was an ODI against New Zealand in September, when she scored an unbeaten half-century but retired hurt after a Player-of-the-Match performance, and…

Former Australia batter Mike Hussey has been confirmed as new head coach of Welsh Fire men in the Hundred. It was confirmed in December that Gary Kirsten would not be returning to lead the side for a third year after two dire campaigns. They finished seventh out of eight in 2021, the Hundred’s inaugural season, before finishing bottom in 2022 without winning a single game. Hussey, who is understood to…

The Cricket South Africa (CSA) expects allrounder Marizanne Kapp to join up with South Africa’s T20 World Cup squad in Cape Town on Friday after being given what coach Hilton Moreeng called “compassionate leave” for the T20I tri-series final against India this week. Kapp, who had meetings with the CSA on Thursday, requested time off after her wife, Dané van Niekerk, was left out of the World Cup playing group…

Sri Lanka A 136 and 228 for 1 (Fernando 114, Madushka 91*) trail England Lions 467 (Haines 118, Fisher 53, de Silva 3-59) by 1o3 runs Tom Haines‘ century on debut has put England Lions in a commanding position on day two of the second unofficial Test in Galle. The Sussex opener scored 118 from No. 3 as the Lions finished their innings on 467, establishing a first-innings lead of…

India chose to bat vs New Zealand India won the toss and made the surprising decision to bat first in the series decider in Ahmedabad. Their captain Hardik Pandya cited his experience of playing the IPL 2022 final at this venue, which his Gujarat Titans won while chasing but he felt there had been more assistance for the bowlers in the night. India’s dominant home record was still on the…