Usman Khawaja says he has learned plenty from his two underwhelming tours of England as he prepares for what he calls the toughest test for a top-order batter. The 36-year-old opener will be integral to Australia’s chances of retaining the Ashes when the first of five Tests begin in Birmingham on June 16, following the World Test Championship [WTC] final against India at The Oval. Khawaja toured England in 2013…
Just over a month before the start of the Ashes, bowling remains “a bit of a challenge” for England’s captain Ben Stokes, who continues to miss out on selection for Chennai Super Kings at the IPL. England play their first Test against Australia at Edgbaston on June 16 and Stokes has signalled his intention to “fulfil my role as fourth seamer” during that series after a long-running knee issue which…
“First T20 series that comes up, play these guys [the youngsters], expose these guys. They [the selectors] should start blooding them right now,” Shastri said on ESPNcricinfo’s Runorder show, when asked about how soon players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jitesh Sharma and Tilak Varma should get a promotion. “Players like Rohit, Virat Kohli, they are proven, you know what they are all about. I would go in that [good performers in…
James Anderson is a doubt for England’s first Test of the summer, starting against Ireland on June 1, after confirmation that he had suffered a “minor strain to his right groin” while playing for Lancashire. Anderson did not participate any further in the County Championship game against Somerset at Old Trafford after returning figures of 14-7-16-2 on day one. His absence was met with no official update of an injury…
With only nine matches left to play in the league stage of IPL 2023, just one team – Delhi Capitals – has been eliminated, and not one has confirmed qualification for the playoffs. Here is a lowdown on the qualification chances of each of the nine remaining teams. Gujarat Titans Played 12, Points 16, NRR 0.761Rem mat: SRH (h), RCB (a)Gujarat Titans have been leading the points table for a…
Kolkata Knight Riders 147 for 4 (Rana 57*, Rinku 54, Chahar 3-27) beat Chennai Super Kings 144 for 6 (Dube 48*, Conway 30, Narine 2-15, Varun 2-36) by six wickets Kolkata Knight Riders tripped Chennai Super Kings in their last home game of the league season, out-spinning them and out-batting them on a tricky Chepauk pitch to stay in contention for the playoffs. CSK would have become the first team…
Lancashire 326 (Mitchell 105, Balderson 71, Overton 4-52, Henry 4-73) drew with Somerset 361 (Rew 105, Henry 50, Mitchell 3-32, Williams 3-71) and 398 for 5 (Rew 118*, Aldridge 101*, Lammonby 78) It is one of history’s grimmer truths that since the founding fathers gave it large in 1776, challenging declarations have been hard to find. Even in cricket’s rich past, Stuart Surridge, Colin Ingleby-Mackenzie, Garry Sobers and Ben Stokes…
Derbyshire 251 for 9 dec (Came 108) and 166 for 5 (du Plooy 61*) drew with Gloucestershire 383 (Charlesworth 87, Taylor 57*, Gohar 53, Hammond 50) Derbyshire captain Leus du Plooy steered his side to safety with an unbeaten half-century on the final day of the LV=Insurance County Championship match against Gloucestershire at Derby. Gloucestershire were in with a chance of victory when Derbyshire slipped to 28 for 3 but…
Kent 95 (Fuller 5-21, Abbott 3-23) and 259 for 4 dec (Leaning 68*, Crawley 56, Compton 54) drew with Hampshire 373 (Dawson 84, Weatherley 58, Fuller 51) A brilliant defensive display by Kent earned them a draw with Hampshire, after an engrossing final day in the LV= Insurance County Championship at Canterbury. It was a textbook rearguard action by the hosts, who closed on 259 for 4, having batted out…
Leicestershire 270 (Rehan 59*, Hudson-Prentice 4-48, Karvelas 4-79) and 295 for 6 (Mulder 102*, Patel 100, Scriven 51*) drew with Sussex 430 (Alsop 182*, Pujara 77, Coles 70, Mulder 5-63) Hundreds from Rishi Patel and Wiaan Mulder steered Leicestershire to a draw against Sussex after being asked to follow on, preserving their unbeaten record in Division Two of the LV= Insurance County Championship. Dismissed for 270 in reply to their…